Madeira – what to see? TOP 10 attractions.

Madeira is not a suitable destination for people who like to spend their vacation passively. There are no beautiful beaches, warm water, or guaranteed heat. Instead, it is an ideal destination for people who enjoy active recreation, prefer nature over city sightseeing, and preferably don’t yet have motion sickness or a fear of heights.

A paradise for hikers, drivers who enjoy road challenges, and those without a fear of heights – that’s a brief description of who Madeira might be a good choice for a vacation destination. Not everyone will like Madeira, so it’s a good idea to know what you’re signing up for right away.

As for the sights here, not much, but beautiful views await you at every turn, cliffs jutting high out of the water and valleys full of intense greenery. It’s also hard to find beaches with fine yellow sand here, and the weather isn’t always conducive to beachcombing either. The island of eternal spring is almost made for active recreation. Nothing but to pack comfortable shoes and hit the road.

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Table of contents

Attractions in Madeira – our TOP 10

Below we have prepared our TOP 10 of Madeira. These are specific places or attractions that, from our point of view, are so special and memorable that we recommend visiting them. Some of them, are typical places or sights just to see, and some you even have to spend a whole day on.

As standard, we start from place number…

10. natural pools

We had a bit of a discussion about what should be on the 10th. place and the choice fell on the natural pools in Madeira, which we mentioned here. They are included mainly because they show how interestingly lava formations can be developed. Some pools have full infrastructure prepared, and some only have ladders to get down into the water in relative safety.

However, we did not use them ourselves, but with warmer weather (and water) it can be quite pleasant ;)

9. pico do Arieiro

If you’re tired of hiking and not enough of nice views, there’s a place in Madeira where you can drive your car almost to the top and enjoy the beautiful views. The site, Pico do Arieiro is one of Madeira’s higher peaks (the highest being Pico Ruivo – 1,862 meters above sea level).

If you’re already motorized, it’s also worth taking the opportunity to drive to the village of Santana, which is located in the area. There you can see typical old country cottages with characteristic triangular shapes. Read more about the two sites here.

8. Funchal

Funchal is the capital of Madeira. It is not a city where you will find beautiful old monuments, but it is worth spending a day here to see what the island’s largest city looks like.

In addition to the railroad and sledges mentioned in the following section, it is worth seeing the Zona Velha (old town), the farmers’ market, the Praca do Municipio, the Tropical Garden or tasting the local Madeira (local wine).

7 Cabo Girão

This 580-meter high cliff has become a major tourist attraction since a special terrace with a glass floor was prepared here. It’s best to head to Cabo Girão early in the morning, even before the buses rally.

In addition to the view down the cliff, you can also see Funchal very nicely.

6. sled! (oh yes! ;-))

Crazy, but true! Because how can you go sledding on an island where it’s perpetual spring? We wrote about our coverage of sled rides in Funchal here, and although expensive and commercialized, the attraction is one of a kind.

We wouldn’t go a second time, but we recommend one time, because it’s worth the ride!

5. teleferico

If you don’t have a fear of heights, we recommend you take a ride on one of the several railroads (called Teleferico) that help transport people and goods along the steep cliffs to the foot of the cliffs where there are crops and sometimes beaches (so what if they’re rocky and the water is icy).

Of the more commercial and larger queues, there is one in Funchal that will allow you to get to the botanical garden (Jardim Botânico da Madeira) and, at the same time, to the sledding area (in addition, there is a free panoramic view of the entire city).

We wrote about these more modest (and, in our opinion, providing the best excitement) rounds here.

4. the Valley of the Nuns

The Valley of the Nuns is one of those places where just getting there is quite an attraction and experience. Located in a picturesque valley, the village looks best from a vantage point on the way to the valley. The access road (like many similar ones in Madeira), runs along the hillsides and abounds in numerous serpentines. Here you will find some more words about the Valley of the Nuns.

3 Madeira airport

Well, there goes the podium… The plan is simple: arrive, land, and then take off and fly away – and that is an experience in itself :) Many people, by the way, give up on a trip to Madeira precisely because of the airport here.

Madeira’s airport is one of the more dangerous airports, making it, among other things, one of the most dangerous. There are often diversions of planes (e.g., to the Canary Islands) due to too much wind. We recommend checking the flight schedule and coming to a nearby vantage point to admire the pilots’ skills.

You can see a video of the landing in this post.

2. levadas

Have you heard of levadas? Only in Madeira do we have the opportunity to walk along the levadas, between the surrounding laurel forests. The uniqueness of this place is what makes it so high on the list.

The routes as such are not difficult, although passing other groups can provide trouble, but what one does not do for nice views :) We wrote about the levadas here.

1. são Lourenço

Namber łan is a magnificent, scenic and spectacular route on the São Lourenço peninsula. In our opinion, this is the absolute highlight of Madeira.

This is not an exceptionally difficult route, but you need to be well prepared for two reasons: first, there is a shortage of opportunities to stock up on at least water along the way, and second, due to weather conditions (especially strong winds), it can be dangerous. We wrote about our trip to this peninsula here.