Are you planning a trip to the breathtaking island of Madeira? Well, you’re in for a treat! Known for its lush landscapes, charming villages, and stunning coastal views, Madeira is a paradise waiting to be explored. And the best way to move around the island is by renting a car and getting lost along its roads! In this blog post, I’ll dive into some essential tips for renting a car and driving in Madeira, ensuring that your adventure is smooth, safe, and filled with unforgettable memories.
Renting a car in Madeira gives you the freedom to discover hidden hems of the beaten path and enjoy the island at your own pace. However, it is important to be well-prepared before embarking on your journey. Here, I’ll guide you through the process of finding the best deals, navigating the driving regulations, and choosing the ideal car for your needs. Whether you’re a seasoned road tripper or a first-time visitor, my tips will help you make the most of your time on this Portuguese island. So fasten your seatbelt and let’s explore Madeira together!
plan your trip to madeira
- Book your flight with Skyscanner.com
- Book your car with Rentalcars.com
- Find the best places to stay with Booking.com
- Get reliable travel insurance.
- Find the best activities to do like this hike from Pico do Areiro to Pico Ruivo.
- Don’t forget to pack your hiking boots and a power bank.
- Read the Lonely Planet Madeira as a preparation for your trip and Walking on Madeira to choose the best hikes.
Do you need a car in Madeira?
I would say definitely yes! Well, that is if you want to explore all this island has to offer and do so at your own pace.
It is also possible to visit the most famous spots with public transport and/or organized tours but this will be with some disadvantages. For example, if you want to use public transport, these don’t always go to every specific spot you might want to visit and you will have to watch out for their operating times. On the other hand, if you go for an organized tour, these are more expensive.
In conclusion, I think renting a car is the best option to discover the island in terms of flexibility and cost.
Tips for renting a car in madeira
When planning a trip, renting a car might be a bit stressful. There are so many things to consider. Which car to get? Where should I rent the car? What do I need to rent a car? These tips will make renting a car a smooth process.
1. Where can you rent your car?
There are two major hubs for renting a car on Madeira Island:
- International Airport Cristiano Ronaldo
- Funchal
2. Always compare different rental companies to get the best prices
Before renting your car, it is important to always compare several car-renting companies to find the best deals. I always use RentalCars to book my cars because it acts as a search engine for the main rental companies.
3. Don't forget your credit card
Make sure to always have a credit card with you in the same name as the person who booked the rental car. The day you pick up the car, they will block a deposit on your credit card for any damages that may happen to the car. If you don’t have a credit card, you will not be able to rent the car.
4. Get full coverage insurance for your car
Another very important thing to consider is insurance for your car. You might be thinking that you are a very good driver and you’ve never had any issues with your car but you never know what can happen. Trust me, you don’t want to have your holidays ruined because of this.
5. Opening hours of rental offices
Most car rental offices at Madeira Airport are open until 11 pm or midnight so if your flight lands late at night, you might not be able to pick up your rental car upon arrival.
This happened to us when we visited this beautiful island. Our flight was delayed and we landed in Madeira at 1 am. We had to pay for a taxi to get to our hotel in Funchal and then return the following day to the airport to pick up our car.
6. Returning your car at night
The same thing applies to returning your car in the middle of the night. If your flight departs during the night, the car rental offices will also be closed. To avoid any last-minute stress, make sure to inform them when picking up the car that you would like to return the car during the night and they will let you know if it is possible. Most car rental companies have a small mailbox where you can drop the keys on the day of your departure.
7. Take photos of the car when you pick up your car and when you return it
This is a good practice to do when picking up and leaving rental cars. I always make sure to check thoroughly the car for any scratches, take photos of them, and if I inform the rental office about them before leaving with your car.
If you’re returning your car during the night and there is no agent to check your car, then I proceed the same way. This way, I always have evidence that I returned the car in perfect condition.
8. Check that you have a valid Driver's License
Madeira is part of the European Union, so if your driver’s license has been issued by any of the countries of the EU then you should be ok. Otherwise, you might need to get an international driver’s license.
9. Minimum age to rent a car
The age from which you can rent a car in Madeira might change from one company to another. In general, most companies request that you are as a minimum 25 years old.
10. Do you need a 4x4?
In Madeira, you don’t need to rent a 4×4. It is not like other destinations in which a 4×4 is absolutely necessary.
Actually, you should not rent a huge car since some roads can be a bit narrow and you might struggle.
11. Automatic or Manual Transmission?
This will depend on how confident you feel driving on steep roads because trust me, some of the roads we took were crazy steep. If you’re not used to driving these roads, then I recommend that you rent an automatic car.
In our case, we went for a car with a manual transmission and since David is a really good driver, he didn’t struggle at all.
12. Rent a car with enough horsepower
When renting a car, we sometimes rent the smallest car available because it is usually the cheapest. However, in Madeira, it is really worth it to get a car with a bit more horsepower. You don’t want to have any worries driving up those steep roads.
Tips for driving in madeira
13. Driving on the right side of the road
In Madeira, driving is on the right side of the road.
14. General behavioural rules
- Using your seatbelt is mandatory
- Do not use your cell phone while driving
- Do not drive if you have been drinking alcohol
- Children under the age of 12 are not allowed in the front seats.
15. Speed limits in Madeira
The speed limit is 50km/h in the cities, 80km/h on secondary roads, and 110km/h on the highway.
However, there is also this traffic sign that allows you to drive 10km/h over the speed limit if it is sunny but you have to stick to the speed limit if it is raining or the road is wet.
16. Driving on the highway
Driving on the highway is not difficult at all in Madeira but locals tend to drive quite fast and aggressively, particularly near Funchal.
In addition, due to the mountainous characteristics of the island, some of the highway exits in Funchal are on the left side.
17. Driving on secondary roads
Secondary roads in Madeira are sometimes quite steep and they do serpentine a lot. However, it is not that difficult to drive them because traffic is not that dense. Most of the time we didn’t have any car close to us when we were driving.
Don’t be afraid to drive in Madeira, just take it slow on the turns and it will be fine.
18. Tunnels
There are many tunnels in Madeira but in general, they are very well maintained. They will also allow you to reduce driving time and avoid serpentine roads.
Note: The tunnel in my photo does not represent the condition of tunnels in Madeira but it is the only photo of a tunnel that I took. This tunnel was closed to traffic because it was unsafe to drive through it.
19. GPS and tunnels
If you are using Google Maps to help you navigate around Madeira, make sure to have downloaded an offline copy of the map. Some of the tunnels are son long that we always lost the GPS signal in them.
This is not very problematic since as soon as you exit the tunnel you will get your GPS signal back. However, it was a bit annoying because sometimes we had to take the immediate exit right after the tunnel and we missed it a few times because of this.
20. Watch out for animals!
During the 10 days that we spent on the island, we encountered a few times some cows walking along the road. However, they are usually peacefully eating or looking for food. You just have to drive past them slowly.
21. Driving times
Thanks to the many existing tunnels, driving times don’t take to long in Madeira. Here are some estimations of driving in between the most famous places.
- From Funchal to Ponta do Sol: 30 min
- From Funchal to Pico do Areiro: 45 min
- From Funchal to Porto Moniz: 55 min
- From Funchal to Santana: 45 min
22. Parking in Funchal
If your hotel or accommodation in Funchal doesn’t include parking, you will have to park your car on the street. Most parking spots in Funchal have parkimeters so make sure to have enough coins to pay for them. The good thing is that during the weekend, parking is free!
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And that’s it for my blog about Tips for renting a car and driving in Madeira. I hope you liked it and found it useful and happy hiking! Let me know what you thought in the comments!
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