Madeira Itinerary
After hearing all the hype about Madeira we had to go check it out for ourselves……and it lived up to the expectation!
We spent 5 days in Madeira at the end of April 2024; below is our complete itinerary.
April is a great time to go as the weather is getting warmer and there are less crowds. Madeira’s population is 225,000 but gets around 8 million visitors a year so you really feel the crowds. I’d recommend going outside the peak months (May - October) for a more enjoyable experience.
DAY 1 - Travel day
AFTERNOON: London - Madeira
We left London on a Wednesday night to have 4 full days in Madeira. Ryanair has the cheapest flights from Stanstead, which takes about 3 hours and 55 minutes. We landed at 12am, which was the last flight of the night, and got a taxi to a nearby airport hotel, Santa Cruz Village Hotel. This was the cheapest accommodation we could find but it was very comfortable and included breakfast.
I’m sure you’re aware of how intense the landing is at Madeira and it really was the craziest landing I’ve ever experienced. Because of the wind coming off the mountain, most of your descent is over the water parallel to the runway. You’ll then make a sharp turn to be aligned with the runway which is when it gets bumpy. To put your mind at ease, the pilots have to have a special license to land in Madeira so you’re in capable hands. Also, there are so many flights in a day so it can’t be too dangerous - just bumpy!
DAY 2 - East Coast
MORNING: Pick up hire car
We picked up a car that we hired through Tangerine. It cost €100 for 4 days, and we had to pay a €1500 holding bond and a €150 holding petrol/toll bond. Tangerine provided a free shuttle to and from the airport, and we had no issues with the company. You just have to follow up with them to make sure you get your bonds back.
Because of the tourism boom in Madeira, there are heaps of new boutique rental car companies. They are all outside the airport but are a lot cheaper than hiring in the airport. I’d recommend using one of these companies. I’d also recommend hiring a small car as some of the streets are tight and it’s easier to get through and park with a smaller car. The roads are very well maintained and most of the island has been tunneled which makes it a lot easier and safer to get around. There are still hills so if you’re not a confident manual driver, definitely hire an automatic.
MORNING: Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço (PR 8) hike
After we picked up the car, we drove 20 minutes to the start of the Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço (PR 8) hike. The hike takes you to the eastern tip of Madeira and has panoramic views over the north and south sides of the island. It is a moderate walk along a rocky path that takes about 2 hours 30 minutes to complete. There is no shade so make sure you wear sunblock and carry water. At the halfway point there is a hut with food, water and toilets if required. You can also get down to the water here which is the perfect spot for a refreshing swim. They also offer boat tours from the hut.
The track is very busy and the parking fills up quickly. Parking is free and you can park along the road which is what most people have to do. Get there as early as possible to get a park, avoid the crowds and the heat of the sun.
AFTERNOON: Porta da Cruz
After the hike, drive 20 minutes to Porto da Cruz, a small seaside town nestled between staggering cliffs. We refueled with an amazing seafood lunch from Praça do Engenho. They have tables on the water so you can watch the surfers and take in the insane coastline - you can see all the way down to the hike you just did. I’d highly recommend the grilled prawns and octopus. It cost €34 for two beers and two fresh seafood mains.
After lunch, drive 10 minutes to Miradouro do Guindaste, a free observation deck with a glass floor. Here you really get a sense of why Madeira is called the Hawaii of Europe. We were exhausted so drove 1 hour to Funchal and checked into our accommodation.
DINNER: Sabor Tropical
You can’t go to Madeira without trying their traditional foods (known as tipical Madeira). We found an amazing authentic Madeira restaurant 5 minutes from our accommodation called Sabor Tropical. Go with an empty stomach and try the “Bolo do caco” (it’s their version of garlic bread and the bread melts in your mouth - amazing!), “Meat Espetada” (hanging meat with garlic butter dripping down it), “Picado” (traditional Madeira meat with chips) and “Milho fritto” (fried corn).
Accommodation: Residencial Monaco
We stayed at Residencial Monaco which cost €100 for a 3-person room for 3 nights. The accommodation is a budget hostel located in the heart of Funchal and 5 minutes from the water. There is a shared kitchen but there’s no aircon or parking. This was perfect for our trip as we were hardly in the room and it wasn’t summer. At times, we struggled to find a car park but used the car parking garage near the cable car if we couldn’t find street parking. If you’re visiting in the hotter months, I’d recommend getting a place with aircon as a minimum. If you’re looking for nicer accommodation, there are plenty of beautiful resorts on the coast but they are out of Funchal.
DAY 3 - Pico Do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo Hike
MORNING: Pico Do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo Hike
On day 3 we hiked Madeira’s tallest peaks and saw the sunrise above the clouds!! The Pico Do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike is Madeira’s most famous hike and the one you would have seen all the photos of. The hike is 10km and takes between 2-5 hours. The first part of the hike is the most intense and dramatic and the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ is within the first 700m. It is very steep in parts, has lots of stairs and 5 tunnels through the mountains. The weather conditions change very quickly particularly as you come from the peaks to the valley. It’s important you carry a wind/rain jacket, thermals, gloves, hat, sunblock, torch for the tunnels and plenty of water.
We booked a transfer with Get Your Guide which was €25 per person. They dropped us at Pico Do Arieiro and picked us up from Pico Ruivo. This meant we didn’t have to walk the track in reverse to get back to our car. The transfer picked us up from our accommodation at 5:50am and dropped us at Pico Do Arieiro 20 minutes before sunrise. This gave us plenty of time to find a spot and take in the sun rising above the clouds and over Madeira. If you drive yourself, you’ll be driving up the mountain in darkness and then you have to try and find a spot in the car park, about 1km below Pico Do Arieiro. You’ll then have to walk up the hill and try and make it for sunrise - the transfer is worth it just for the sunrise!
After sunrise, you have 5 hours to complete the hike which is more than enough time even if you keep stopping. The start of the hike is very busy because everyone has just left the sunrise point. It is slow to begin with but people eventually spread out.
LUNCH: Mercado Dos Lavradores
After the hike, we were exhausted (another great thing about the transfer is you don’t have to drive afterwards and get dropped back to your accommodation) and needed to refuel. We went to Mercado Dos Lavradores, a farmer’s market in Funchal, to try some local fruits. Vendors will offer you samples, make sure you try the mangoes, pitangas, delicious fruit (Monstera delicious) and dragon fruit.
AFTERNOON: Funchal / Doca do Cavacas Beach Club
This would have been a great time to explore Funchal but we were exhausted and wanted to relax by the ocean so went to Doca do Cavacas Beach Club instead. The beach club is about 10 minutes outside Funchal and is like a playground in the ocean. There is street parking but check the signs as we got a fine. It cost €14 for all-day entry, 2 lounge chairs and an umbrella. There’s a restaurant you can get takeaway food and drinks from and I got the best fried squid I’ve ever had!!
If you wanted to explore Funchal instead, I’d recommend visiting: The cable car, botanical gardens, Monte wicker baskets, Historic centre and old town.
DAY 4 - North Coast
DAY: Funchal - Porto Moniz - Funchal
Aside from the hike yesterday, this was my favourite thing we did in Madeira. The north coast is so beautiful and Porto Moniz stole my heart! This was a full day of driving but we saw it all!
Ilheus da Ribeira da Janela: We left Funchal at 8am and drove 1 hour to Ilheus da Ribeira da Janela. This is a cool rock formation at the turn-off for the Fanal Forrest road. There’s also a cafe where we got two coffees and a Pasteis de nata for €4 - great start to the day.
Fanal Forrest: We then drove another 20 minutes up the mountain on some windy but wide roads. We arrived at the Fanal Forrest around 9:45am which was before all the crowds. Park at the Fanal Forestry Station for free and wander through the forest and the fields to try and find the cows. We ended up staying here for a while because it was just so beautiful. There is also a 11km hike you can do from here called Levada dos Cedros Waterfall hike (PR14)
Miradouro da Eira da Achada: As you drive back down the mountain towards Porto Moniz, stop at Miradouro da Eira da Achada. This is a great lookout and there’s also a swing you can take cool photos at.
Porto Moniz: It’s then a 9-minute drive to Porto Moniz, a small coastal town on the northern tip of Madeira, famous for it’s natural pools. There’s a large free car park in the middle of town you can park at before relaxing at one of the natural swimming pools. Porto Moniz has two natural pools, Piscinas Naturais do Aquário which is free but isn’t maintained and Porto Moniz Natural Swimming Pool which costs €3 each to enter. We went to the Natural Swimming Pool and it was such a cool experience. For the price, I’d highly recommend it. We were having so much fun, we stayed here for 3 hours which worked well because we were now behind the crowds for the afternoon.
Sexial Beach: Sexial Beach is the famous black sand beach and is a 12-minute drive from Porto Moniz. The streets around the beach are very tight and hilly. There’s limited parking near the beach so you’ll probably have to park on the street and walk down. It was a cool place to see but I’d personally recommend spending more time at Porto Moniz and swimming there as it’s much nicer.
Sao Vincente: On the drive to Sao Vincente you’ll drive through THE famous Madeira tunnel, Joao Delgado tunnel. After you recover from the view, head to Capelinha de Nossa Senhora de Fátima, the pink church on the hill. The view from the church is of all the mountains and towns behind Sao Vincente and it’s so different to anything you’ve seen that day - so beautiful.
Quinta do Barbusano winery: We then stumbled upon Quinta do Barbusano winery a 5-minute drive from the church. The road’s a bit dodgy and single-lane so take it slowly. The wine was €3 a glass (amazing) and if you get there before 4pm, you can do a wine tasting. After we tasted some wines and took in the view, we drove back to Funchal
DINNER: Taberna Madeira
We tried a popular restaurant in Madeira, Taberna Madeira. They serve share platters and amazing meat dishes. This is a popular restaurant in Madeira so I’d recommend booking. However, they do take walk-ins.
DAY 5 - West Coast
MORNING: Funchal - Madalena do Mar - Airport
Day 5 means home time. Fortunately, we had a 3pm flight so we could spend the morning exploring the west coast.
Cabo Girao sky walk: Cabo Girao skywalk is the tallest headland in Europe at 580 metres and has amazing views of the coast. The skywalk is a glass walkway suspended over the cliff. It costs €3 and you buy tickets from the machines at the gate. I’d recommend getting there just before 9am so you’re there for when it opens and you can beat the crowds.
Ponta do Sol: After the skywalk, we drove 20 minutes to Ponta do Sol, a small colourful town by the ocean. There isn’t much to do here so grab a coffee and a Pasteis de nata from Restaurante Sol Poente which has the best view of the town. This is also a great place to swim.
Waterfall of the Angles: Waterfall of the Angles / Cascata dos Anjos is the waterfall you can drive through (although most people walk it). Because of the new tunnels, this was quiet difficult to find as maps will take you to the middle of the new tunnel where you obviously can’t stop. Instead, put Cais da Esperança into your maps and keep driving past the beach until you get to a hill. This is where most people park and then you walk up to the waterfall. You can drive the road but it is the old windy road along the coast and I’m not sure where it ends.
Madalena do Mar: We then stopped at Madalena do Mar, another coastal town 5 minutes down the road. This is a great place for some lunch or a swim. We then headed back to the airport and returned our hire car. If you have more time, you could check out Praia da Calheta and Estreito da Calheta.
