If you are a person who appreciates nature and finds themselves most at peace out in the natural world, Madeira has a lot of offer you. The natural environment of Madeira is a truly unique and beautiful mixture. Whether you go to the beach and work on your tan, wander meditatively through the forest, or trek up the jagged mountains one this in certain: you won’t come away disappointed. People travel for many different reasons, but Madeira island offers something for every taste. We compiled a list of travel tips that we think might be useful for a fruitful pastime in Madeira.
A Quick Sneak Peek
1. Rent car is for sure in Madeira. How you will discover the island without a car? Bus trips are OK, but they do not give you full picture of beauty of Madeira. While driving a car you have more freedom and mobility.
2. Coffee, everywhere in Madeira there are cafes, if you would like to drink cappuccino, more likely you will be served just coffee with milk called “chinesa” served in regular cup (price 0,90 – 1,50 euro), if you want smaller portion then ask for “garoto” small cup of coffee with milk (price 0,60 – 0,90 euro). If you want coffee similar to espresso then ask for “bica” (price 0,35 – 0,60 euro). The prices may vary depend on places where you order, mostly everywhere its cheaper, however more expensive it is in touristic places.
3. Petrol or diesel? If you rent a car, try to ask for diesel, since for diesel engines it`s much easier to “climb” uphill than for gasoline, and your drive will be more comfortable (no burning clutch ).
4. Navigation GPS – yes sometimes it becomes crazy in Madeira, due to lots tunnels, curvy mountain roads, new roads which have not been updated, so if you are lost, don`t panic, just be sure that you have a paper map (old school ).
5. When you are lost with a car somewhere on island, most easy to find people is to held down to ocean, more likely you will soon reach a village or small town, because most inhabitant areas are located close to ocean, and there you can ask for help to find the way to your town/hotel. Madeireans are very responsive!
6. A beer, or “cerveja”, when you order a beer, most classic size in Madeira is “balão” volume 0,33 l (balloon because of the glass shape) the price for such beer is almost equal on all island, and varies between 1,20 – 1,40 euro. If you are charged more than that price then ask for menu to see that it is real price, unfortunately some bad bar owners seeing that you`re a tourist and don`t know the prices, might charge you two times more…
7. And yes, for beer lovers… there is a Madeira national brewery called “Coral”, don`t confuse with Super Bock – it is a Portuguese beer brand which is imported to Madeira from mainland.
8. “Prego” or “Madeirean style hamburger” – Take a bread “bolo do caco”, add a cheese and a ham, salad, tomato, egg on steak and you got it! Worth to be tasted! The only thing, don`t ask for prego in fish restaurant, and ask to hit meat well to tenderize it.
9. “Poncha” – worth trying! A traditional alcoholic drink from Madeira, made with distilled alcohol made from sugar cane juice, honey, sugar, lemon rind and with different fruit juices according to the version of Poncha, but traditionally lemon juice is used. It is mixed together with a mixing tool created in Madeira officially called a “mexelote”, but more commonly known as a “Caralhinho” (little cock), it is in fact a type of muddler created in Madeira. Poncha from plastic bottles? Don`t even buy it, since the true taste of this alcoholic drink you can enjoy while its fresh, fresh is considerate just-made or ok up to 3 hours, after it becomes sour and better to through it away, in other words, check in to local bar ask for Poncha and they will make it in front of you, the process takes around 10 minutes.
Don`t forget to capture the process of making that drink on video. By the way, It is said in Madeira, that Poncha cures the common cold and people are encouraged to drink it if they have cold like symptoms.
10. Getting from airport. Before going to Madeira, book a shuttle service by cheaper price than going by taxi, or there is an Aerobus for 5 euros which will take you to Funchal – capital of Madeira, and from there you can take a bus to any part of island.
11. When buying a fish in supermarket, remember that salesperson might clean the fish, cut it, and make fillet, you can always ask them. So, arriving to villa, you just have to cook it.
12. Non-touristic festivals. Everyone knows that in Madeira there are all kinds of festivities where people fill up the streets and the city lights up with color, but you might be interested to visit local festivals, usually conducted around the village`s chapels where you will hardly find tourists. But, why it is worth visiting? Firstly good atmosphere, live music, smiling locals, secondly super tasty food, like “espetada” barbeque on laurel sticks, fresh homemade bread with garlic butter, house wine and cerveja, fried chicken, thirdly good memory. During summer, such festivals occurs every week in different parts of Madeira. How to find information about this? Ask locals, since there is no much information in internet.
13. Weather. Planning your trip and checking weather forecast? You need to know that Madeira is an island with multi-microclimates, and online weather forecast does not always display the clear picture of weather conditions on the island, because in one valley there might be rainy, in another sunshine, in third windy, In fourth cloudy, in mountains clear sky, in another words you can always find a good weather in Madeira.
14. Beaches in Madeira. Lava pools – most famous are located in Porto Moniz 40 min driving from Funchal, and in Funchal visit complex Doca do Cavacas.
Pebble beaches – Praia Formosa situated in Funchal, Ponta do Sol (great snorkeling and amazing panoramic views), Lugar de Baixo (no protected and no secured) good for snorkeling (however, there are a lot of other places where to snorkel), Madalena do Mar (pebble + volcanic sand), Ribeira-Brava (pebble beach + volcanic sand).
Platform – Jardim do Mar (dangerous, but in a hot day you will find a lot of people sunbathing and swimming, access to water vertical ladder, or jump from concrete platform, or slide in :), another one located in Caniço, great place for swimming, snorkeling and diving!
Sand beaches – famous Calheta beach and Machico, then goes Prainha in the eastern part of island, small lagoon with crystal clear waters nice place for laid-back day, Seixal – “Two thumbs up!” worth visiting and again, great place with super stunning panoramic views.
15. Dolphins and whales watching – for sure going to Madeira, don`t regret yourself to buy tickets to Catamaran, or fast boats, or yacht and spend 2-3 hours watching flocks of beautiful creatures and also swimming. (Don’t forget to take camera).
16. Many tourists visit each day famous Cabo Girão sea cliff (the highest cliff in Europe 580 metres), with glass floor and beautiful scenery, we call it “touristic place”. Did you know, that there is another sea cliff, located in the western part of Madeira, between towns Achadas da Cruz and Ponta do Pargo? Here is geo location 32.833457, -17.237048 you can reach it by car, or by bus, its truly a romantic place for couples, or sole travelers offering an amazing panoramic view of Atlantic ocean, and you won`t find there many travelers, maybe few in hour, or even day.
17. Another place worth visiting is Fanal with its relict small forest, green pastures and gazing animals.
A perfect place for meditation…
18. Shopping centres in Madeira. Though Madeira is small, all the hustle and bustle life is concentrated in Funchal, and there are three main shopping centres, where you can spend few hours buying souvenirs, branded clothes and rest things, first most known “Madeira Shopping” located northwest part of Funchal, another one “La Vie” deployed in the heart of Funchal, near central park and main street, third build close to hotel areas and sleeping quarters of Funchal (southwest part of town).
19. “Espada com banana” – is a cooked fillet of scabbard fish served with fried bananas, which is definitely worth trying. By the way, some restaurants offer mango instead of banana, and they are both “Yummy”.
20. Bolo do caco is a flat, circular bread, shaped like a cake and thus called bolo (Portuguese for ‘cake’). It is traditionally cooked on acaco, a flat basalt stone slab. The bread is usually served with garlic butter, or eaten as a sandwich with octopus, espetada, milho frito or as a prego (steak) sandwich.
Watch a video describing how it is made!
21. Security. Madeira is one of the safeties destinations in the world! You can feel yourself fully and truly relaxed even during nighttime. That is one of the issue why many travelers time after time return to Madeira.
22. Climate. Did you know that Madeira has one of the mildest climate in the world? With an annual average of 19-20 degrees, warm waters and diversity of micro-climates makes this island worth visiting almost any time of the year. Not without reason Madeira is oldest European resort destination.
23. Gazing animals. Going to mountains, be careful on the road, when its to foggy, drive slowly, due to chance that there might appear roaming cows, or sheep just in front of your car. Then stop, take your camera and make a good shots.
24. “Espetada” – beef on laurel sticks(!) sprinkled with salt and pepper, cooked on open fire for about +-5 minutes, for meat lovers definately worth trying, juicy and extremely tasty. You can try it in almost every meat restaurants, and if you are lucky at festival.
25. Don`t be mean and leave a tip, if you really liked a food, and/or service. Prices in Madeira in most places comparing with Europe are very reasonable. More likely you will be served with some free drinks.
26. Weather again , due to diversity of micro-climates in Madeira, you can enjoy snow and tan same day . One day in a year (usually in January) there is a snow, it is a day when locals go up in mountains and make snowmen, play snowballs, enjoy their time. Its cold up there (0 – +4 degrees), and mild down there near the ocean (+18 – +20 degrees). Some roads might be closed by forest police, because it is slippery and danger. And remember, if you would like to go to see the snow, cars are equipped with summers tires and there is a risk, if you are daredevil, remember when descending, reduce the speed with gears not just pushing the brakes!!!.
27. Another yummy thing is called “lapas”, – a typical delicacy of the cuisine of Portugal, specifically the cuisine of the Azores and Madeira, consisting of spiced and grilled limpets in own shell. They are usually eaten as a starter. In Madeira, the limpets are cooked in the special frying pan, with minced garlic, and butter melted around the limpet on its shell, after meal is served (its seved on the same frying pan, so be careful food is hot!) you squeeze a lemon on limpets and enjoy your meal.
28. Although Madeira has a lush forest, there are no snakes(!) no poisonous insects, just hungry lizards . Almost no mosquitoes, in other words no annoying things, nothing will disturb you vacation.
29. Roundabouts. Driving in Madeira, you must be careful, if we imagine classic roundabout with 4 exits, local drivers entering the circle, if they need exit the 3 turn, will enter internal lane and then move from internal to external and to desired exit. There are sometimes conflict situations, when we see tourist driving all roundabout at external lane, which actually has a chance for collision with another car. So, be attentive at the road, and always check twice mirrors.
30. Levada walks / hiking / trekking. First of all, and main is when you are in Madeira, you should try levada walks, or hikes along mountain trails – this is a real nature treasure!
Second, there are about 30-40 touristic trails (by touristic we mean protected, and equipped with signs and maps) you can spend few months to walk them all, and more than hundred non-touristic, unprotected, unwatched and dangerous trails, always be cautious, sometimes is better to hire a local professional guide who can lead you the way and show some top-notch hiking trails and hidden places.
Third, when you want to take a photo of jaw-dropping scenery don`t make it on the go, stop, look around you, and only after that take a photo.
Fourth, don`t throw stones, because below might be another trail with people walking at the same moment.
Fifth, “keep your ego in check”, before doing hiking always evaluate your physical abilities and strength.
Sixth, better time to start hiking is in the early morning, during midday sun might be very hot.
And the last, It’s not a bad idea to apply some safety precautions: tell someone where you’re going, be prepared, have enough water, bring a map or cell phone, also keep your eyes peeled for rocks and protruding roots that can easily cause injury if caught in the wrong way.
31. Main events. All year round on the island there are many festivals, concerts, usually they are free and last for several days, so you can in advance examine the calendar of events and coincide your visit with one of them. If you’re planning a trip to the islands factoring one (or two!) of these events into your itinerary is definitely worth the time it takes for a bit of planning. You can check information about main festivals in the link below: https://2madeira.com/festivals-madeira/
Festivals of Madeira in Chronological Order
32. The best time to visit Madeira is from the end of April until the beginning of October, it is considered hot and high season, if you’re strapped for cash, then it is better to visit the island in the low season, when many hotels, restaurants cut prices.
33. Looking for totally laid-back vacation? Go to Porto Santo, located 40 km to the north-east this island is perfect for beach-tan-swim. You can reach it either by plane, or ferry which leaves Funchal harbour early morning, every day. Ticket costs around 60 euro for round trip per person, and about 200 euro with car pack (prices varies depending from season and number of people).
34. When booking a hotel, check its remoteness from the center of the island, point of interest, and other activities. Take into consideration how you will get to hotel from the airport, or after excursions. Though, island is small approximately 20 x 60 km, you can spend more than hour to cross north to south, or west to east. Round-trips, usually lasts full day. If you want to have everything in close access and with enhanced comfort, it is best to book a hotel in Funchal. If you want quiet, relaxing holiday, but at the same time to have everything at your fingertips – shops, restaurants, cafes, you can book hotels in Canico (eastward), and the west towns of Ribeira Brava, Ponta do Sol, Calheta.
Check some great videos about Madeira
That`s only a beginning, and we hope you will find it interesting. We keep updating. Enjoy your travel!
Do you have your travel tips to share? Just write down in the comments and we will add it to the list!
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