27 Best Things to Do in Madeira (+ 2026 Hiking Rules)

Short on Time? The Things to Do in Madeira You Can't Miss

• Sunrise above the clouds: drive up Pico do Arieiro before dawn, or let someone else drive with a Pico do Areeiro sunrise tour.
• The big hike: PR1 from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. Fit hikers only. The guided Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike solves the one-way transport problem.
• The easy levada: Levada das 25 Fontes, ideally early, or on a small-group Rabaçal and 25 Fontes walk.
• The west coast in one day: Cabo Girão, Porto Moniz's lava pools, Seixal and Fanal, which is exactly the route of this Skywalk, Porto Moniz, Seixal and Fanal 4WD tour.
• On the water: a responsible whale and dolphin watching trip from Funchal marina.

What's Changed in Madeira in 2026

• Trails need a paid booking. Since 1 January 2026, every classified PR trail must be booked on the regional government's SIMplifica portal: €4.50 per trail, €10.50 for the full PR1. Hiking without one can mean a fine of up to €50. (More in the tip below item 7.)
• PR1 is open again, but one way only. It reopened in late April 2026 after the 2024 wildfire and has run daily since 26 June, from Pico do Arieiro toward Pico Ruivo only.
• PR9 Caldeirão Verde reopened on 29 May 2026 after rockfall clearing.
• São Vicente's lava caves are closed. The Grutas de São Vicente have been shut for about six years while safety studies drag on, and there's no reopening date. Several popular lists still send you there.
• Don't go to Cascata dos Anjos. The old road under the famous roadside waterfall near Ponta do Sol has been closed to cars and pedestrians since 2016 because of rockfall. Blogs still tell you to drive under it. Don't.
• Prices went up. Cabo Girão's skywalk is €5, the Funchal–Monte cable car €16 one way, and the Monte toboggan €40 for two.
• No Porto Santo ferry from 15 to 22 October 2026, while the ship is in dry dock. Crossings currently take 3 hours 15 minutes instead of the usual 2¼ to 2½.

Things to Do in Funchal

Funchal, the capital, is where most people stay. We keep it short here, because it has its own page: see our full guide to things to do in Funchal for the museums, gardens and food.

1. Wander Funchal's Old Town and Farmers' Market

Start at the Mercado dos Lavradores, the 1940 farmers' market with tiled panels, flower sellers, exotic fruit and a fish hall that's busiest in the morning.

Then cross into the Zona Velha, the Old Town. On Rua de Santa Maria, around 200 doors have been painted by local artists as part of the "artE pORtas abErtas" project. It's the most photographed street in Funchal, and it's best before lunch, when the restaurant touts are still setting up.

Important: at the fruit stalls, ask the price per kilo before anyone cuts anything for you. Tourists being charged €72 for a bag of fruit went viral in 2025.

Hours: the market opens at 7 a.m., Monday to Saturday (until 2 p.m. on Saturday), and is closed on Sunday.

Football fans can add the CR7 Museum on the waterfront (€5), which is a trophy room for Cristiano Ronaldo, Madeira's most famous son. Fine for 30 minutes. Skip it if you're not a fan.

2. Ride the Monte Cable Car and Toboggan

This is Funchal's classic half day, and yes, it's touristy.

Do it anyway.

The Funchal cable car climbs from the seafront up to Monte, over a carpet of red roofs. At the top, the Monte Palace Madeira tropical garden is the reason to stay a couple of hours: tiled panels, koi ponds and exotic plants on a steep hillside.

Then comes the part everyone photographs. Two men in straw hats, the carreiros, steer you down the hill in a wicker sledge. It's about 2 km of road, from Monte to Livramento, and it's quicker and funnier than it looks.

Cost: cable car €16 one way or €22 return (open daily 8:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.); Monte Palace €18, free for under-15s; toboggan €30 for one person, €40 for two or €60 for three.

Tip: toboggan tickets can't be prebooked, by tours or anyone else. You buy them at the start point in Monte and queue, so go in the morning, before the cruise-ship groups arrive. Buy the cable car one way only, because the toboggan drops you in Livramento, well below Monte, and a taxi back to the center is easier than going back up.

3. Taste Madeira Wine at Blandy's

Madeira wine is fortified and aged in warm lodges, and it's the island's best-known export. The easiest place to try it is Blandy's Wine Lodge in central Funchal.

The 30-minute Lodge Tour with two wines costs €17. If you're curious about vintage Madeira, the 1½-hour Vintage Premium tour (€59) pours five, including a frasqueira.

Prefer to eat while you drink? This 3-hour food and wine walking tour in Funchal has over 540 reviews and covers the market, bolo do caco and poncha as well as wine.

Madeira's Mountains: Peaks and Viewpoints

4. Watch the Sunrise From Pico do Arieiro

The one morning alarm in Madeira worth setting.

Pico do Arieiro (also spelled Areeiro) is the island's third-highest peak at 1,818 m, and you can drive almost to the top. On a good morning, you're standing above a white sea of clouds while the sun comes up behind the ridges. On a bad one, you're standing inside the cloud and can't see your own car.

So check the Madeira weather forecast and a live webcam the night before, and keep a second morning free in case the first one is a whiteout.

It's cold up there. IPMA recorded -3.3°C at the summit one March morning in 2026, while Funchal sat at about 9°C. Bring a hat and a proper jacket, even in summer.

Getting there: the road up is steep and twisting, so leave Funchal well before sunrise. The car park charges €4 an hour and fills up fast at dawn.

No car, or don't fancy the drive in the dark? This Pico do Areeiro sunrise tour includes hotel pickup and has a 4.97 rating from nearly 200 reviews.

More detail in our Pico do Arieiro guide.

5. Hike PR1 From Arieiro to Pico Ruivo

PR1, the Vereda do Areeiro, is Madeira's most famous hike, and it deserves the reputation. It's about 7 km along a knife-edge ridge between the island's two highest peaks, with carved stairs, tunnels through the rock and drops that'll test anyone with vertigo. Allow about 3½ hours.

Here's what changed in 2026, and what most guides get wrong:

• It's one way only, from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. You can't walk back.
• It costs €10.50 and must be booked on SIMplifica in a 30-minute start slot. Two early slots, 7:00 and 7:30 a.m., were added for sunrise hikers in June 2026.
• You need transport from the far end. The path finishes at Achada do Teixeira, above Santana, on the other side of the mountains from where you parked. Arrange a taxi pickup, or book a guided hike.
• Short on fitness? A €4.50 booking covers the out-and-back stretch from Arieiro to the Pedra Rija viewpoint, which is walked in both directions.

You can also reach Pico Ruivo (1,862 m), the island's highest point, the easy way, on PR1.2 from Achada do Teixeira: 2.8 km each way, about 1½ hours. It also needs a €4.50 booking.

Our verdict: if you're fit and have one clear day, this is the single best thing to do in Madeira, and the hike most people remember long after the trip. If you're not, the Arieiro sunrise plus PR1.2 gets you both summits without the ridge.

The Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo guided hike handles the transport at both ends and has over 3,000 reviews. See our Pico Ruivo guide for the routes in detail.

6. Walk to the Balcões Viewpoint at Ribeiro Frio

PR11, the Vereda dos Balcões, is the best effort-to-reward ratio on the island. It's an easy 1.5 km each way along a levada from Ribeiro Frio to a balcony viewpoint looking straight into the island's central mountains. Allow about 1½ hours there and back.

It's a good choice for families with older kids, and for the morning you planned PR1 and the ridge was in cloud, which happens more often in Madeira than the brochures admit.

Cost: €4.50 on SIMplifica (under-13s free, but still register them).

7. Look Down on Curral das Freiras (Nuns' Valley)

From the Eira do Serrado viewpoint, you look almost straight down into a village sitting in a deep bowl of mountains. It's one of the most dramatic views on the island, and one of the easiest to reach.

Drive up from Funchal, or take bus 81 from the city (some runs go via Eira do Serrado, and there are fewer on Sundays). Eat something made with chestnuts in the village. Curral is Madeira's chestnut village, and it holds a chestnut festival around 1 November.

No car? This Nuns' Valley half-day tour combines the viewpoint with Câmara de Lobos.

Tip: How to Book Madeira's Hiking Trails in 2026

Since 1 January 2026, every official PR trail must be booked in advance on SIMplifica (simplifica.madeira.gov.pt), the regional government's portal.

• Price: €4.50 per trail; €10.50 for the full PR1. Under-13s are free but still need registering.
• Passes: €9 for a day of two or more trails, €22.50 for three days, €52.50 for seven. The passes don't cover the full PR1.
• Slots: 30-minute start windows, bookable up to 30 days ahead. Unpaid bookings cancel automatically.
• Guided hikes: operators pay a lower rate, and the fee is often included in the tour price.
• Fines: up to €50 if a ranger finds you on a trail without a booking.

Check trail status on the same portal before you go.

Trails in Madeira close after heavy rain, sometimes for weeks.

Levada Walks and Laurel Forest

Madeira has more than 2,000 km of levadas, narrow irrigation channels cut into the mountains to carry water from the wet north to the farms of the south. The maintenance paths beside them make mostly flat walks through some of the greenest landscape in Europe. Here are the ones to start with. For the routes in more depth, our Madeira travel guide has a full hiking section.

8. Walk Levada das 25 Fontes (PR6)

The most popular levada in Madeira, and the one most likely to be busy. The path follows a channel down the Rabaçal valley to a pool fed by dozens of thin waterfalls (the 25 "fountains"), and it's a gentle walk by Madeira standards.

Getting there: park at the Rabaçal car park on the ER110 (free, but full by mid-morning in summer). A shuttle bus runs down the first steep stretch to Rabaçal for about €5 one way, cash only.

Tip: go early, or late afternoon. At midday in August, the final pool is shoulder to shoulder.

Cost: €4.50 on SIMplifica.

The small-group Rabaçal and 25 Fontes walk (4.8 from over 950 reviews) includes transport from Funchal. Our 25 Fontes guide has the route.

9. Hike to Caldeirão Verde (PR9)

Longer, wilder and better than 25 Fontes, if you have the legs.

It's our favourite levada walk in Madeira. PR9 runs 8.7 km each way from the forest park at Queimadas, above Santana, through laurel forest and dark tunnels to the Caldeirão Verde, a "green cauldron" where a tall waterfall drops into a lagoon. Allow about 6½ hours for the round trip.

Important: bring a headlamp for the tunnels, and shoes with grip. The trail reopened on 29 May 2026 after rockfall repairs, so check its status on SIMplifica before you set out.

Booking a guided Caldeirão Verde levada walk solves the long drive to the north coast.

10. Walk Levada do Rei (PR18)

The quieter alternative when 25 Fontes is packed. Levada do Rei starts near São Jorge on the north coast and follows the channel for 5.3 km into the forest, ending at the Ribeiro Bonito stream. It's about 3½ hours there and back, with far fewer people than PR6. €4.50 on SIMplifica.

11. Get Lost in the Fog at Fanal Forest

Fanal is a high meadow at about 1,150 m, scattered with ancient, twisted til trees that are often wrapped in fog. It's part of the Laurisilva, Madeira's laurel forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.

Honest note: on a clear, sunny day it's a pleasant picnic spot. It's the fog that makes it magical, so this is the one place in Madeira where bad weather helps. There's no ticket, and it pairs well with Porto Moniz and Seixal on a west-coast day.

The West Tour with guide to Fanal Forest covers it if you're not driving.

The East and North-East

12. Hike Ponta de São Lourenço (PR8)

Madeira's eastern tip looks like a different island altogether: bare, windswept ridges of red, ochre and black volcanic rock, with the Atlantic on both sides. PR8 runs about 4 km each way across the peninsula, roughly 2½ hours there and back.

Important: there's almost no shade. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen, and go early in summer. €4.50 on SIMplifica.

See our Ponta de São Lourenço guide for the route.

13. Swim at Machico's Golden Beach

Madeira isn't a beach island.

So here's the honest version: Machico's beach is golden because the sand was imported. It's still the best town beach on the main island, sheltered in a bay, and an easy drive east of Funchal past the airport.

For natural sand, Prainha do Caniçal, near Ponta de São Lourenço, is dark volcanic sand. Our guide to the best beaches in Madeira has the full list.

14. See the Thatched Houses of Santana

Santana, on the north coast, is known for its triangular A-frame houses, with steep straw roofs and red, blue and white painted fronts. A group of them is preserved at the Casas Típicas de Santana.

Verdict: it's a 20-minute stop, not a half-day. Make it part of a north-coast loop, with the Miradouro do Guindaste near Faial, a free clifftop viewpoint that's a favourite for sunrise.

The Arieiro, Santana and Ponta de São Lourenço jeep tour strings this item, item 4 and item 12 together in one day.

15. Snorkel the Garajau Marine Reserve

Below the Cristo Rei statue at Caniço, the waters off Praia do Garajau have been a protected nature reserve since 1986. Snorkellers and divers come for the visibility, often more than 20 m, and the groupers that hang around the rocks. You can swim straight in from the pebble beach. Bring water shoes.

The North and West Coast

16. Swim in the Porto Moniz Lava Pools

The swim everyone wants in Madeira, and it lives up to the photos.

At the island's northwest tip, the Atlantic crashes over black lava rock into a set of natural seawater pools. The managed Porto Moniz natural pools have lifeguards, showers and lockers; next door, the free rock pools by the aquarium are wilder and less crowded.

Cost: €3 for the managed pools.

Hours: about 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in summer and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter.

Important: in heavy seas, the managed pools can close without warning, and the waves really do come over the walls. Have a plan B for the day.

Getting there: about 1 to 1¼ hours from Funchal on the expressways. Stay overnight at Aqua Natura Madeira, right beside the pools, and you'll have them almost to yourself after the day-trippers leave.

If you'd rather not drive, the Skywalk, Porto Moniz, Seixal and Fanal 4WD tour covers the whole west coast in a day and has nearly 10,000 reviews.

17. Visit Seixal's Black-Sand Beach

Seixal is the photo of Madeira you've probably already seen: black volcanic sand, turquoise water and green cliffs dropping straight to the sea. Just around the corner are the Poças das Lesmas, natural pools tucked under a rock arch.

Important: waves on the north coast come in suddenly. Swim only when the sea is calm, and never turn your back on it at the water's edge.

18. Ride the Achadas da Cruz Cable Car

One of Madeira's quirkiest rides. A tiny cable car drops almost straight down a cliff to the Fajã da Quebrada Nova, a strip of farmland at sea level, in about five minutes.

Cost: €3 one way, €5 return. It closes occasionally for inspections, so don't make it the only plan for your day.

The Sunny South-West

19. Step Onto the Cabo Girão Skywalk

A glass-floored platform on top of a 580 m sea cliff, west of Funchal. Visit Madeira calls it the highest cape in Europe, and standing on glass over that drop is exactly as unnerving as it sounds.

Cost: €5 for anyone over 12 since January 2026, paid through SIMplifica. Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Verdict: worth 20 minutes on the way west, not a destination in itself. Go early to beat the tour buses.

20. Drink Poncha in Câmara de Lobos

Câmara de Lobos is a fishing village just west of Funchal, with brightly painted boats pulled up in the harbour. Winston Churchill painted the bay here in January 1950, from the Espírito Santo viewpoint above it.

Stay for a poncha, the island's drink of sugarcane rum, honey and lemon. It's stronger than it tastes. That's the whole point and the whole warning.

Our Câmara de Lobos travel guide has more.

21. Catch the Sunset in Ponta do Sol

Ponta do Sol, on the sunny south-west coast, lives up to its name. It's a small town with street art on its walls and a west-facing seafront, and it's one of the best places on the island to watch the sun go down.

Stay a night at Estalagem da Ponta do Sol, the modern hotel on the cliff above town, for the view. And nearby Jardim do Mar, a cobbled village a short drive west, is worth a wander before dinner.

22. Spend a Beach Afternoon in Calheta

Calheta has one of Madeira's few sandy beaches: about 100 m of imported golden sand, sheltered by breakwaters, so the water is calm enough for kids.

Before the beach, stop at the Engenhos da Calheta, a working sugarcane mill that produces rum and cane syrup. The mill runs once a year, after Easter, but the tasting room is open all year.

23. Stand at the Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse

At the far western tip of the island, the Ponta do Pargo lighthouse sits on top of the cliffs, with a free viewpoint and nothing but ocean to the horizon. It's quiet, it's a long drive, and it's the place to watch your last Madeira sunset if you're staying in the west.

On (and Off) the Water

24. Go Whale and Dolphin Watching From Funchal

Twenty-eight species of whales and dolphins have been recorded in Madeira's waters, and boats leave Funchal marina all year. Common, Atlantic spotted and bottlenose dolphins are the usual sightings; sperm whales, pilot whales and Bryde's whales turn up often enough to keep it exciting.

Madeira regulates whale watching: licensed boats must keep at least 50 m from the animals and limit each sighting to 40 minutes. Choose an operator that sticks to that.

Cost: a 2- to 2½-hour trip runs about €50–60 per adult.

This responsible whale and dolphin watching tour has a 4.9 rating from over 2,000 reviews.

25. Try Canyoning (Our Rainy-Day Pick)

Madeira's steep ravines make the island one of Europe's best canyoning spots: you abseil down waterfalls, slide down rock chutes and jump into pools with an instructor. It's also the perfect plan for the day the peaks are in cloud.

No experience needed for the Beginner Canyoning Level 1 trip, rated 4.97 from over 1,900 reviews.

26. Take the Ferry to Porto Santo

Madeira's sister island has what the main island lacks: a 9 km beach of natural golden sand. The Lobo Marinho ferry leaves Funchal in the morning, and Porto Santo Line sells a day-trip package from €58.90.

Important: crossings currently take 3 hours 15 minutes "for technical reasons", not the usual 2¼ to 2½ hours, which makes a day trip very long. There are no regular sailings from 15 to 22 October 2026 while the ship is in dry dock. We'd stay a night or two instead: see our Porto Santo travel guide.

27. Time Your Trip for Funchal's Big Festivals

Two Madeira events are worth planning a trip around. The Flower Festival fills Funchal with flower carpets and parades each spring; in 2027 it runs from 29 April to 30 May, with the big parades on 2 and 16 May. And Funchal's New Year's Eve fireworks set a Guinness World Record for the largest fireworks display in 2006. Book hotels very early for both.

How Many Days in Madeira?

Five to seven days.

Four days in Madeira is enough for Funchal, a sunrise at Pico do Arieiro, one levada and a west-coast drive, if you rent a car. But the mountains cloud over for a day or two at a time, so a week gives you spare mornings for the hikes. Split it between Funchal and the south-west coast. Our Madeira itinerary has day-by-day plans.

Getting Around Madeira

Rent a car if you can.

Most of the best things to do in Madeira are spread around the island, and buses to the trailheads are few. The VR1 expressway along the south coast is toll-free, but off it, the roads are steep, narrow and full of hairpins. Book a small automatic: DiscoverCars compares the companies at the airport.

Without a car, base yourself in Funchal, use the SIGA buses for the coast, and fill the gaps with tours: our roundup of Madeira tours compares them. For the airport run, a Welcome Pickups driver meets you in arrivals. Our driving in Portugal guide covers licences and road rules.

Best Time to Visit Madeira

April to June, and September to October.

Funchal's weather is mild all year, with average highs from about 20°C (68°F) in winter to 27°C (80°F) in August. Spring brings the Flower Festival and green levadas; early autumn has the warmest sea. August is the busiest and priciest month, and December to February is the wettest, with cold, sometimes icy mountain tops that disrupt hikes. Our Madeira travel guide has the month-by-month table.

Where to Stay in Madeira

Funchal for a first visit, then the south-west of Madeira if you have a week. Our guide to where to stay in Madeira compares every area. A few picks:

• Budget: Vitorina Corte Guesthouse, on Rua de Santa Maria in Funchal's Old Town.
• Mid-range: Castanheiro Boutique Hotel, in restored townhouses near the marina, or The Vine Hotel, with a rooftop pool in the center.
• Splurge: Savoy Palace, the big five-star on Funchal's seafront hotel strip.
• West coast: Estalagem da Ponta do Sol for sunsets, or Aqua Natura Madeira beside the Porto Moniz pools.

What Madeira's Top Sights Cost in 2026

Plan Your Madeira Trip

1. Book your hotel early, especially for spring, August and New Year. See our picks above.
2. Book your trail slots on SIMplifica as soon as your dates are fixed, especially PR1 at sunrise.
3. Book tours that sell out: the Pico do Areeiro sunrise tour and whale watching in summer.
4. Rent a small automatic through DiscoverCars.
5. Get an eSIM such as Yesim so maps work on the mountain roads.
6. Don't skip travel insurance: wind at Madeira's airport delays and diverts flights. EKTA is one option, and our Portugal travel insurance guide explains what to look for.

Still deciding what to do in Madeira versus the Azores? Read Madeira vs Azores before you book, and our Madeira travel guide for flights, costs and safety.