Top 10 Most Beautiful Places To Visit In Madeira
“Colourful, dramatic and enchanting. Madeira will leave you wanting more”
Camara De Lobos - Madeira
I recently came back from a trip to the beautiful island of Madeira. As a green-list destination, it was a safe bet to escape to for a quarantine-free summer break. I have to say, I’m so glad I did, as I fell totally in love with it. What with its panoramic landscapes and terracotta-roofed villages, it was the perfect place to relax and enjoy nature. In a way, Madeira reminds me of many places I've visited before. It's got the heat of Morocco, the terraced hill-top villages of Nepal and the lush flora of Asia. This makes it comfortingly familiar, yet there was a wild and magical side to it which took me completely by surprise. Its steep rocky peaks, sweeping vistas and cloud-covered mountains stole my heart. While it's had a reputation for attracting the silver surfers, there's a new generation of travellers that are coming here for adventure. From hiking the peaks, to mountain biking and whale watching, Madeira is truly a hidden gem that’s as adventurous as it is gentle. So, I’ve put together my top 10 places to visit on the island of Madeira.
Sunset - Arco Da Calheta - Photo Harjit Sohotey-Khan
Calheta and Praia Da Calheta - The perfect place to stay in Madeira
Sunsets are not the only memorable thing about Calheta. Yes, they look like this! Nestled amongst the hills, this picturesque parish has quaint cliff top villages with winding roads that zigzag to the beach front hotels, shops and restaurants. It’s a low-key place with a man-made Praia (beach) made from sand being imported from Morocco. That’s right. There are only a few natural beaches on Madeira so most are man-made. Feel the sand between your toes, take a refreshing dip in the sea and when the heat gets too much, head over to the many waterside restaurants for a cooling drink. The highlight for me was staying in a stunning cliff-top Airbnb villa overlooking the town and the sea. It had panoramic views from every room and at night you could see the the whole town lit up from every window. It was also located amongst residential houses, so it was great to grab a coffee or lunch at local eateries where the locals hung out.
Travel Tips:
Buy the unctiously sweet Madeira wine from the local cash and carry for only €4.99. Take it back to your room and enjoy whilst watching the stars on a clear night.
Hire a car to get around the island as the heat and inclines can make walking tricky.
The pretty town of Porto Moniz - Photo Harjit Sohotey-Khan
Porto Moniz - Natural Swimming Pools
The pretty town of Porto Moniz is situated in the far North-West of the Island. It’s a beautiful drive and worth a stop off for some lunch if you’re exploring the island. Otherwise stay a little longer and take a dip in the crystal clear, natural swimming pools which are created by volcanic lava formations. There’s a children’s swimming pool, play area to keep the kids amused while you top up your tan on the sun loungers.
Travel Tip:
Head down to the carpark where you’ll get a great view of the rugged coastline and rock formations.
Photo by Pedro Farto on Unsplash
Paul Da Serra Plateau - Thrilling views and a beautiful drive
Paul da Serra is the largest and flattest area of Madeira that covers 24 square kilometres. At 1500 meters above sea level at its highest, it’s a stunning drive that takes you through a unique landscape of roaming cows and golden plains. It’s also the centre for renewable energy where wind, solar and hydro power deliver over 50% of the islands energy needs. Much of the Madeira’s rainfall is collected here and feeds the lavada systems (waterways) that channel water from the hills to the population.
Bica Da Cana Viewpoint overlooking the Encumeada Valley - Photo Harjit Sohotey-Khan
Paul De Serra is also a popular meeting point for hikers and nature lovers who come here for the famous levadas walks. You can also go stargazing here for epic views of The Milky Way as there is hardly any light pollution. This plateau was one of my highlights of our trip as the views were spectacular. Visit the Bica Da Cana viewpoint for amazing views across the valley and the ocean.
Photo of Pico Do Arriero by Daniele Franchi on Unsplash
Pico Do Arreiro - Pico Ruivo Hiking Route - Surreal views of mother nature at its best
If like me, you love hiking you’ll love Pico Do Arriero. As the third highest peak on Madeira Island standing at 1,818 m (5,965 ft). it’s a popular sunrise spot where people gather to watch the sun break through a sea of clouds amidst a silhouette of rocky mountainous terrain. There are several ways to get here. Either on foot if you’re relatively fit, by car, taxi or with a tour. The viewpoint is also the start of the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike. Pico Ruivo is the highest peak on Madeira Island standing at 1,861 metres (6,106 ft) high. The only way to reach it is by foot. It’s a challenging hike, so if you’re short on time and looking for a more relaxed experience, you can drive to Achada Do Teixeira, park your car and walk the shorter, easier trail from there. It’s around 6 kilometres and takes about 1.5 hours. It’s definitely worth the trip to see the stunning views.
View of Funchal From Cable Car - Photo Harjit Sohotey-Khan
Funchal - A modern city with an historic past
A mix of old and new, Funchal has been the capital of Madeira for over five centuries. Wander the cobbled streets of the old town (Zona Velha), eat at the many restaurants that line the labyrinth of streets or stop for a sweet treat at the wonderful Fábrica Santo António. We stumbled on the famous Rua Da Santa Maria, famous for its street art but found it hugely overrated. Still, it’s a nice way to transform a run-down part of the city into an outdoor art gallery.
If you like wandering through Farmers Markets, head to the Mercado Dos Lavradoras. Here you’ll find a huge selection of fish, fruit, flowers and vegetables. It’s rather pricey being a tourist hangout, but hey where are you going to sample a banana passion fruit in the UK!
Hop on a cable car for a birds-eye view of the city. The cable car starts at the old town by the seafront and most people take it to visit the Botanical Gardens. As with any city, Funchal offers a whole host of things to do. . If time is on your side, take a taxi to Camara De Lobos - a pretty fishing village where you can meander through the streets and enjoy the picturesque views.
Travel Tip:
There’s a multi-story car park very close to the entrance of the cable car. So, it’s easy to drive to Funchal, park your car and enjoy a day out there if you’re staying elsewhere on the island.
Jardim Tropical Garden Monte Palace - Photo Harjit Sohotey-Khan
Jardim Tropical Garden Monte Palace and Botanical Gardens - Beautiful Flora and Fauna
An island bursting with colourful flowers and exotic plants, Madeira will inspire your inner gardener. If so, head to the Monte Palace Tropical Garden and Botanical Gardens to gently while away a few hours amongst lush plants from all over the world. The Tropical Garden hosts a stately home, an art gallery, Japanese gardens and Chinese sculptures. It’s the most visited garden as it sits at the top exit of the cable car. If colourful florals are what you’re after then the Botanical Gardens have over 2000 exotic plants. Located high above Funchal you’ll definitely get some instagram-worthy views.
The wild and rugged Seixal beach - Photo Harjit Sohotey-Khan
Porto do Seixal Beach - One of the few natural sand beaches - simply stunning!
With a coastline that resembles something out of Jurassic Park, Seixal Beach is not to be missed. We didn’t get to spend as much time as we had hoped there as it was a weekend and both locals and tourists had flocked to this beach. What I did see though was a stunning black sand beach that had an amazing mountain backdrop. The sea was deep blue, crystal clear and contrasted beautifully against the emerald green of the lush mountains. Parking is very limited here, so if you’re planning a visit, come early and spend a whole day admiring the view.
Pretty Town of Sao Vicento - Photo Harjit Sohotey-Khan
Sao Vicente - A pretty town in a dramatic location
Named after Saint Vincent of Saragossa, Sao Vicente is embraced by impressive lush green mountains and deep river valleys. We stopped here for a quick bite to eat on our way back from Porto Moniz and to simply enjoy being dwarfed by mountains. It’s a pretty town with a maze of streets and restaurants with great views. If you’re into nature and geology, it’s home to the Sao Vicente Caves and Volcanism Centre. Although judging by some of the reviews, it might be a bit of a cliched tourist thing to do and is currently closed, so beware if you’re thinking of going. I think the magic lies above ground where you can go hiking, enjoy levada walks and relax by the ocean.
25 Fontes and Risco Waterfall Walk
Levada Das 25 Fontes and Risco Waterfall - An easy hike for those who love nature
Rocking up to a packed car park at Rabacal, you’d think you’d arrived at your local supermarket, but don’t let the crowds put you off. It’s a popular hike and attracts tourists from all over the world who come to enjoy the iconic levada trail that leads to a flowing wall of 25 fountains. Then there’s the 100 foot Risco waterfall that can be seen from a viewpoint. The hike is around 3-4 hours and manageable for most people , though there is incline of 300 metres involved. It’s a great hike where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the valley, stroll through thick forests and experience the wildlife and flowers of this stunning part of Madeira Island.
Travel Tips:
The weather can change so take a lightweight jacket with you along with water and good walking shoes
If you’re a serious hiker, give this one a miss. You’ll probably see lots of tourists along the route, which is probably not your thing and makes taking those epic photos a bit tricky.
Beautiful beach on the island of Porto Santo
Porto Santo - Real sandy beaches and 5 star resorts - indulgent, relaxing and adventurous
Another hidden gem. If you’ve not heard of Porto Santo, then put it on your bucket list. A 2.5 hour ferry ride away from the Island of Madeira, Porto Santo offers 9kms of soft powdery sand, 5 star resorts and much more. That’s right - a real beach with stunning views to boot. Come here for 4-5 days in an all inclusive package, if you just want to relax and sight-see the odd day or two. For adventure lovers 7 days or more means you can throw in some scuba- diving, snorkelling, hiking, kayaking and take some tours with some down time thrown in. At only 11 kms long, this island may seem small but offers so much more.
Travel Tips:
Most of the action happens along the south side of island where the beach is, so you don’t need to hire a car. Just hail a taxi. The furthest you’ll walk is from the beach to the hotel to the restaurant.
Here’s a few questions and answers that may be helpful:
What’s the best time to visit Madeira?
With a sub-tropical climate, Madeira offers year round sunshine. I guess it depends what you’re looking for? For sun-seekers, August and September are your best bet. Being mountainous, Madeira experiences microclimates, with the North being damp and cooler and the south drier and warmer.
What things to eat and drink in Madeira?
There’s an abundance of seafood in Madeira. We ate lots of fresh fish - red snapper, grouper and tuna steaks so big you’d think you’ve been short-changed all your life! There’s a lot of black scabbard fish too which is popular in Madeira. It’s a long, black, very angry looking fish which has a distinctive taste. You’ll also find octopus, prawns and squid which were always cooked perfectly. There’s nothing worse than rubbery squid.
A speciality of Madeira is traditional Espetada. This is beef marinated in garlic and salt and cooked on skewers over hot coals. It was on all the menu’s and though I personally don’t eat beef, it did look good.
For a cheap on-the-go lunch, try an empanada. It resembles a pasty but has a thin, crispy pastry that’s fried. Fillings range from chicken, beef or ham and cheese. They’re quite heavy but so tasty and great for road trips.
As for drinks, Madeira Wine was aways on the menu. The first time I ordered it, I got white wine which had a really smooth, less acidic taste to it. Then I tried the sweet Madeira Wine which suddenly became my favourite tipple of choice!
One of the most popular drinks is Poncha. Made from sugar cane rum and honey, it comes in different flavours such as passionfruit, lemon or lime and being 50%, I can tell you, it’ll put hairs on your chest!
Restaurant recommendations
These are just some of the restaurants we went to in Calheta.
Engenho Velho Restaurante - ££-£££
Rua Ledo 21, Arco da Calheta, Calheta, Madeira 9370-073 Portugal
A spacious modern restaurant with sea and mountain views. I had one of the best meals here - a succulent tuna steak with Milho Fritos. These delicious morsels of crispy fried polenta are the perfect side dish to any meal and I’ve had a hankering for these ever since we’ve been back. Cooked perfectly and served with delicious wine, the prices were very reasonable prices and the staff friendly and attentive.
Restaurante As Fontes do Horácio - ££-£££
Estrada Estreito da Calheta 128, Calheta, Madeira 9370-225 Portugal
Zig zag up the winding roads of Calheta to reach this restaurant. A popular choice, this restaurant specialises in meat and lots of it. Whether its huge steaks or Espetada, you won’t go hungry if you’re a serious carnivore. On the other hand their fish menu is varied and the fried calamari was delicious. Very friendly service and they call you by your name which is lovely. I couldn’t finish my meal as it was huge and that’s something you’ll notice wherever you go in Madeira. The portions are massive!
One thing i love doing is eating where the locals eat to guarantee good food. Restaurante a Pointa is one such place. A simple place with no frills that serves good fresh food. Start with Limpets with garlic and butter. Choose the fish you want to eat and they’ll grill it and serve with simple boiled potatoes and a salad. So good. Really cheap, friendly service and there’s a cheeky parrot that’ll keep you amused!
That’s it. I’ve shared with you the top 10 most beautiful places to visit in Madeira. I hope this article gives you a taste of what to expect if you’ve never been to Madeira before. We only had 7 days in Madeira so I know there’s so much more to see and do. Let me know where you’re favourite place is in Madeira in the comments below.