Things to do in Madeira
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Madeira
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months: warm, green, settled. May is the Flower Festival.
Warmest, driest, busiest, priciest. Book cars and hotels ahead.
Mild, famous New Year's fireworks, Christmas lights; good value except the holiday week.
Cooler, wetter north, almond blossom, carnival; the quietest months.
What's on
- Festa da Flor May
Flower Festival: flower carpets and parades in Funchal.
- Festa do Vinho late August to early September
Wine harvest festival in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos.
- New Year's Eve fireworks 31 December
The famous midnight display over Funchal bay.
- Carnival February
Parades in Funchal.
Best things to do in Madeira
Mercado dos Lavradores
Fish hall and fruit terraces; go Friday or Saturday when farmers are in.
Monte Palace Tropical Garden
Tiles, koi ponds and sculpture above the city; pair with the toboggan.
Carros de Cesto do Monte
The wicker toboggan ride down to Livramento; touristy and worth it once.
Câmara de Lobos
Working fishing bay of painted boats; poncha at golden hour.
Porto Moniz Natural Swimming Pools
Lava-rock sea pools; go at low tide on a calm day.
Ponta de São Lourenço
Arid volcanic peninsula walk with the sea on both sides.
Eira do Serrado
Viewpoint over the nuns' valley crater; the pirate-history stop.
Santana
The thatched A-frame houses; a stop on the northeast loop.
Where to stay in Madeira
Funchal old town and hotel zone
a first trip
Everything walkable; old town for character, Lido for resort pools.
Palheiro and the hills
quiet luxury
Gardens and golf above the city; you will want a car or taxis.
Câmara de Lobos
a fishing-village base
Fifteen minutes from Funchal with a different rhythm; thinner hotel choice.
Think twice about
- The far east (Machico, Caniçal, Santa Cruz)
The airport end: little to walk to in the evening, drive for every dinner.
- The north coast without a car
Day-trip country; buses are thin and cross-island taxis are expensive.
- Expecting a beach holiday
Almost no natural sand on Madeira proper; Porto Santo is the beach, the lidos are the swim.
Best restaurants in Madeira
Restaurante A Ginja
The island's best espetada; scabbard fish with banana for fish eaters.
Tasca Literária Dona Joana Rabo-de-Peixe
Old-town tasca on Rua de Santa Maria; the fish is the point.
Peixaria no Mercado
Market-catch seafood by the Mercado; lunch after the market.
Akua
Modern seafood by Júlio Pereira; cured scabbard fish leads.
Kampo
Pereira's meat room; grilled cuts in the same relaxed format.
Il Gallo d'Oro
Two-star tasting menus; the island's special-occasion dinner.
Avista
Seaside Josper grill on the terrace; Asian menu at weekends.
Doca do Cavacas
Lunch on the rocks below the terrace; the São Lourenço pairing.
Outdoor things to do in Madeira
Levada do Caldeirão Verde
The classic levada walk through tunnels to a waterfall.
Pico do Arieiro
Start of the ridge traverse to Pico Ruivo; sunrise is the moment.
Levada das 25 Fontes
Short western levada to a swimmable lagoon; mornings beat the cloud.
Praia do Seixal
Black-sand beach under waterfalls; the island's best swim.
Porto Santo Island
Nine kilometres of golden beach; overnight beats the day trip.
São Vicente Caves
Lava tubes with a volcanism centre; the bad-weather option.
Best hotels in Madeira
Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel
Cliffside grand hotel in gardens; the island's classic splurge.
Savoy Palace
Modern luxury tower with a big spa and rooftop pools.
Sé Boutique Hotel
54 rooms by the cathedral with a 360-degree rooftop bar.
Castanheiro Boutique Hotel
Design hotel in a restored building; lap pool with bay views.
Casa Velha do Palheiro
Manor-house hotel in the Palheiro gardens with golf.
Quinta da Casa Branca
Boutique quinta among gardens and banana plantation.
The Cliff Bay
Clifftop hotel with private sea access and a two-star restaurant.
Is Madeira expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €65 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €160 a person |
| Splurge | €380 a person |
| No limits | €750 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Blandy's Wine Lodge: a few days ahead
- Porto Santo Island: a few days ahead
- Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel: weeks ahead
- Savoy Palace: weeks ahead
- Sé Boutique Hotel: weeks ahead
- Castanheiro Boutique Hotel: weeks ahead
- Casa Velha do Palheiro: weeks ahead
- Quinta da Casa Branca: weeks ahead
- Il Gallo d'Oro: weeks ahead, always.
- Akua, Kampo, Vila do Peixe at sunset: days ahead in season.
- Canyoning and guided ridge walks: a day ahead. August Porto Santo ferry: ahead.
Is Madeira safe?
- The risks are terrain: unfenced levada drops, slippery sections, flash floods in heavy rain. Swim where locals swim on the north coast. Emergency number 112.
Madeira travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Market fruit tastings that turn into hard sells.
- Tour-group folk-night dinners where food is the afterthought.
- Levada walks sold as easy with narrow cliff ledges.
Getting around Madeira: public transport and more
- Rent a car beyond Funchal; tunnels make the north coast fast. Automatics cost more.
- Without a car: guided levada walks with pickup and the hop-on bus cover the sights.
- Cable car old town to Monte; toboggan Monte to Livramento. Porto Santo ferry from Funchal.
Who Madeira suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Madeira your trip
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