Let’s explore Madeira, shall we?

Madeira is a beautiful, hidden travel gem of an island located about 600km southwest of the Portuguese mainland. Madeira is the largest within a small archipelago of islands, sitting on the same latitude as Morocco and South Carolina with stunning natural landscapes, rich culture, and delicious cuisine.

Let’s explore together what to see and what to do in a week of exploring the island.

To get some tactical steps out of the way:

• To really see the island, you’ll need a rental car once you arrive via Madeira’s Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport [Note: we recommend you step up from the bottom tier of car rental to gain some power on the amazing hills and steep roads of the island’s interior. Also note, in European tradition, your car will typically be a standard.]
• Driving is North American style with right-hand side of the road driving … sweet! Main perimeter island roads are wide, spacious with excellent tunnels and bridges to circle the island.
• Off the main roads and into the interior, the roads are far narrower with barely enough room for 2 cars to pass. As you meet a car, simply pull to the side and stop, taking turns in passage. Switchbacks, sheer curbside drop-offs and no shoulders are the norm – a steel will is required!
• We recommend you start on the North side of the island to explore its windy rugged coast then transition to the southern coast to explore the leeward slopes.

Refer to our earlier post on Madeira ~ Pearl of the Atlantic for a deeper overview of Madeira and the nearby Azorean islands.

First, where to stay while in Madeira?

We found two amazing places while we visited and highly recommend you take them into consideration from the large pool of great options.

Hotel Quinta do Farao - On the island’s north side, Hotel Quinta do Farao is only about 30 minutes from the airport. Perched cliffside, 250m (800ft) above the crashing surf with views 20km (12.5 miles) southeast along the island’s coastline, the views are stunning. We had the off-season opportunity for a junior garden suite with our balcony overlooking the vineyard and the sunrise – what a divine way to start each day. Quinta do Farao offers 2 restaurants on site – a more formal dining option or more casual pub for pizza and smaller fare. Wellness options include massages, sauna, indoor and outdoor pool, jacuzzi and gym. As a base of touring the north coast, we couldn’t have asked for more. [GG note: a 6-star (of 5) recommendation by the GoGirfriend team]

Boutique Suites Les Terrasses – On the south facing side of the island, Boutique Suites Les Terrasses is a much smaller, more intimate stay location. With only 4 rooms taking advantage of the original banana plantation foundations, they are beautifully decorated, each with a small kitchenette and balcony offering views of the rolling hills to the ocean 150m (500 ft) below. A lower-level pool allows for sunning relaxation, and the surrounding banana plantation adds a green forested backdrop. Owners Jorge and Gabriel have done a fantastic job landscaping with abundant tropical flowers and plants everywhere on the property. Our only hazard note, if it’s a concern for you, is that the suites are 70 stairs below street level (they are on perched on the side of a mountain remember). Not too bad going down but carrying your luggage up the 70-stair climb might be a challenge to consider. No restaurants are available, but some great options are only a few km below marina-side in Calheta (like Manifattura and Buddha & Sakura to name a few we enjoyed). For the views, the beautiful rooms, and the attentiveness of the owners, we easily give this a 5-star recommendation.

Alternately, there are over 1000 Airbnb options, a plethora of Hotels, and island resorts to choose from for your location to stay on Madeira

Let’s get to the fun stuff ~ What to do on Madeira?

Between seeing the sights from the islands stunning miradouro’s (viewpoints), its waterfalls and levada’s, the Jurassic landscapes and the black ocean beaches, touring the islands perimeter gives you the inclusive perspective to the islands regional features.

We have suggested hikes lower to sea level and hikes in the peaks. Driving the perimeter and criss-crossing the islands stunning interior while tasting delights in small towns and the capital, we feel we explored the island intimately.

The Island of Madeira is only 57 km long (35 mi) and 22km wide (14 mi) totalling 741 km2 (286 sq mi). In exploring, we walked 115,000 steps, 81km (50 mi) and climbed the elevation equivalent of 760 floors in the ups and downs of hiking hill and vale - small enough to explore intimately.

A 7-day itinerary for exploring Madeira

Arrival Day 1 – Airport to Hotel Quinta do Farao

Google Map route itinerary: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zexK7vvx492pSjsb9 (Drive time - 40 min)

• Get the luggage and rental car (remember to step up the power for the terrain)
• First “Wow” view: Miradouro do Cortado - an exceptional viewpoint at the entrance of Santana, discover the hillside village of Faïal and the landscape of Pehna de Agua: the rock of the eagle, an enormous volcanic rock.
• Head to the center of Santana for some lunch and a relaxed walk to explore some local shops and the traditional Madeiran houses.
• Spend the day exploring the Hotel Quinta do Farao resort and its stunning views.
• Dinner on the outside patio … you’re here!

Day 2 ~ North Coast towards Seixal

Google Map route itinerary: https://maps.app.goo.gl/1NsVknymZrsLGujw8 (Drive time RT - 2 hrs 30 min + time for stops)

• Enjoy the north coastal drive with the views and switchbacks out to the seaside Miradouro Ilheus da Ribeira da Janela. These unique rock formations are a travel and landscape photographer’s dream. For a different vantage, take the staircase up from the parking lot for an amazing reveal of this rock formation.
• Seixal, a small town along the northern coast of Madeira with black sand beaches, incredible Jurassic-esque landscapes and Poça das Lesmas (natural pools).
• Cascata da Ribeira da Pedra Branca – cascading waterfall along the early original road before the tunnels … can you imagine these roads with the pounding surf and rock falls?
• Ribeira do Inferno, arguably one of the most beautiful spots with a river bisecting the mountains creating a lush, Jurassic ravine. A 20-minute hike back from the tunnel exit takes you into the valley between the mountains.
• Véu da Noiva viewpoint – to view Brides Veil waterfall that tumbles from the mountainside 30m (100ft) into the ocean below.
• São Vicente Caves – temporarily closed as we visited, but these caves offer a glimpse of ancient lava tunnels, millennia old, as this section of the island was created.
• Santana Cable Car – as a viewpoint of a local cable car system to the valley floor and seaside community of Rocha do Navio, 330m (1080 ft) below.
• Stop at any of the additional Miradouro’s along the route to revel in the “WOW factor” and plan a stop in one of the small towns for a local-made lunch.

Day 3 – Hiking Seaside and the Peaks

Google Map Route Itinerary: https://maps.app.goo.gl/dGCTxLRkS4Z9XceXA  (Drive time RT - 2 hrs, 19 min + stops)

We recommend picking the best clear day to prioritize these two hikes.

• Begin with a sunrise hike along Ponta de São Lourenco – the easternmost point of the island (instead of lush green forests and cascading waterfalls, you will find a rockier, desert-like landscape). Determine your sunrise time and allow 90 minutes from the trailhead to hike as far as you can to get past the initial mountains. From Alltrails … PR8: Miradouro de São Lourenço about 7.4 km (4.6 mi)
• Visit Praia de Machico to see one of Madeira’s very few white sand beaches, of which we were told, the sand is imported from North Africa. Grab some breakfast at the marina and a pineapple smoothie beachside.
• Begin the exciting vertical drive to one of the highest points on the island at Pico Areeiro for a hike along one of our most exhilarating cliff-tabulous hikes we’ve ever been on.
• Consider an early lunch stop at Abrigo do Poiso (came highly recommended). Alternately food is available at the Pico Areeiro observatory.
• Access to parking at Pico Areeiro can be stressful. Seasonally, it can be very busy, and the roadways are narrower making navigating oncoming traffic (like a bus) added stress. From the rugged parking lot below the peak Observatory, look eastward and down to Ponta São Lourenco and celebrate the altitude difference when along São Lourenco, you thought those cliffs were high.
• From Alltrails … PR1: Pico Areeiro - Pico Ruivo about 10.8 km (6.7 mi) if you do the entire hike - not for the faint of heart or fear of heights. Lots of stairs, lots of people, but WOW! Our timing allowed us about 3km (abt 2 mi) of the total hike before we had to turn around but the mountaintop views of canyons, valleys, and sheer cliffs the like of which we’ve never seen … spectacular!
• A 20,000-step day and 230 floors of elevation hiked – worth every step!
• Enjoy the drive and the views.

Surfer side note along the route: the beaches surrounding Porto da Cruz are an excellent surfing spot given the northern wind influence on the island. Alternately, surfers should head to pretty Jardim do Mar (along the western coast), named among the best big-wave point breaks in the world.

Now having completed the first 3 days along the north coast, we transition to Madeira's south coast and continue our explorations. Continue with this link to the continuation of our Madeira itinerary, days 3 thru 7 ~ South Coast …

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