Welcome back! Today I will share with you my tips and recommendations for planning a trip to Madeira Island. Known for its lush greenery, rugged coastline, and breathtaking landscapes, Madeira is a paradise for both nature lovers and adventure seekers.
From hiking the levadas (trails along irrigation channels) to sampling local wine and cuisine, there are plenty of things to do and see on this Portuguese island. But with so many options, it can be a bit overwhelming to know where to start. Don’t worry! In this blog, I will guide you through the process of planning your dream vacation. Are you ready? Let’s start planning!
best time to visit madeira
The best time to visit Madeira will depend mostly on what you are planning to do during your trip. Madeira has a mild, subtropical climate with temperatures of around 16ºC during the winter months and 26ºC during the summer. This makes it, the perfect destination year-round!
If you’re looking for warm beach days, then you should definitely visit Madeira during the summer months (end of June to early September). The days will be warm and humid so it is the perfect time to spend the day at a beach, cool down in the natural pools in the north part of the island or practice some water sports.
If you’re planning on doing some hiking, the best time to visit is either from April to June or from September to November. During these months, the weather is mild (perfect for hiking) and there are fewer crowds.
I visited Madeira the first week of November and the weather was amazing. We had 20 to 25 degrees during the day and a bit colder during the night.
getting to Madeira
The Madeira Archipelago is located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 500 km from Africa and 1000 km from Europe so the only way to easiest and fastest way to get there is by plane. There are many cities that offer direct flights to Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira Internation Airport, such as London, Paris, and of course, Lisbon.
I always use Skyscanner.com to find the best deals and flight connections to reach my destination.
Alternatively, you can also get to Madeira on a cruise and arrive at Funchal port.
Get some travel insurance
When traveling you should always consider getting some travel insurance, especially if you are planning to do some hiking and outdoor activities. In most cases, your trip will be fantastic and you will not use the insurance at all. However, I always feel more comfortable if I know that in case anything happens, I will be covered.
In addition, you can always add cancellation insurance if for whatever reason you have to cancel your trip.
European Health Card
Madeira is part of the Portuguese territory so the European Health Card is accepted here too. I also recommend bringing it with you on your trip to Madeira.
moving around Madeira
Rental Car
The easiest way to move around Madeira is with a rental car. This will give you flexibility and freedom to plan your trip exactly as you want and visit the island at your own pace.
I know driving in Madeira might seem a bit daunting at first with all the hills and mountain roads but it is not so difficult and there is not that much traffic.
Check out Rentalcars.com to find the best deals and the most convenient car for your trip to Madeira.
Organized Tours
If you feel like driving is not for you but you still want to move around the island, then you can book organized tours or transfers to take you to and from the most famous places in Madeira.
Check out Get Your Guide to see all the different activities they organize. For example:
- Transfer to Pico do Arieiro – Pico Ruivo for a sunrise hike.
- Full day at Ponta do Sao Lourenço Natural Reserve.
- Whale & Dolphin watching in Madeira.
accommodation Madeira
Madeira is quite a small island so you can easily move all around the island in a day so if like me, you are not an enthusiast of changing hotels every other day, I recommend you pick one accommodation and drive every day wherever you want to go. We based ourselves in Funchal and the longest drive we had to do was a maximum of 1 hour.
However, if you don’t mind changing hotels, then you could consider spending half of your week on the southern coast of the island and the other half on the northern coast.
Where is the best place to stay in Madeira?
This will again depend on what you’re looking for.
If you like being able to walk around the city at night and have a wide variety of restaurants to try, then Funchal is the place for you. In addition, there are more choices of different accommodations and budgets. However, you will also have to consider that it will be more crowded since most people usually stay here.
Otherwise, if bigger cities with more people are not your thing and you prefer more calm and quiet places, then you might consider Ponta Do Sol or Ponta Delgada.
I stayed in Funchal at Madeira Bright Star by Petit Hotels. The hotel was a good compromise price/quality and its location was really good. There were many nice restaurants nearby and we could get to the center of Funchal in 15 minutes of walking. However, the options are endless so I suggest that you check out Booking.com to find the best place that suits your budget and taste.
How much time should you stay in Madeira?
Madeira is quite a small island but that doesn’t mean there are not many things to do. On the contrary, there are so many things to do that you could easily stay here for two weeks and do different things every day. However, we all have a limited time of holidays per year that we want to optimize to the maximum, right? So I think the ideal amount of time to visit Madeira is a week. You will have to compromise a few things but this time will allow you to get a good feeling of the island.
Planning your itinerary
Now that you have everything sorted out, it is time to plan your itinerary. The places you’ll visit and what you do will depend on your travel preferences.
The following map will show you all the different places (viewpoints, hiking trails, activities, places to eat, etc.) that I saved while I was preparing my trip to Madeira. I was only there for a week so obviously I didn’t visit them all but maybe they will inspire you.
If you’re interested in what I ended up doing during my time in Madeira, make sure to check out my One Week in Madeira Itinerary.
Packing for madeira
When packing for a trip to Madeira, it is important to keep in mind the activities that you plan to do during your stay on the island. But don’t worry, with the right packing list, you will be able to enjoy all Madeira has to offer.
Here are some essentials that you should not forget for some different activities.
Sightseeing around Funchal and/or other towns
- Bring some comfortable walking shoes. The island is full of hills so your feet will thank you if you leave your high heels at home.
- Light and breathable clothes. The weather in Madeira can get quite humid so light clothes will come in handy.
- A light jacket or sweater to wear in the evening.
Hiking
- Sturdy hiking shoes.
- Sunscreen and a hat.
- Light fleece, for hiking early in the morning.
- Rain jacket as the weather in Madeira can get a bit crazy.
- Headlamp. Many of the trails in Madeira go through long tunnels so a headlight will be very useful.
- Bathing suit. Don’t forget to bring your bathing suit even if you’re visiting in the colder months. We were there in November and were able to enjoy some beach days.
- Water shoes since many of the Madeira beaches are pebbled ones.
other useful tips
Useful Apps
- MadeiraWeather App: This app will be a lifesaver during your stay in Madeira. The weather on the island can be very different from one part to another. Always check the weather in the morning and plan your day accordingly.
- Bolt: If you don’t have a rental car, I suggest you use Bolt instead of regular taxis. It will be definitely cheaper!
What to Eat and Drink in Madeira
- Fish and seafood. Like any good island, Madeira’s fish and seafood are delicious and fresh.
- Espetada Madeirense. This is a meat skewer but with a sword.
- Bolo de mel de cana. This translates as honey cake and it’s delicious!
- Madeira wine. Madeira is famous for its wine which is fortified wine (similar to Porto wine). It is more of a dessert wine but so good!
- Poncha. This is another cocktail and let’s just say it is not light! Make sure you are not driving if you’re going to be drinking Poncha.
And that’s it for my blog about planning a trip to Madeira. Thank you for reading and I hope you liked it and found it useful.
Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments section below and I will be more than happy to answer it!
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