Madeira has earned its reputation as a hiker’s paradise. This Portuguese island boasts hundreds of kilometers of trails, from gentle levada walks through lush forests to coastal hikes and more challenging mountain hikes. Add dramatic viewpoints, lots of waterfalls and year-round mild weather, and it’s easy to see why this island has exploded in popularity. The downside? Those famous trails are no longer hidden gems. But with the right planning, you can still experience Madeira’s incredible natural beauty without spending your entire trip in a queue. This Madeira travel guide covers everything you need to know for visiting Madeira for the first time.
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Table of Contents - Madeira Travel Guide – Tips for First-Time Visitors
Madeira at a glance
The Madeira archipelago belongs to Portugal but sits in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Morocco past the Canary Islands and a little further north. The archipelago consists of Madeira island, Porto Santo, and the Ilhas Desertas.
Madeira is the main island. It’s the biggest and greenest of the three islands, and the one where you’ll find all the incredible hiking. Porto Santo is smaller and flatter and known for its sandy beaches rather than mountains and forests. The Ilhas Desertas are a protected nature reserve and off-limits to tourists.
This guide focuses on Madeira island, which is what most people mean when they talk about visiting Madeira.
How to get to Madeira
Madeira is well connected to mainland Portugal and the rest of Europe. The main gateway is Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport just outside of Funchal, which has frequent daily flights from Lisbon and Porto.
Beyond Portugal, Madeira has direct flights from many European cities and you can also fly directly from the Canary Islands (Tenerife and Gran Canaria) and the Azores (São Miguel).
There’s now also a direct flight from Newark in the USA, making Madeira more accessible for North American travelers. Connecting through Lisbon is often more affordable though.
Getting around Madeira - Rental car vs. Public transport
Most blogs will tell you that you need a car in order to explore Madeira. While it is true that a car allows you to travel more efficiently and to fit more places to visit in one day, there is also a downside that many blogs don’t tell you about. And that is that there are more people and cars on the island than the infrastructure can handle.
We visited at the end of May and the island was saturated. Parking lots fill up super early in the day and the roads leading up to them will fill up with parked cars soon as well.
While we were on the island, we also discovered that it was actually possible to visit a lot more by public transport than it seemed like when I was planning my trip. Take São Lourenço for example. It’s super easy to get here by public transport from Funchal and the small parking space can’t handle all the cars. So I actually recommend doing this hike by public transport, even if you have rented a car.
To balance everything out, my advice is: rent a car for a few days to visit the places you can only get to by car and/or for a “road trip day”, and do the rest by public transport.
When to visit Madeira
Shoulder season (spring and autumn) is definitely the best season to travel to Madeira. It offers the best balance of decent weather and fewer crowds. Be aware that the closer to high season you visit, the busier it gets. The shoulder season seems to be shrinking as Madeira is gaining popularity. We visited in late May and the island was packed already.
You could also consider a winter trip to Madeira. The weather is colder and rainier this time of year (which is why the island is so lush green), but I met some people who visited in winter and the weather wasn’t as bad as they’d expected and it didn’t stop them from enjoying hikes.
Keep in mind that weather can vary significantly depending on which part of the island you’re in. The north tends to be wetter and cloudier, while the south is generally drier and sunnier year-round.
Where to stay in Madeira
Where to stay in Madeira depends on how you’re getting around. If you’re traveling Madeira by public transport, I recommend staying in Funchal. Being the island’s capital it is the main transport hub and from here it’s easiest to hop on a bus to your destination. If you’re also renting a car for a few days, I recommend picking another town for those days. Parking in Funchal is expensive and you don’t need a car in town. So pick a smaller, more remote town to get a different experience and to avoid car-hassle in Funchal.
We stayed a few days at Tabua Village↗ and I truly loved this place! It’s run by a Venezuelan family who is so welcoming and caring, they really added to our experience in Madeira. Studio rooms are very comfortable and offer everything you need, including a kitchen and outside tables to work on or for socializing. They even have a private viewpoint and a small jacuzzi for you to relax in after a full day of exploring!
Hiking in Madeira - Things to know
Levadas vs Veredas
There are many different hiking trails in Madeira, the most famous and the most iconic ones are the “levada trails“. Levadas are man-made irrigation channels that were built starting in the 15th century to transport water from the wet, mountainous north of Madeira to the drier south. Today, there are over 2,000 km of these channels crisscrossing the island, and the maintenance paths alongside them have become some of Madeira’s most popular hiking trails. The levada hikes are generally hikes through lush forests and may include waterfalls.
But Madeira is more than levadas and forest hikes. Madeira’s most popular hike is actually a mountain hike: the hike from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo, or the peak-to-peak hike. But there are more of these mountain trails, often called “Veredas“. Vereda hikes are generally steeper and more challenging than levada trails.
Access fees
Madeira has implemented an access fee for most official “PR” hikes. Those hikes now require a € 3 access fee which can be paid online↗, or often also on the spot. If there are no park rangers to pay, you can scan a QR-code on the spot to make the payment.
Unfortunately there is no list with free hikes available, but there is this list with all PR hikes on Madeira↗. So all hikes that are listed here, but not listed on the website to pay the fees linked above are free. Here you can also see which hikes are currently open and closed.
There are also plenty of unofficial hiking trails on Madeira, which are also free. Only the PR hikes listed on the payment website need to be paid for. Since it does include Madeira’s most famous trails, it might seem like there is no free hiking on Madeira anymore, but there is! Just choose one of the other PR hikes, or download a hiking app like Mapy.com↗ or Komoot↗ and look for trails that are not part of the PR-network.
Accessibility
The accessibility of the different hikes in Madeira varies greatly. Some are easily accessible by both car and public transport, others have limited public transport and many can only be reached by car. We used Google Maps and Rome2Rio↗ to figure out how to get around Madeira, and that worked well. I do recommend double-checking the timetables on the SIGA website↗, or on the bus stops.
Personally I’d say that if there is regular public transport to and from the hike you’d like to do, you’re better off taking it. Parking spaces at the trailheads of the popular trails are limited and fill up quickly.
Most popular hikes on Madeira
| Hike Name | Type | Bus Accessible? | Access Fee | Hiking Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PR1 Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo | Vereda | Limited - Shuttle bus to Pico do Areeiro | €3 | 3-4 hours |
| PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes | Levada | No - Car required | €3 | 3-4 hours |
| PR7 Levada do Moinho | Levada | Limited - Irregular bus service from Funchal | €3 | 2-3 hours |
| PR8 Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço | Vereda (coastal) | Yes - Bus 113 | €3 | 2-3 hours |
| PR11 Vereda dos Balcões | Vereda | Yes - Bus 56 or 103 | €3 | 0.5-1 hour |
| PR13 Vereda do Fanal | Vereda | No - Car required | €3 | 2-3 hours |
PR1 Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo
This is Madeira’s most popular hike. Or it was, until part of the trail was closed due to a forest fire. At this time, it’s unfortunately not possible to hike the full peak to peak trail, but you can still visit each peak separately and enjoy the views.
Both these trails require an access fee of € 3 and you’ll also need to pay for parking, meaning that the cost for this hike can add up if you want to stay for a few hours. If you don’t want to drive or pay for parking, you can reach Pico Areeiro by shuttle bus↗ too.
PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes
Levada das 25 Fontes is a very iconic Madeira hike, since it goes through Laurel Forest, up to a beautiful waterfall. It has some very narrow parts though, where it’s difficult to pass others when it gets busy.
PR 6 is easily combined into a loop with PR 6.1 Levada do Risco and PR 6.2 Levada do Alecrim. I recommend doing this if you have the time and the energy, because these trails were not nearly as crowded as Levada das 25 Fontes. So this way you get the best of both worlds: You get to visit Levada das 25 Fontes, but also enjoy hiking without queues to get past the narrow bits.
PR7 - Levada do Moinho
Levada Moinho is normally combined with Levada Noval, two parallel trails. This hike is easy and not as crowded as the other popular hikes I’ve pointed out. The coolest part of the trail is when you walk behind the waterfalls.
PR8 - Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço
Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço is the only coastal hike on this list. You’ll hike along the desertlike coastline of the São Lourenço peninsula. On the way you pass one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen on Madeira. Great for a refreshing dip on the way back!
There are regular buses from Funchal to the trailhead↗ and I recommend taking these. We took the bus at about 09.00 and arrived at the trailhead around 10.30 and the road leading up to the trailhead and parking space there was full of parked cars. Anyone arriving at that time by car would have had to park several kilometers away from the trailhead. So this hike is better done by public transport than by car.
PR11 Vereda dos Balcões
Vereda dos Balcões is the shortest and easiest trail of this list. I’d actually classify it more as a viewpoint than a hike. While there is normally a fee to be paid for this trail, there was nobody there when we arrived in the late afternoon.
Honestly, I would not have done this hike if I had to pay or if it was very busy. We had already done longer hikes in the forest and seen better viewpoints. So if it’s on your way and free to access, you might as well spend half an hour visiting. But if not, I’d skip it and do another one.
PR13 Vereda do Fanal
I didn’t do the full PR13 hike, I only visited the Fanal Forest as part of a road-trip day. So I can’t account for the full hike, but as for the forest, I can tell you that it’s only worth it when it’s foggy. We arrived later in the morning when the fog had lifted already and it looked more like a general farm field than a forest. 🙈
Beaches on Madeira
There is a reason Madeira is famous for hiking and not for its beaches. Many of the beaches on the island are rocky. There are some (artificial) sandy beaches though, or you can head for natural pools.
The nicest beaches I’ve seen on Madeira are along the São Lourenço hike, although they are rocky as well. If you’re looking for sandy beaches, try Praia da Calheta or Prainha do Caniçal.
However, the very best beaches of the Madeira archipelago are not on Madeira Island, but on the smaller island of Porto Santo. So if you want to spend a few days on beautiful beaches, you might want to make Porto Santo part of your Madeira trip too.
Waterfalls on Madeira
Wherever you are on Madeira, you probably won’t need to travel far to visit a stunning waterfall. From the waterfalls on the 25 Fontes-Risco-Alecrines hiking circuit, to waterfalls plunging straight into the sea to the impressive Garganta Funda. Madeira is full of pretty waterfalls.
Garganta Funda was my favorite, not only because of its stunning location, but also because there were only a handful of people there. So we could truly enjoy the surroundings, unlike many other places on Madeira.
I also loved seeing waterfalls directly flow into the sea, since I’d never seen that before. And the cliff scenery does really add to the drama at these places. Two examples of these waterfalls are Véu da Noiva and Cascata do Mito. I have to say that I found it hard to get a good panoramic view of them, but they are still worth a visit.
Another famous waterfall is Cascata dos Anjos, very close to Ponta do Sol. This waterfall falls straight on the road and visitors have enjoyed driving and walking through it. Unfortunately the road is now closed to all traffic due to repeated rock-falls. Barriers prevent cars from passing. Pedestrians can technically walk past the barriers, so you might come across pictures or comments of people who did visit recently, but access is officially prohibited and unsafe.
Finishing thoughts on this Madeira Travel Guide
Madeira is absolutely beautiful and the hiking really does live up to the hype. From the levada walks through laurel forests to the dramatic coastal and mountain trails, there is something for everyone.
But I’ll be honest: the crowds were a surprise for us. We visited in late May thinking we’d beaten the worst of the tourist season, but the island was already packed. Popular trails felt more like queues than wilderness experiences at times, and finding parking was genuinely stressful.
That said, we still had an amazing trip. Taking buses to popular hikes like São Lourenço made a huge difference, and exploring some of the lesser-known trails gave us some more peaceful moments.
If you’re heading to Madeira for the first time, go in with realistic expectations about the crowds, plan your transport strategically, and don’t try to cram too much into each day. The island is special and it’s worth slowing down to actually enjoy it rather than rushing from one packed viewpoint to the next. That’s when you experience the magic of this island.
Have you been to Madeira? Tell us about your experience.
FAQ about visiting Madeira
I’d recommend at least 5-7 days to experience the island without rushing. This gives you enough time for a few hikes, a road trip day to explore viewpoints and coastal areas, and maybe a day in Funchal. If you want to visit Porto Santo as well, add 1-2 extra days.
Not necessarily. Madeira has trails for all fitness levels. Easy levada walks like PR11 Vereda dos Balcões are accessible to most people, while challenging mountain hikes like PR1 require fitness and some hiking experience. Most hikes are relatively easy to medium difficulty.
Nothing out of the ordinary – just pack what you’d bring for any hiking holiday. You’ll need waterproof hiking boots, layers for changing weather, a rain jacket, and sun protection.
Signal can be patchy, especially in valleys and remote areas. Some popular trails near towns have decent coverage, but don’t rely on having signal throughout your hike. Download offline maps and trail information before you set out.
Levadas are man-made irrigation channels with relatively flat, easy walking paths alongside them – perfect for a gentle forest hike. Veredas are mountain trails that tend to be steeper and more challenging, taking you up to peaks and ridges. If you want an easy day, go for a levada. If you’re up for a workout with dramatic views, choose a vereda.
Yes, tap water in Madeira is safe to drink. Bring a reusable water bottle or water bladder and fill it up before your hikes – there aren’t always places to buy water at trailheads.
Madeira’s subtropical climate is perfect for growing bananas, and you’ll see plantations everywhere across the island – in fact, we stayed at Tabua Village which has its own banana plantation on the property! The local Madeira bananas are smaller and sweeter than the ones you typically find in supermarkets, so definitely try them if you get the chance.