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The Portuguese island of Madeira is a spectacular island located in the North Atlantic Ocean, southwest of Lisbon, 500km from the west coast of Africa and 450km north of the Canary Islands. Madeira has been dubbed the ‘Hawaii of Europe’ due to its tropical climate, the luscious green landscapes and dramatic volcanic mountains. After spending a week road tripping Madeira, we have rounded up the BEST things to do in Madeira that you can’t miss!
1. Visit Pico do Areeiro at sunset
Pico do Areeiro is truly one of the most breath taking spots on Madeira and is a popular sunrise spot, so expect to share it with the crowds! We highly suggest visiting Pico do Areeiro at sunset for the most magnificent views and fewer crowds. We recommend getting to Pico do Areeiro an hour or two before sunset so you can have time to explore during daylight as well as have time to pick a great spot to watch the sunset.
If you’re lucky, you may catch it on a day where there is a cloud inversion and my goodness there are some spectacular views! Be sure to check out Madeira’s webcams to see what the weather is doing before you head up to the viewpoint. There is an upper car park located at the top viewpoint which is free to park for an hour and there is a lower car park where you can park all day for free.
2. Ride the Achadas da Cruz cable car
Holding the title of one Europe’s steepest cable cars, this is a fantastic spot to visit and definitely one of the best things to do in Madeira. Located in the Porto Moniz area, the cable car takes you down to Faja da Quebrada Nova and the views are outstanding! It was one of our favourite spots on the island.
Be warned… if you don’t like heights, then this may not be the activity for you! The cable car is HIGH and insanely steep! There is a viewpoint with a couple of picnic benches located at the top for anyone who doesn’t fancy the ride down!
It’s €5 per person and the usual opening hours are 8am – 6pm, however they usually stop selling tickets around 4.30pm to ensure they have enough time to get everyone down and back up before 6pm as there are only 2 cable cars that operate. A lesson we learned the first time we visited!
3. Take a sunset cruise whilst whale and dolphin spotting!
Opting for a sunset cruise is a fantastic way to spend the evening. It gives you a beautiful and unique perspective of the island of Madeira. The waters around Madeira teem with marine life such as dolphins and sperm whales! Most cruises offer a guarantee that if you don’t see whales or dolphins you can get a free trip!
We opted for a Sunset Catamaran Cruise and had the most wonderful evening whale watching. We saw a number of sperm whales and we even saw two breaching! It was so mesmorising seeing these gentle giants in the water whilst taking in the most stunning sunset.
4. Visit the Fanal Forest
The enchanting Fanal Forest is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is located in the Laurissilva Forest in the northwest mountains. The forest is predominantly laurel trees, some of which are up to 500 years old! The forest is often shrouded in fog, leaving you feeling like you’re wandering through an otherworldly fairytale. It’s simply magical!
Head to the forest in early morning or around 8am for the highest chances of seeing the Fanal forest in fog. We visited a couple of times and it was completely clear! Usually throughout the day the fog clears, so bear that in mind if you are visiting. There are some hiking trails located here, however we simply ambled through the trees for a couple of hours and it was so magical!
5. Hike the Levada das 25 Fontes trail
This is arguably the most popular hike on Madeira island and with that comes crowds, crowds and more crowds! Our biggest tip is to visit very early in the morning! We started the hike at sunrise and we didn’t see anyone on the trail the whole hike in. However, it was so busy on the hike back out, with lots of big walking tours pouring in!
It’s a moderate 8.5km out and back hike with glorious views of the valley and paths that run alongside the levadas. The extremely narrow paths have some high drop offs with a thin cable that acts as a ‘barrier’. Be careful when hiking, especially if it has been wet as the ground becomes very slippery. The hike in to the lagoon is downhill, therefore it’s a long uphill walk on the way back out! If you’re feeling brave enough, take a dip in the lagoon!
6. Eat bolo do caco & scabbard fish
You can’t go to Madeira without trying bolo do caco, Madeira’s version of garlic bread! It’s a traditional Madeiran flatbread, stuffed with garlic butter and is absolutely delicious! Either try it as an accompaniment to a meal or try some for a snack!
Scabbard fish, also known as espada, is also another popular delicacy to try when visiting Madeira! The fish themselves may look terrifying, but don’t let that put you off! They are actually delicious and often served with bananas.
7. Go on an off-roading buggy adventure tour!
Looking for an adrenaline-fuelled activity in Madeira?! Then off-roading might just be the perfect adventure for you! This three hour action-packed adventure saw us off roading in a buggy through the stunning mountains of Faja dos Rolos. We also stopped along some stunning viewpoints and learned about the history of Madeira with our fantastic guide!
It’s the perfect activity for a rainy day, as more rain makes for an even muddier adventure!! The tour starts from Canical on the eastern side of the island. It’s located near the popular Ponta de Sao Lourenco trail, so is a great activity to pair up on the same day!
8. Visit a black sand beach
Seixal Beach is without doubt one of the best beaches to visit on Madeira. This is a beautiful spot to watch a sunrise and spend the day pottering on the beach. The dramatic green mountainous backdrop, crystal waters and and striking black sand makes it one of the most stunning beaches on the island, the only thing it seems to be missing is a pterodactyl flying above you!!
There is a small, free car park located in the town of Seixal. It is very close to the beach, but it can get very busy, so be prepared to wait.
9. Take a dip in a natural swimming pool
There are a number of natural swimming pools located in Madeira and is the perfect way to spend a hot afternoon! Our favourite pools were located in Porto Moniz which has an area to relax and sunbathe, along with a cafe. The waves can come crashing into the pools on windy days, so expect the pools to be closed. We were caught out a couple of times when we visited!
Other natural pools worth checking out are the Seixal Natural pools and the Cachalote Natural Swimming Pools!
10. Visit the Eira do Serrado Viewpoint
One of the best things to do on Madeira island is to spend some time visiting as many viewpoints as you can! In Madeira, viewpoints are called ‘miradouros’ and one of the most spectacular that we found was Eira do Serrado miradouros. It is one of the most iconic spots on the island. There can sometimes be cloud cover, so be sure to check the Madeira webcams to see the weather before visiting.
The road to the viewpoint is narrow and windy and you will often meet large coaches, so take your time. There is a car park, coffee shop, gift shop and toilets located at the viewpoint. Be sure to have a coffee and try a walnut biscuit!
So there you have it! The top 10 best things to do in Madeira!
Madeira is an absolute dream of a destination. It is definitely worthy of a spot on your European bucket list if it’s not on there already!
Got an questions about Madeira? Drop them below!
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