The travel guide
Madeira, the short answers.
What every visitor asks at reception, answered by people who live here. How the airport and the wind get along, what the rent-a-car desk leaves out, which side of the island will be sunny, and what to order at lunch.
Plan the trip
Getting around
Renting a car: what they don't tell you
Our deal: 5% off, no deposit, insurance included. It saves you thousands.
Read 2 minDriving in Madeira
Tunnels, steep streets and roundabouts. Easier than it looks.
Read 1 minBeating the crowds
When to go where. The island is empty at the right hour.
Read 1 minPlan the trip
Day to day
Money, tipping and prices
Euros, cards almost everywhere, and what things cost.
Read 1 minWhat to eat and drink
Espetada, bolo do caco, lapas, poncha. Order these.
Read 1 minThe practical things
Plugs, water, phone, tourist tax, pharmacies.
Read 1 minSundays, holidays and opening hours
What closes, what does not, and when the island eats.
Read 1 minA few words of Portuguese
Almost everyone speaks English. These make people smile.
Read 1 minStaying safe
Levadas, the sea, the sun, and the number to call.
Read 1 minThe long reads
50 guides to plan the trip with
Itineraries, the hikes worth the early start, what to eat and where, the festivals, and Porto Santo.
Hiking and levadas
Best Levada Walks in Madeira: Nine Picks and Honest Notes
The best levada walks in Madeira for 2026, picked by what you want from the day, with fees, times, parking and how you get back to the car.
Read 12 min
Free Levada Walks in Madeira: What Still Costs Nothing in 2026
Since January 2026 most classified trails in Madeira cost €4.50. These walks are still free, with no booking, and here is what you give up.
Read 9 min
Guided or Self-Guided Levada Walk in Madeira: How to Choose
Most Madeira levadas are fine on your own if you have a car and a trail that loops back. Go guided when the return, tunnels or weather are the hard part.
Read 8 min
Highest Peaks in Madeira: Which You Can Reach and How
Madeira's highest peaks by height, from Pico Ruivo at 1,862 m down, and which ones you can drive to, walk up or only see from the ridge path.
Read 7 min
History of Madeira's Levadas: Who Built Them and Why
Madeira's levadas are water channels, dug from the 1400s to bring water from the wet north to the dry south for sugar, then bananas and power.
Read 6 min
Levada Walk Packing List: What to Bring in Madeira
For a Madeira levada walk pack grippy shoes, a waterproof, a warm layer, a real torch for tunnels, water, snacks, cash and your trail booking. Full list.
Read 8 min
Madeira Hiking Fee 2026: Who Pays €4.50, and Who Doesn't
Madeira's trail fee is €4.50 a person per classified trail in 2026, €10.50 for the full PR 1. Under-13s and residents walk free. Who pays what.
Read 8 min Madeira Trail Reservations 2026: How to Book on SIMplifica
In 2026 every classified trail in Madeira needs a SIMplifica booking: a 30-minute entry slot, €4.50 a person, €10.50 for the full PR 1. Under-13s go free.
Read 10 min
Pico do Arieiro Guide: Road, Bus, Walks and Fees (2026)
A visit to Pico do Arieiro, the 1,818 m summit you can drive to: the road, the bus, parking, the PR 1 walks and their fees, and the weather.
Read 10 min Pico do Arieiro Sunrise: Times by Month, Parking and the Cold
How to see sunrise at Pico do Arieiro: sunrise times by month, when to leave Funchal, where to park, how to read the cloud, and what to wear.
Read 10 minItineraries
3 Days in Madeira: An Itinerary That Works Around the Cloud
Three days in Madeira: one morning above the clouds, one day on the west coast and one in the dry east, with a swap rule for bad weather.
Read 9 min 7 Days in Madeira: A One-Week Itinerary With Room for Weather
A week in Madeira, day by day: Funchal, the peaks at dawn, both coasts, two levada walks and a slow day, with a plan B for every cloudy morning.
Read 10 min
West or East Madeira? How to Choose Your Side of the Island
West Madeira has more variety and more fall-backs in bad weather; the east has the high peaks and the bare tip. Here is how to choose, and when to do both.
Read 7 minPlaces to see
Best Beaches in Madeira: Sand, Lava Pools and Pebble Coves
Madeira has two sand beaches, both imported. The best swimming is in lava pools, lidos and pebble coves. Here is where each kind is, and what it costs.
Read 10 min Best Museums in Madeira: What to See When It Rains
Madeira's museums sorted by the story they tell: sugar, wine, whaling, island life and modern art, with honest notes on which are worth the ticket.
Read 9 min
Funchal Old Town (Zona Velha): What to See, Street by Street
A walker's guide to Funchal's old town, the Zona Velha: the market, the painted doors of Rua de Santa Maria, the yellow fort, and when to go.
Read 8 min
Madeira Gardens and Parks: Which Are Worth Paying For
Madeira's gardens and parks compared: the three paid showpieces above Funchal, the free city parks locals use, and the forest parks in the mountains.
Read 9 min Madeira Viewpoints: The Best Miradouros and When to Go
Madeira's best viewpoints, sorted by the time of day they work: sunrise in the east and on the peaks, clear mornings inland, sunsets in the far west.
Read 9 min Monte, Funchal: Cable Car, Monte Palace Garden and Toboggans
A half day in Monte above Funchal: cable car up, Monte Palace garden, the church and the wicker toboggan down. 2026 prices and hours.
Read 8 min Places Not to Miss in Madeira, and the Best Hour for Each
Eight places in Madeira worth planning a day around, with the time of day each one is at its best and what to know before you drive there.
Read 8 min Things to See in Madeira: The Island, One Region at a Time
The places worth your time in Madeira, grouped by region so each day is one drive: Funchal, the peaks, the west, the north coast and the eastern tip.
Read 15 minFood and drink
Espetada in Madeira: How It Works and Where to Eat It
Madeira's beef skewer explained: how to order espetada, what it costs, and where to eat it across the island, from Estreito to Seixal.
Read 9 min
Madeira Dishes to Try: What to Order and Where It Tastes Best
Espetada, espada with banana, lapas, bolo do caco and poncha: the Madeiran dishes worth ordering, what they are, and what they cost.
Read 9 min Poncha Bars in Madeira: Where to Drink It and How
Where to drink a proper poncha in Madeira, from Funchal's grocery counters to Câmara de Lobos and the mountain roads, and how to spot a good one.
Read 7 min Romantic Restaurants in Madeira: Where to Book a Special Night
Where to book a romantic dinner in Madeira: three Michelin-starred rooms, a manor in the hills, candlelit stone, sunset fish and a cliff-foot lunch.
Read 9 min
Seafood Restaurants in Madeira: What to Order, Where to Go
Which fish in Madeira is local, how it is priced, and where to eat seafood around the island, from Funchal and Caniçal to Paul do Mar and Seixal.
Read 8 min Traditional Restaurants in Madeira, Region by Region
Where to eat Madeiran home cooking across the island: grill houses, mountain inns and harbour fish houses in the west, east, mountains and north coast.
Read 8 minFestivals and events
Christmas in Madeira: Lights, Market Night and What's On
Christmas in Madeira 2026: when Funchal's lights go on, the Noite do Mercado on 23 December, dawn masses, food, and what closes on the 25th.
Read 7 min Festival do Atlântico 2027: June Fireworks in Funchal
Festival do Atlântico 2027: fireworks set to music over Funchal bay on Saturdays 5, 12, 19 and 26 June. Where to watch free, and what a boat trip gets you.
Read 4 min
Madeira Carnival 2027: Parade Dates, Times and Where to Stand
Madeira Carnival 2027 runs 3 to 14 February. The float parade is on 5 and 6 February, the satirical Trapalhão on Tuesday 9 February. How to see both.
Read 5 min Madeira Flower Festival 2027: Dates, Parades and Tips
The Madeira Flower Festival 2027 runs 29 April to 30 May, with float parades on Sundays 2 and 16 May and the Wall of Hope on 1 May. How to plan it.
Read 5 min Madeira New Year's Eve Fireworks 2026: Where to Watch
Funchal's New Year fireworks start at midnight on 31 December 2026 and last about eight minutes. Where to stand, when to arrive and how to get home.
Read 6 minPractical
Canyoning in Madeira: A First-Timer's Guide With 2026 Prices
Beginner canyoning in Madeira needs no experience: a guided half day of abseils, slides and pools, about €65 to €70 a person in 2026, from age 7 to 8.
Read 5 min
Car Hire in Madeira: The Full 2026 Guide Before You Book
Hiring a car in Madeira: do you need one, which car climbs the hills, when to book, the excess and the deposit, the desk, and returning it clean.
Read 14 min Driving in Madeira: Tips for the Steep Roads, Tunnels and Fog
How to drive Madeira's roads well: short slip roads, long descents, hill starts, narrow lanes, fog on the plateau and the sat nav routes to ignore.
Read 9 min First Time in Madeira: 3 Mistakes That Cost People a Day
Three first-trip mistakes in Madeira: planning the island as if it were flat, choosing a walk by its photo, and trusting one forecast for every altitude.
Read 6 min
Funchal Cable Cars: Monte, Botanical Garden and Beyond
Funchal's cable cars to Monte and the Botanical Garden, plus the cliff lifts at Garajau, Rancho and Achadas da Cruz. 2026 prices, hours and closures.
Read 7 minMadeira Customs Allowances: What You Can Bring In and Take Home
Customs at Funchal airport: alcohol, tobacco and gift limits from the UK and outside the EU, cash, medicines, pets, and taking Madeira wine home.
Read 7 minMadeira Flight Delayed or Cancelled? Your EU261 Rights Explained
Madeira flight delayed, cancelled or diverted? What the airline owes you on the day, when you get €250 to €600, and why wind usually pays nothing.
Read 6 min Madeira Weather by Month: What Each Month Is Really Like
Madeira's weather month by month: temperatures, rain, sea, cloud in the mountains and crowds, with the best months for walking, swimming and sun.
Read 8 min Things to Do in Madeira, Sorted by the Weather You Wake Up To
The best things to do in Madeira, grouped by weather: when the peaks are clear, when they are in cloud, on the water, in Funchal and on slow days.
Read 7 min Watching Football in Madeira: Sports Bars and Live Games
Where to watch the Premier League, Champions League and Portuguese football in Madeira: Funchal's sports bars, local cafés, and tickets for a live match.
Read 7 min
Whale Watching in Madeira: Seasons, Boats, Prices and Rules
Whales and dolphins live off Madeira all year. Go in the morning, choose the boat for your stomach, and expect about €35 to €70 a person in 2026.
Read 6 min Where Is Madeira? Location, Landscape and Climate Explained
Madeira is a Portuguese island in the Atlantic, about 1,000 km south-west of Lisbon and 700 km off Morocco. Why it is mild all year and wet in the north.
Read 8 min
Where to Stay in Madeira: Choosing the Right Base for Your Trip
Where to stay in Madeira: Funchal if you have no car, the west for sun, the north for walking, the east for short trips. How to pick, and when to split.
Read 10 minWith children
Family Adventures in Madeira: Things Kids Will Remember
Family activities in Madeira, sorted by the kind of day you need: cable cars, lava pools, easy forest walks, dolphins, canyoning and rainy-day backups.
Read 5 min
Family-Friendly Levada Walks in Madeira, by Age of Child
The best levada walks in Madeira for families, sorted by age: pushchair-friendly paths, short loops with toilets, and longer levadas for older children.
Read 8 min Madeira with Kids: The Practical Guide for Parents
Madeira suits children of about 4 to 12. Base in Funchal or Calheta, bring a carrier as well as a buggy, and plan for winding roads and pebble beaches.
Read 6 minPorto Santo
Getting to Porto Santo from Madeira: Ferry or Plane in 2026
The Lobo Marinho ferry leaves Funchal at 08:00 most days (about 2h15, 3h15 in autumn 2026, from €58.90 return). Binter flies in about 25 minutes.
Read 6 min Porto Santo in 2 Days: A One-Night Plan Built Around the Ferry
One night on Porto Santo: the 08:00 ferry, the beach and the west end, sunset at Ponta da Calheta, then a peak or short walk before the evening boat.
Read 6 minRight now, in the app
Where is it sunny today?
Madeira does not have a weather, it has several at once: sun in Funchal, cloud in Santana, wind on the peaks. The app shows the weather for each part of the island, the live webcams, and sunrise and sunset, so you choose the coast before you choose the car.
See today in the app
Hiking
Every trail needs a booking now
Since 1 January 2026 each classified trail is booked in advance on SIMplifica, with an entry slot, and visitors pay €4.50 a trail (€10.50 for the full PR 1). Our trail pages say which are open today, what each one costs and how to get back to the car.
Out and about
Beaches, waterfalls and viewpoints
Free guides to the places everybody asks about, with what nobody tells you before you go.
Beaches and sea pools
Black sand, pebbles and pools built from lava. Where to swim, where not to, and what each one is really like.
Waterfalls
From the roadside falls you can see from the car to the ones at the end of a levada, with how to reach each.
Viewpoints
The miradouros worth stopping for, when the light is best, and which ones the cloud tends to hide.
When you want the stories
7 audio tours that play by themselves
The guide tells you what to know. The tours tell you why it matters, at the place itself, as you drive or walk.
The app
Take the island in your pocket
The tours, all 43 trails with their status, the beaches, the waterfalls and the viewpoints. Free to download, with free samples on every tour, and the tours and trails keep working with no signal.
On a computer? Point your phone's camera here.
