19 Essentials: what to see and do in Madeira (Portugal)

From our recent trip to the Portuguese island of Madeira We return with a feeling of having discovered an authentic paradise just over an hour by plane from Lisbon.

Madeira It is an island located in the Atlantic at the height of Morocco, which I can tell you stands out for the color of its forests and landscapes full of vegetation and flowers.

Nature in its purest form where you are impressed by its shocking viewpoints.

It has warm and humid temperatures throughout the year, with precipitation only during the winter, making it a destination that can be visited at any time of the year.

Despite being an island, Madeira It does not have large sandy beaches, since it is land of volcanic origin where cliffs abound.

So that you can discover the island in depth, we wanted to make a selection of the places of interest in Madeira What you should know if you plan to make a trip to this surprising portuguese island.

The best things to see and do on the Madeira tourism visit

Let's start at the beginning, and in this case we should know that the capital is the city of Funchal, Where is he island airport, as well as most of the large hotels, which are located around this town.

The populations in the madeira island They extend along the slopes of the mountains and Funchal It is no exception.

1. Funchal Old Town and Painted Doors

When walking through the historic helmet You will discover an example of how to rehabilitate a neighborhood that years ago was an impoverished area, to which they decided to give it a facelift.

For years, local artists have been painting the doors of the low houses that were abandoned.

Around the Santa Maria Street, which is the street bars and restaurants in Funchal, you can see a multitude of colorful drawings and sculptures that adorn the doors of its streets.

Today, walking through them is like taking a tour through a spontaneous museum, where each owner has the freedom to decorate their doors and windows.

2. Funchal Cable Car

One of the city's icons, which we couldn't resist trying, is the funchal cable car.

It leaves from the old neighborhood next to the sea and takes you to the town of Monte, high in the hills where the tropical garden, a place that we have pending for a future visit to Madeira.

After an ascent of almost four kilometers over a 560-meter-high slope, we arrived at the ideal place to achieve those panoramic photos of Funchal.

El funchal cable car ticket price It is 11 euros one way and 16 round trip, 5,50 and 8 euros for children from 7 to 14 years old.

There is also combined rates which include the cable car and visit to the tropical garden for 25,40, or also with the tourist bus for 26,25 euros.

3. Funchal Market

El Farmers Market It is the most important on the island.

It is a large space that is arranged on two floors, and with two areas that clearly stand out.

On the one hand, the one dedicated to the great variety of tropical fruits, with great color and stalls that, as a curiosity, show more than 10 different types of passion fruits, and on the other, the sea ​​products.

Being an island, fish plays an important role in the Madeira cuisine; Swordfish or tuna are some of the most characteristic of the island.

4. Handmade Madeira embroidery in Funchal

Next to the market are one of the Madeira artisan embroidery factories.

The embroidery They were once one of the driving forces of the city and still retain that charm of bygone eras.

It is a small factory where they taught us the characteristics of one of the quality seals of the island.

5. Basket Carts in Funchal

One of the tourist activities best known on the island is to make a basket cart descent.

These are cars in which two people get on and go down the road in a two-kilometer journey carried by two drivers.

These cars are caught at the top of the funicular, right next to the tropical garden, and have become a typical activity of a trip to Madeira.

6. Whale watching in Madeira

There is a activity that lovers of nature and the sea will surely love.

At the port you can sign up for speed boat excursions that take you to watch whales and all types of cetaceans that live or pass around the island.

We went out in one of these boats, and despite the waves, we were able see a whale, but yes, it was impossible for us to take a photo, so we now have an excuse to repeat it when we return.

7. Cristiano Ronaldo Museum and Statue in Madeira

You don't have to like football to know that the most important character on the island is the player Cristiano Ronaldo, CR7; in fact, the island's airport has just been named after him.

Cristiano Ronaldo owns several hotels in the city, but in the Funchal port There is one that also houses a museum where most of the awards he has won in his career are kept.

At the entrance to the museum you will see a statue of him that is the focus of the photos of all football lovers who visit the city.

8. Faja dos Padres and Cabo Girao in Madeira

Two Fathers Girdle and Cabo Girao viewpoint his back very special corners of Madeira; They are not located within the old town of Funchal, but they are very close to the city and are worth mentioning.

Cabo Girao It is one of the highest viewpoints in Europe with a transparent walkway over the cliffYes, an experience only for those who do not have vertigo.

On the other hand, Two Parents Girdle is a pebble beach which is accessed by boat or funicular.

It is located at the bottom of a cliff, and on said beach there is a restaurant with spectacular views, an ideal place to eat and spend some time enjoying its terrace by the sea.

What to see and visit in the north of Madeira

El north of the island It is one of the most beautiful areas to visit in Madeira.

We met him at a 4×4 excursion which is the best way to visit it, since this way you can enter through forest tracks that would not otherwise be accessible.

9. Laurel forests in Madeira

See and know the laurel forests It is one of the obligatory visits when you consider knowing Madeira.

have been declared Heritage for its quality and dimensions, since it is a type of forest that many years ago was found in much of the continent and is currently almost extinct.

Currently occupying 20 percent of the island's surface, these forests combine laurel with rare tree species and herbaceous plants endemic to the island.

On an island of this style located many kilometers from the mainland, it should not surprise you that you can find unique species, both flora and fauna.

If you like nature, be sure to visit this unique gem in the world.

10. Levadas in Madeira

One of the stuff that has caught our attention the most Madeira are great slopes generated by the mountains of the island, which has historically been a problem for the supply of the populations.

The crops They had to adapt with terraces to harvest, but the water supply was an issue that they had to solve with an ingenious idea and a colossal work.

The solution they found back in the 16th century was to create some Waterways through the mountains to be picked up and transported throughout the island.

Specifically, about 2.500 kilometers of canals were built, with a depth of about 50 centimeters, which collected rainwater that filtered through the rocks at the top of the mountains and brought it down to the towns.

These canals can be seen on many of the trails that run through the island's forests; We met him at a stop in the aforementioned 4×4 route what we did through the laurel forests.

11. Natural pools in Porto Moniz and Seixal in Madeira

One of the most paradisiacal postcards of the island, without a doubt, is made up of the natural pools formed by volcanic lava.

The salt water from the sea enters them and forms pools of transparent and bluish water that everyone who visits the island should know.

In addition to the two swimming pool areas Porto Moniz, a little further east along the coast there are others that are only known and frequented by the inhabitants of the area, which are those of the population of Seixal.

12. Ilhéus da Ribeira da Janela Rock in Madeira

Almost glued to the natural pools, we stopped at a viewpoint with access to a rocky beach with crystal clear water, where in addition to bathing, you can see a curious rock formation.

With a very peculiar shape, this formation is located right at the mouth of one of the rivers that descend through the mountain.

13. Grottoes of Saint Vincent in Madeira

La madeira island It has a volcanic origin, which can be known in the visit to the caves of San Vicente, an ideal excursion for a rainy day on the island.

The lava flows flowing through the island have formed caves that can be visited and allow a deeper understanding of the origin of the island.

14. Waterfalls in Madeira

There is no single zone of waterfalls in Madeira, since the arrangement of the mountains with high cliffs throughout the island is very conducive to the formation of waterfalls.

When you travel by car north of the island, it is possible to see many of them in the mountains that follow one another along the way, so if you want see waterfalls, you must be attentive to the landscapes.

We made stops in two viewpoints from which we could see them.

Specifically, in Ponta do Poiso, in the Veú da Noiva viewpoint, next to the Seixal pools, or from the back of the hotel Quinta Do Furao, a little further east near Santana.

In any case, it is not necessary to go to these points on the island specifically to see waterfalls since you can find them all over the island.

15. Typical Madeira houses in Santana

In the town of Santana we visit the typical Madeira houses.

Triangular and with a single floor, they are constructions that served as homes and as stables, with very vertical thatched roofs that are supported by stone walls.

Santana It is a town with a few rehabilitated houses of the same style, which you can enter and see the typical decorations and utensils used for several centuries.

What to see and visit in the interior of Madeira

The interior of the island is where we could find some of the most lush, rugged and varied landscapes of the entire island.

We come to have the sensation of finding ourselves in the full Jurassic Park, and even more so when we toured it in a 4×4 that allowed us to fully enjoy nature and the smells that came to us from all types of flowers and trees on the island.

16. Cold Ribeiro in the interior of Madeira

Personally, the landscapes that we liked the most of the entire trip were those that we were able to enjoy in the canyoning What we did in the area Cold Ribeiro, which is known for its trout farms.

La canyoning activity What we do with the company Madeira Adventure Kingdom It allowed us to see some gorges that have been swallowed up by nature and can only be accessed through the river.

Rocks full of moss and pools of crystalline water form a unique enclave.

17. The Serra de Agua in the interior of Madeira

The island has a mountain system in which the highest mountain groups are located in the center of the island.

The viewpoints of La Serra de Agua They are some of the greenest on the island.

They are lands where terraced crops They are very common and are spread by the typical Madeira levadas.

18. Paul da Serra in the interior of Madeira

We thought that the entire island was made up of steep mountains, but when we reached the top of the mountain after a dizzying ascent in the 4×4 through dirt and stone terrain, we got a tremendous surprise! a plateau!!

As we ascended we were already thinking that the descent was going to be fun because of the steep slope, and we found the largest plateau on the island that left us bewildered.

But it is like this! As happens throughout the island, the different landscapes and forests are discovered with each change of hill. It is one of the things that has made us fall in love with this island

What to see and visit in eastern Madeira

19. Punta de San Lorenzo in eastern Madeira

At the farthest end east of Madeira You can walk and enjoy a landscape that is only found in that part of the island.

Rocky terrain, but not high mountains, which lacks vegetation, beyond small flowers that cover it.

It stands out for the colors of the earth on the cliffs, especially at sunset.

Good place to get some nice photos.