One week Madeira itinerary - Best things to do and see
A destination in Europe that has good weather in the fall or winter can be hard to find. Luckily, there is this little island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, called Madeira, that offers nice and warm weather in the low season of Europe. And to make it even better, the island is really beautiful with lots of things to do. From stunning landscapes to magnificent viewpoints, Madeira has it all.
Things to do
When going to Madeira, I recommend spending at least one week on this beautiful Portuguese island. I hear you thinking: “Madeira is such a small island, how can i spend a whole week there?!”. Believe me, that’s what i thought at first too. But after doing some research I found out there are a lot of different things to do and see, so you won’t get bored.
Because the island is pretty small, you can spend all nights in one ho(s)tel and still be able to explore the whole island, because driving to the other side of Madeira will only take you about a hour. I’d recommend to stay in Funchal, the biggest and only city on the island. There are alot of ho(s)tels and restaurants in this place and the city itself has alot of fun places to offer. But more information about the best things to do and see in Madeira in one week will be written down in the blog below.
Day 1 - Madeira
1. Monte – Botanical garden
The first stop of the day is at the Botanical Garden of Monte, a village close to Funchal. The garden offers a spectaculair view over Funchal. The park itself isn’t that big, but has some amazing places you can explore. You can find flowers, ponds, cacti and a cute little traditional house. We spend about an hour exploring the garden and the museum at the beginnen of the park.
Extra information
How to get there: Take the bus from the centre of Funchal to Jardim Botânico.
Where to get tickets: You can buy your tickets online or at the entrance of the garden.
Entry fee: €6
2. Monte – Monte Palace
The second stop of the day is the Monte Palace. This is a huge area with a lot of different things to offer. You can walk through the green forest, visit one of the many museums at the beginning of the park or have a look at the big pond in the centre of the garden. A fun fact about the pond, this area used to be the garden of the hotel next to the pond and people could enjoy themselves by taking a boat ride.
Extra information
How to get there: Go back to the centre of Funchal and take a different bus to Monte Palace. You can find your public transport ride with Google Maps.
Where to get tickets: You can buy your tickets at the entrance of the garden.
Entry fee: €12,50
3. Monte – Madeira Toboggan Ride
An unique experience, that you won’t find in any other place or country, is the Toboggan Ride from Monte. This is a 2km long ride in a sled that is controlled by two persons and their feet. The ride takes about 10 minutes and is a ‘must do’ because you will never have the opportunity to do this again. The speed of the sled depends on the road and how steep it is. The speed differs between 15 km and 30 km.
The starting point is in front of the church of Monte and ends in Estrada of the Livramento. ‘How do they get the sledges back to the top at the end of the ride?’ you may wonder. A big truck loads them on the back and once the truck is full, it will drive them back up to the start. The man who work there will be taken back by a big bus.
From the final point of the ride you can walk back to Funchal and reach it within 30 minutes or take the bus back to the center of Funchal. You can also get a taxi but this can be pretty expensive. To save some money, we shared a taxi with another couple and it was €5,- each couple.
Extra information
How to get there: Near the entrance of Monte Palace, you can find the men and their sledges. If you don’t go to Monte palace, take a bus to Monte palace and walk to the Church of Monte. This is the starting point.
Where to get tickets: You can buy your tickets at the ticket booth at the starting point.
Entry fee: 1 person €25,-/ 2 persons €30,-/ 3 persons €45,-
4. Funchal – Art of Open Doors
In Funchal you can find a small, little street called Rua de Santa Maria. In this street you can find some restaurants and shops with painted doors, all of them with different colors and drawings. The idea of this art project used to be to attract more people in the old town of Funchal. Nowadays it is a well know attraction in the city center.
5. Funchal – Farmers market
In the centre of Funchal, there is this cute little square with a fruit market. The market has two floors and downstairs you can find two big fruit shops. On the second floor there are some smallers shops, but with the same quality as downstairs. Make sure to also visit the second floor to support the smaller shop owners.
Day 2 - Madeira
1. Cabo Girão – Skywalk
Imagine walking 580 meter above the Atlantic Ocean on a glass skywalk. This is something you can do while being in Madeira. Is it scary? No, not for me. But someone who is afraid of heights will tell you otherwise.
2. Ponta do Sol – Cascata dos Anjos
Going to a carwash in your home town is considered not to be special. But going to a carwash in the middle of a road is definitely something you won’t find back at home. On the south side of the island you can find a waterfall that ends on the road. Cars can drive over the road and have a free carwash while doing so.
3. Ponta do Pargo – Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse/ Viewpoint
4. Porto Moniz – Nature Pools
One of the places I really wanted to visit, were the nature pools of Porto Moniz. Taking a swim here was high on my ‘to do’ list while being in Madeira. But, like the name says, it’s a nature pool. And if there is something you can’t control, it’s the nature. During our time in Madeira we’ve been there three times, but had no luck in taking a swim in one of the nature pools because of the following reasons:
1. We forgot our swimwear/ towels
2. High waves
3. Rough sea
The first time we got there, we forgot our swimwear. Stupid, but stuff like that can happen. Luckily, we still had some days left on the Island so we would make sure to come back there. That’s the moment nature got in the way . The sea was really rough and the nature pools were flooded by the salty water on our second try. We were not allowed to enter the pools, but we didn’t give up and went back for a third time.
I checked some online weather webcams to see if the water was high and rough, but on such a small webcam I couldn’t see it very clear. So we tried it again and hoped our third time was the charm. But just like our second time, we got no luck. So when you go to Madeira, check the weather beforehand and pick a sunny and calm day for the beautiful nature pools of Porto Moniz. And of course, don’t forget your swimwear!
5. Quinta – Cristo Rei
A good way to end your second day on Madeira is by going to Cristo Rei in Quinta. This is a town close to Funchal and here you will find a big statue of Cristo Rei. Behind the statue hides a large stairway that leads to the ocean.
One thing we did, so you don’t have to do it yourself, is counting the steps of the stairway. 213 Steps down and 213 steps back up. I don’t recommend counting them yourself because it will leave you out of breath once back at the top of the stairway. But if you want to do it, make sure to do it on your way down.
Day 3 - Madeira
1. PR9 – Levada do Caldeirão Verde
Want to know more about PR9? Also read Exploring PR9 – Levada Do Caldeirão Verde in Madeira
Day 4 - Madeira
1. PR8 – Verada da Ponto de São Lourenço
My personal favorite hike in Madeira was the PR8 – Verada da Ponta de São Lourenço. During the hike you will be surrounded by blue water and walk on somewhat dry ground.
The hike can be challenging from time to time because of the steep, stone stairways, but that is totally worth it. The hike takes about 2 hours from the starting point to the end point and on your way back you can do it in 1,5 hours. Me and my boyfriend normally need more time on the way there because we like to see our surroundings and always take way to many pictures.
Want to know more about PR8? Also read Hiking PR8 – Verada da Ponto de São Lourenço
2. Santana – Traditional Homes
Santana is a small village in the northern part of the island. Santa itself is small, but the place is know for its traditional homes. In the town there is a small squire that offers 6 small triangular houses with thatched roofs down to the ground.
A fun thing to do here is trying a traditional Poncha that they sell in some of the traditional houses. A Poncha is a alcoholic drink made in Madeira. The taste is strong but really sweet because of the honey and sugar in it.
3. PR11 – Levada Balcões
One of the shortest hikes in Madeira is the PR11 – Levada Balcões. This is a Levada that leads you to a viewpoint in less than half an hour, so you will be rewarded after a short walk.
Try to go to this viewpoint on a sunny and not cloudy day because you’re so high in the mountains, that clouds will cover the beautiful view over the valley of the Ribeira da Metade. As you can see in the photo’s, we got there on a cloudy day.
After checking the view, make your way back to the parking lot. Next to the parking lot you can find a restaurant called ‘Ribeiro Fribo’. I tried the regional Kebab and it was the best meat I’ve had in Madeira, so make sure to check it out after your long day of walking and exploring.
Day 5 - Madeira
1. Sexial – Black Beach
Madeira is an island, but doesn’t have a lot of beaches. However, there is this one sand beach you don’t want to miss and that is Sexial beach. The beach has really dark, almost black, sand/ rocks and lays next to some big green hills. The view from the beach is pretty spectacular.
What I really liked there, was how quiet it was. Even though this is one of the few beaches on Madeira, there were almost no tourists. But if you want to be sure of having the beach to yourself, try to be there at sunrise.
2. Achadas da Cruz – Cable Car
A place that still needs to be discovered by most tourists, is the Cable Car of Achadas da Cruz. This cable car is located at the top of the hill and will take you all the way down to a small town located next to the ocean. Once downstairs you can explore this area off the island and take a stroll alongside the sea.
Unfortunately we had bad luck because the cable car was temporarily closed, but I hope you will be able to get a trip with the cable car and explore the magical town on the other side of the cable car.
3. Porto Moniz – Rough Sea
Let me tell you more about our second try with the nature pools in Porto Moniz. Like I told before in this blog, we still had no luck on our second try at the pools because of the rough sea.
But something bad can always be turned into something good. The sea was really wild and the waves would collide with the big stones in the water. This had a really cool effect and the waves jumped high in the air.
Did we come here for the waves? No! But I am glad that we have seen it, because seeing the waves explode like that was insane. I could’ve watched it for hours.
Day 6 - Madeira
1. PR6.1 – Levada do Risco
Another Levada you can do is the PR6/ PR6.1 track. You start at the parking lot at the top of the hill and from here you take a 30 minute walk down to the starting point of the Levada’s.
Once at the starting point, you can decide which path you want to take. Me and my boyfriend chose the PR6.1 – Levada do Risco. This walk takes about 20 minutes to get to the waterfall. You can also chose to do both Levada’s since the Levada’s are pretty short.
Keep in mind that you have to get back up the hill to go back to your car. The walk back was harder than the way there because now we had to walk the steep hill back up.
2. PR13 – Verada do Fanal
Want to know more about PR13? Also read PR13 – Verada do Fanal hike in Madeira
Day 7 - Madeira
1. Funchal – Santa Maria de Colombo
Taking a boat trip on the Santa Maria de Colombo feels like going back in time. The ship is a replica of Christopher Columbus’s flagship and is located in the marina of Funchal. You can make a trip with this ship and there is a chance you will spot dolphins.
The trip takes three hours and brings you alongside the coast of south Madeira. The crew will tell you some information about the places you’ll pass and in the high season, the boat will make a stop so you can have a dip in the ocean.
Tip : If you easily get seasick, don’t forget to take a CVS Motion Sickness pill. I forgot mine, and let me tell you, tree hours takes forever when you feel sick.
Extra information
Location: The marina of Funchal.
Where to get tickets: You can make a reservation online and pay at the marina when you leave for the trip.
Entry fee: €35,-
2. Pico Ruivo & Pico do Arieiro
Because I forgot my Motion pill, I was in a bad shape at the end of the trip. I felt really sad, because we had to skip Madeira’s highlight in the afternoon. The highlight and a ‘must do’ is walking the Pico Ruivo or Pico do Arieiro.
This walk will take you to the highest point of the island and brings you above the clouds. Unfortunately I can’t give you more information because me and my boyfriend didn’t do the hike. But just as the title says of this blog, I will tell you about all the best things to do and see in Madeira and despite the fact we didn’t do this walk, I still think you should do it since I have seen some amazing articles and photo’s.
3. Take a sunset drive
After some relaxing time in the afternoon to make me feel better, we got back in our car and made sure to end our day well. One of the best ways to end the day, is by watching the sun go down and seeing the sky change its colors.
While being in Madeira, taking a sunset drive is something you don’t want to miss. Driving through the hills and seeing the sun disappear behind the hills and sea is a extraordinary view. The best way to see the sunset on Madeira is to make sure you are somewhere high in the mountains. From there you can make your way back to your accommodation while the sun will slowly disappear. If you see a spot that you like, park your car and take some photo’s to cherish that moment forever.
How to get around
Public transport – Exploring madeira can be done by using public transport. However, this is not the best option. Using the bus gets you to most places in Funchal, but outside of Funchal it can get a little bit harder. Sometimes you will have to take a taxi from the bus stop to reach your destination and this can get expensive.
Taxi – Taking a taxi in Madeira is pretty cheap and there are enough of them in the center of Funchal. When you’re done at your stop, call a taxi and they will pick you up again. Keep in mind that how longer the ride is, how higher the cost will be of the ride.
(Rental) car – Renting a car is the best option because it gives your the freedom to explore the island by yourself and do everything at your on pace. You can rent a car for 6 days. The first day you won’t need a car because you can explore Funchal and this can easily be done with the bus.
Tour- If you don’t want to drive yourself during your time on Madeira, you can also explore the island with a tour company. There are a lot of them, so you can choose one that offers daytrips to the places you want to see.
Travel costs
Food €10 – €40
Ho(s)tel €10 – 60
Transportation €0 – €10
Car rental €45 – 75
Entrance tickets €5 – €20
Extra information
Food – Madeira is an small Island with lots of small villages. Finding something to eat outside of Funchal, the only city on Madeira, can sometimes be difficult to find something to eat. Of course, if you look well, there is always a diner to find but not on every corner. However, in Funchal there are enough places to eat and to chose from.
Hotel – We stayed in the ‘Funchal Stay Inn Hostel’ but we had our own room with a bathroom for ourselves . It was really close to the center of Funchal and the people running it were friendly.
Weather –The weather in Madeira is know to be always hot. But of course, seasons change so the weather will change as well. I would suggest to bring al types of clothes for al types of weather.
I recommend you to bring, swimwear, rain jacket, short pants, long pants, t-shirts and sweaters, etcetera. I know this seems weird to bring such different type of clothes, but the weather on Madeira can change any minute. It also depends in which area you are on the island. If you do a hike, it can go from windy, too sunny, too rainy in a matter of time.
Flying to Madeira – You can reach Madeira with an airplane. However, not every country offers a direct flight there. We made a stop in Lisbon and stayed there for three days before we flew to Madeira. It was way cheaper and more fun because we got to discover two places in Portugal.
Want to know more about Lisbon? Also read Discover Lisbon in 72 hours – Best things to do and see
Words you can use – Local people always appreciate it when you can speak a few words in their language. Here are some words you can use while being in Portugal.
Thank you Obrigado (M) Obrigada (F)
Good morning Bom Dia
Good afternoon Boa tarde
Good evening Boa Noite
Yes Please Sim por favor
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