What to do and what to see in Madeira, paradise island (2026 update)
A thorough exploration of the exuberant and diverse Portuguese island of Madeira. A proper Garden of Eden in the middle of the Ocean.
This article was first published in 2019 and updated in August 2026.
There is little doubt that Portugal has become one of the hottest tourist destinations in Europe.
A case in point is Lisbon’s comeback, from sleepy capital on the periphery of Europe to a must-visit place for any discerning traveller has been remarkable. But it is easy to forget that the wonders of Portugal are not limited to its mainland. One of Portugal’s most fascinating territories is the small island of Madeira (whose name means “wood” in Portuguese).
Once a stepping stone on Portugal’s long Oceanic routes, Madeira is just 57 km long and 22 km wide (at its widest point) but thanks to its orography and geographical position, it has an amazing diversity of landscapes and ecosystems that guarantee you won’t get bored anytime soon.
In this article:
What to see in Funchal, Madeira’s capital
Dolphin and whale spotting in Madeira
The Faja dos Padres seaside oasis and cable car
Pico Arrieiro, Madeira’s highest point
Madeira’s lush northern side
Where to get Madeira’s traditional embroidery
Where to taste Madeira wine - visiting the Blandy’s winery
Must to in Madeira: going downhill on a sledge
Where to stay on Madeira, some suggestions
Cristiano Ronaldo’s hotel in Funchal
Great places to eat out in Madeira
How to get to Madeira
The first impression you get upon landing on Madeira is that the island is incredibly mountainous. In fact, the island is but the emerged part of a large volcanic ridge that rises all the way from the ocean floor to a height of nearly 2,000m above sea level.
There is hardly a square mile of flat terrain on this island, and this is why even the island’s airport had to be built, partly, on a hill-side man-made structure sustained by pillars (resembling an aircraft carrier of sorts)
Madeira’s complex orography becomes evident on the drive from the airport to its capital, Funchal, through a brand new motorway with innumerable tunnels and bridges. Houses are perched on the what look like impossibly steep inclines right and left, with deep ravines and cliffs around them.
This is about as flat as it gets in Madeira!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you book or buy something through them, I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It's one of the ways I keep Places of Charm going. Thank you for your support.
The trip was courtesy of TAP Air Portugal in collaboration with Turismo de Portugal and the Madeira Promotion Agency. All opinions are my own.
What to see in Funchal
Madeira’s capital and its administrative and services hub, Funchal, is on the south coast of the island.
Located in a rare opening of the vertical cliffs that line the island’s coast. Although Funchal’s neighbourhoods climb onto the surrounding hillsides, its historical centre is right by the sea.
Funchal feels like a rather sleepy provincial town and, although it is hard to pinpoint one major landmark or point of interest, its whole urban ensemble, particularly the streets on the old town, is not devoid of charm.
One place you can not miss if visiting Funchal is the fish and vegetables market. We were to late for the fish auction, but could get a first glimpse of the produce that results from Madeira’s mild sub-tropical climate.
The flower and fruit display at Funchal market can’t be described as anything else but a colour explosion, with passion fruit, which comes in different sorts and varieties, being the real star here!
Dolphin Spotting in Madeira
One of the most amazing things to do in Madeira is the whale and dolphin watching tour (there are several companies offering dolphin and whale watching tours on the island).
Even if you don’t get to spot any of these magnificent marine mammals, it is the perfect excuse to enjoy the clean, deep blue waters that surround the island and contemplate its magnificent orography from the sea.
There were a dozen of us on a fast boat as we moved out of Funchal’s harbour for a glorious morning at sea. It was bright and sunny but the constant breeze kept the temperature balmy and pleasant at all times.
It did not take long before we spot the first dolphins, we followed them for a while before they were gone…far from being a rare encounter, we soon got visual contact with another group…and then another…and another…
Lunch at Fajã dos Padres
A great continuation to the dolphin-spotting adventure, as traveling by boat is the best way to access this secluded oasis of calm nested between the sea and high vertical cliffs.
It would be fair to say that this narrow tongue of land at the foot of huge fully vertical cliffs, concentrates much of what makes of Madeira such a special place: crystalline waters, great food, exuberant vegetation and amazing weather set in a rough, rocky landscape.
There is a restaurant and terrace in Fajã dos Padres, the feel is rather vintage, but this is exactly what fits this place, that seems to move at its very own pace. In fact, the Fajã dos Padres offers some of the best produce that Madeira has to offer: fresh fish and seafood and succulent tropical fruit and this shows in the menu…By the way, one of the local specialities: limpets with a sprinkle of lemon!
How to get to Fajã dos Padres if you don’t have access to a boat? Some time ago, there used to be a lift that would take you all the way up to the island’s main road…
The lift is no longer in service and nowadays there is a modern cable car instead.
The ride uphill on the cable car gives you an idea of the rather precarious narrowness of this strip of land that Fajã dos Padres sits on (which you can see in the picture below). There’s enough land, though, for several tropical fruit plantations and orchards to be found all along the seaside.
Pico Arieiro: the highest point on Madeira
Our activity for the next day could not be more different, a sweater and raincoat were required.
In a matter of just a few miles we got from sea level to a height of over 1,800m. From the warm, subtropical temperatures to the rather fresher mountain air of Pico Arieiro, Madeira’s highest peak.
The summit of Pico Arieiro can, actually, be accessed by road, although the car struggled at times to keep going in the super steep ramps that lead to the highest point in the island. Once you are on top, though, the views are simply otherworldly.
The mountains at the centre of the island form deep canyons on the north side that are quickly filled with the thick clouds coming from the ocean. On the Eastern side, it is the blue ocean.
Would it be it possible to see the Africa coast from here? We tried…
Exploring Madeira’s lush Northern side
Once you start to descend towards the Northern side of Madeira, it starts to feel like you are in a totally different island. The contrast with the southern half of the island couldn’t be starker.
Everything of the western side is absolutely dripping wet. Here the rainforest is thick, green and lush. In a matter of a couple of miles we have been transported from the aridness of North Africa to a landscape that could well be that of the US Pacific Northwest.
But, one thing remains the same: flowers blooming everywhere.
It’s just different types of flowers than the ones on the dry south side. In some areas these white, round flowers, which are called hydrangeas, cluster in cotton-like bushes, so thick that at some points looks like they are about to block the road.
Upon arrival at the aptly named “Ribeiro Frio” (Cold River), we had the chance to do bits of a Levada Walk.
The “levadas” are old irrigation channels that, historically, had been built to bring water from the rainy Western side of the Madeira to the arid East, where most people live. Some of them run for many miles and tunnels and aqueducts were built along their path to sort out the complicated orography of the island.
Nowadays a network of trails follow the routes of these “levadas”.
Where to eat on the north side of Madeira
After the walk, time to eat something…
Restaurant Quinta do Furao
Estrada da Quinta do Furão Nº6, 9230-082
Santana, Portugal
This restaurant (which is also a hotel) is located among the vineyards at the North tip of the island. Besides the excellent food and the views, here in Santana there are also some houses built in the traditional architectural style of Madeira.
The coast on this part of the island is a sight to behold, almost devoid of vegetation and with an almost lunar aspect at some points. This is the predominant landscape until we get to Ponta San Lourenço, the Easternmost tip of the island. From here we follow the road along coast all the way back to Funchal.
What to bring back from Madeira? Traditional embroidery
One of the traditional economic activities in Madeira and one that still employs quite a lot of people in the island is embroidery.
We had the chance to visit Bordal, one of the firms in Funchal, that still work on this traditional craft, and to learn about the artisan process that results in these highly valued embroidered textiles.
This industry is structured in a very capillar way. A handful of houses in Funchal control de embroidery industry, they distribute work to a large network of women all over the rural parts of the island. They, then, at home, complete parts of the process, before taking the semi-finished fabrics to Funchal, where they are completed and dyed with different pigments.
It is still today an artisan process and the old sub-contracting work system continues in place.
With a renewed interest around the world for craftsmanship and artisan products, Madeira embroidery may be set for a revival and has even attracted the attention of some big names of the fashion industry.
Where to taste Madeira Wine
The other well known Madeiran export is its wine.
Madeira wine was highly appreciated by the British, whose ships often called at Funchal on their way to India and the Far East. In fact, in the 18th and 19th Centuries Madeira attracted quite a few British entrepreneurs that settled in the island and helped develop its wine industry. Some of those entrepreneurs gave rise to wine-making dynasties that continue to play a prominent role in the local economy and society.
This is the case of Blandy’s, the wine cellar we visited in central Funchal.
Madeira wine is indeed, quite unique, with a flavour similar to Port in some ways (note: I am not a wine expert, so forgive me if I am not technically accurate in my words, will try to transmit what they told us there!).
Blandy’s offers and didactic tour about the process of elaboration of Madeira wine (and interestingly, Blandy’s winery has its own on-premises hotel for wine lovers).
The most remarkable feature of the Madeira wine production process, and that that gives it its very distinctive taste, is the heat-aging process. As part of the production process, the wine is exposed for relatively long periods of time to high temperatures. The origin of this practice is in the fact that, centuries ago, someone figured out that Madeira wine that went on long transoceanic voyages in the hold of ships bound for the tropics, did actually taste better. Later, techniques were developed to replicate and accelerate this process on land.
Another feature of Madeira wine is that they can last very very long time and still be drinkable. In this regard, one of the most interesting moments of the visit to Blandy’s is when you get to the room where bottles containing many decades of vintages are displayed together and you can just but marvel at the dates that appear on the bottles.
In the 18th Century Madeira wine was extremely popular, particularly in the American Colonies. Not for nothing, the US Founding Fathers toasted to the Declaration of Independence with a glass of Madeira wine!
During the 20th Century, though, Madeira wine lost its hype and came to be regarded as unfashionable, a state of things that the current generation of Madeira producers are working hard to change.
Although not an expert myself, I quite like Madeira’s very unique taste and I hope it will eventually get back the recognition that it deserves!
Must do in Madeira: go downhill on a sledge
A truly unique thing to do in Madeira is go downhill on the Monte sledges.
Although nowadays is a tourist attraction, starting in the early 19th Century, sledge-descent used to be the a common way to commute between the uphill town of Monte and downtown Funchal.
The experience itself is getting into a basket-like sledge that, guided by two professional drivers, called “carreiros”, goes on a 2km downhill descent through a paved road. The ride takes some 10min and it is, definitely a thrill and it is amazing how those guys manage to keep it all the time under control.
There are several companies offering sledge descents in Monte, sometimes combined with other activities.
Recommended places to Stay in Madeira
Hotel Pestana Casino Park
Rùa Imperatriz D Amelia, 9004-513 Funchal
Possibly the hotel of reference in Funchal.
It was designed by Oscar Niemeyer, the famous Brazilian architect (who designed also Brazil’s capital, Brasilia) and this shows in the style. The hotel has also amazing views, particularly from the infinity pool area, that is also where you guests have their breakfast.
Hotel Pestana CR7 Funchal
Av. Sá Carneiro, 9000-017 Funchal
Football player Cristiano Ronaldo (also known as CR7) is, together with wine and embroidery, the other Madeira export with global reach.
In partnership with the Pestana Group (Portugal’s largest hotel operator), he has opened a number of CR7-themed hotels.
I did not stay at this hotel, but I had the chance to visit its facilities and be shown around by the managers.
While the CR7 hotel in Lisboa is rather more neutral in its decor, the Pestana CR7 hotel in Funchal is totally dedicated to Cristiano Ronaldo and his life as a football star.
The hotel occupies on a modern, two-storey, elongated building right by the port. It has some rather unique elements, such as this statue of Cristiano Ronaldo just outside the hotel.
The roof is a massive solarium and outdoor spa area, complete with pool, sauna and other amenities.
And while this hotel may not be for everyone (warning: if cult of personality is not you thing, you can skip the rest of this review), CR7’s global fan base may be big enough for this concept to work.
The hotel manager actually confirmed that some guests travel thousands of miles just to have the CR7 experience!
While the lobby and restaurant on the ground floor have a modern design where, little (besides some memorabilia here and there) indicates the connection to the footballer. It’s another story in the upper floors, where the rooms are located. Everything here is football and CR7-themed.
And below a couple of rather disturbing (imo) elements in the decor, that are intended to be a constant reminder of the sort of constant surveillance and public attention that football stars of the caliber of CR7 constantly get, 24/7.
As you can see room decor is contemporary and minimal. There is one element to highlight though…The paintings on top of the bed tell the story of the life of CR7, from his childhood in poverty to stardom…While aesthetically they fit in the overall theme, I found this a bit…mmmh…too much, maybe? But I guess this is a plus for his fans (disclosure: I am a FC Barcelona supporter)
Some more recommended places to eat in Madeira
Nini Design Centre Andrade Silva Restaurant - DC Atelier
Estrada da Pontinha
Forte de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Funchal
http://www.ninidesigncentre.com
This stylish contemporary restaurant is located within the walls of an old fort at Funchal’s harbour. The DC Atelier restaurant of modern cuisine is, in fact, part of a larger design and cultural hub that serves as a setting for temporary art exhibitions and a number of fashion and design shops.
The place has magnificent views as its terraces open towards the port of Funchal, with the town and neighbouring mountains on one side and the open sea on the other side. The mix of contemporary decor and the old walls of the place also makes for an interesting contrast.
As it could not be otherwise in a house dedicated to design, the cuisine here is contemporary, with a degree of creativity, and, what’s more… rather generous portions.
Restaurante do Forte (Sao Tiago Fortress)
Tv. do Forte 3, 9060-123 Funchal
Located in a 17th Century fortress at the edge of the old town, this is another great place to eat while admiring one of the most prominent pieces of Funchal’s historical heritage.
As you can see, seafood and local Madeira wines features prominently in our meal here. Very tasty and great location by the sea, next to the historical centre of Funchal.
Believe it or not, this is not a painting, but and iPhone photo with some retouching on Instagram!
Restaurant Adega da Quinta
R. José Joaquim da Costa, 9325-034 Madeira
https://www.facebook.com/restauranteadegadaquinta
Located on a hilltop near Funchal, this restaurant has great views and lush gardens.
The speciality here is meat, that is cooked in the traditional “espetada” beef skewers. It has also a cellar where local Madeira wine is kept in oak barrels.
How to get to Madeira
Being an island, the obvious way to get here is by plane. Although there are also, at least seasonally, ferries to mainland Portugal and the Canady Islands, as well as to the nearby island of Porto Santo (that administratively depends of Madeira).
Funchal airport is named…you guess it!…Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport and it has the particularity, as we commented earlier, that part of the runway is supported by pillars as there was not enough space to build it entirely on firm ground.
TAP Air Portugal has several daily flights between Madeira and mainland Portugal and the island is also included in the airline’s “Portugal Stopover” programme.
The UK and Germany stand out when it comes to the number of year-round air links to Funchal (FNC) operated both by full service airlines such as British Airways and Lufthansa and leisure-focused operators such as Jet2, TUI or Condor.
Quite a few other European airlines fly to Madeira, including low cost airlines Ryanair and Easyjet.
Thinking about visiting Portugal?
Why don’t you also check our post about the Douro Valley and its wineries?
And our review of JAM Lisbon, one of Portugal’s most original hotels
A road trip through the Douro Valley: what to see & to do
Let me set the tone for this article by saying that the Douro Valley is one of most beautiful wine regions in Europe, if not the entire World.
The are is, of course, famous for being the place of production of the rather unique and famous Port wines, but also of a whole variety of other wines under the Douro Designation of Origin (Denominação de Origem Controlada - DOC). There is a large number of cellars, many of them small, family-owned businesses, all along the Portuguese stretch of the river Douro, pretty much from the Spanish border to the city of Porto and the Atlantic Ocean.
But even if you are not into wine, or your wine-tasting capability is limited because you need to drive (there is a touristic train that runs along the valley from Porto, but to visit the places named in this post you will need a car), the Douro Valley is a magic place full of incredible landscapes.
What’s more, it has pretty good infrastructure throughout, and in here I include not just roads and the like, but also hotels and restaurants, which are in most cases, small family-run affairs as well.
In fact, I would say the main problem when visiting the Douro Valley is the large number of choices, of wineries to visit and potential places to stay at. I hope this post, while inevitably limited in scope, will provide a starting point for those doing this type of research ahead of a trip to this beautiful part of Portugal.
In the map below you can see some of the places that are mentioned in this story in which I will share my experience driving through the Douro Valley and sharing some tips, from my own experience, about which wineries to visit (or which “Quintas” to visit, to use the local parlance) and what to do and what to see in this beautiful area of northern Portugal.
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A good base to explore the Douro Valley: Lamego
This town makes a good starting point for any road trip through the Douro Valley.
It is located on the south bank of the river, about an hour drive from central Porto.
It is actually a place of historical significance in Portugal since it is here where, it is said (apparently it is has not been completely ascertained), the first King of Portugal was proclaimed in the Middle Ages.
The town is also a place of pilgrimage, since it has the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (“Our Lady of Remedies”), which sits, very spectacularly at the top of a hill and is reached by an impressive flight of stairs.
Unfortunately, we arrived to Lamego when it was already late in the evening, so didn’t have the chance to visit it, but enjoyed the views from the town’s main avenue.
Btw, below is a picture of the landscape around Lamego taken from one of the nearby hills, where our hotel was located.
Check this great place to eat in Lamego
Douro Excellence, por Paulo Matos & Jacira Galhardo
Largo da Vitória, R. Macário de Castro, 5100-196 Lamego
We stumbled upon this restaurant almost randomly, after arriving in Lamego quite late (most of the town was closed) and asking some locals. It turned out to be an excellent piece of advice!
So, if you are in the area, definitely make some time to eat at this restaurant, even better, just call to book in advance, because it is well worth it.
The restaurant is run by a husband-and-wife team and it has a really welcoming and homely atmosphere. The food was also really good, with plenty of Portuguese specialities, nicely presented in slate plates and matching local wines.
Nice place to stay in Lamego
Paraíso Douro AL
Caminho Da Serra Das Meadas 44, Quinta da Pegada
5100-043 Lamego
This hotel is a bit out of town on a hill with amazing views (check the pics below).
It has rather large grounds, with a garden area and a pool, although we just stayed there for a night, so didn’t use it much.
Very large rooms and good breakfast!
Visiting wineries in the Douro Valley
So, after Lamego, it was time to cross onto the northern bank of the Douro for the first winery visits. Here are a few things that I wished I knew before planning this trip.
Number one is: book in advance your winery tours. Yes, with the large amount of wineries in the Douro Valley, it may be easy to assume that there should be no problem with access, but this is not the case.
Many of these wineries run tours only at certain times and for small groups and we found out that quite a few of them were quite full, actually. You may find one that is available, of course, but the issue is that if you go on knocking doors time and kilometers start adding up, since the Douro Valley is quite a large area, and you have wasted your morning before you have even noticed!
As we shall soon see, in our case, this ended up being a blessing in disguise, because, after all we had a limited amount of time (one day) for the winery tours and ended up having a great experience at the one we ended up at, but a bit of planning wouldn’t have been out of place!
So, here are two wineries that we called at, and stopped by, but couldn’t properly visit. Although they looked quite interesting and had a well stocked shop where it is possible to do some sampling of wines.
Quinta do Vallado, in Peso da Régua
This is one of the most historical wineries in the Douro Valley and it has been run by the same family since the 18th C.
Traditionally its product had always been Port wine, but in recent years it has diversified into other types of wines, as well.
The family’s old manor house has also been transformed into a boutique winery hotel. They also offer several tours and experiences, which is better to book in advance, because they usually fill up quickly.
Quinta do Crasto
This is another of the most prominent wine estates of the Douro Valley. Its roots date back at least since the 17th C. and the name hints at a possible Roman presence (“Castrum” or castle at this spot).
But, even if you don’t do the tour, is worth stopping by the estate to check the amazing sights of the wine groves all around, since the winery is on top of a hill overlooking the Douro river on one side and the nearly endless wine terraces on the other.
Driving on the north bank of the Douro: from Peso da Régua to Pinhao
Another good reason to pass by the Quinta do Crasto is that it lies in the middle of an absolutely scenic road. The route from Peso da Régua to Pinhao makes a large arch, heading first towards the northeast towards Vila-Seca and then southeast back towards the river by way of Gouvinhas. It is near the spot where the road rejoins the river that Quina do Crasto is located.
This last stretch of the route, from Gouvinhas to Pinhao is a winding countryside road full of curves but it provides some postcard-perfect (or Instagram-perfect, if you prefer) pictures of the Douro Valley landscape, with its green terraced slopes mixing vines with olive groves.
This is a very rural area and every now and then you come across some village which looks as if it has come out of some time-travelling machine!
Winery visit: Quinta das Carvalhas
Quinta das Carvalhas, 5085-034 Pinhão
So, after a few frustrated attempts to do the winery tour, we did find one winery that would take us and it was actually a pretty good one!
If you are looking for a comprehensive winery visit, with great explanations, landscapes and tastings, the Quinta das Carvalhas, just outside Pinhao, is an excellent option.
Pinhao is also on the railway line from Porto, so even if the winery is on the opposite bank of the river, it is next to a bridge and should be easy to reach even without a car.
Quinta das Carvalhas offers a guided tour which, rather than showing you the cellars, takes you outdoors through the different areas of the estate. The vines grow on the slopes on the southern bank of the river, offering some truly amazing views.
Since the whole mountain is within the estate, from its top you also have a nice view of the land side, the wine landscape that extends towards the south from the Douro river.
Our very knowledgeable guide provided us a really interesting explanation of how the estate is run and the different types of grapes that are grown there and how and why they are used.
The visit ends, of course, at the winery’s visitors centre, where there is a rather large and modern shop and restaurant.
In addition to the wine tasting, there was also a chance to taste some local cheese and cured meats.
A nice place to stay in the Douro Valley
Quinta da Portela Douro
CM1099, Quinta da Portela n.º 123, 5110-662 Vacalar
This is a another place to stay at the heart of the Douro wine region.
The Quinta da Portela is located on a hill on the south bank of the Douro, near the village of Vacalar (again, you will need a car to get here, but most of the best hotels are in those rural locations anyway).
The Quinta da Portela manages to combine a modern setup with a homely feel remarkably well.
In fact, when we went into the nearby village to have dinner, we were told that, since there would be no one at the reception when we came back, we should just use our set of keys to access the hotel's common areas and make ourselves at home.
The hotel is perched on a hillside and it has its own private parking space, a nice terrace and a pool, which I am sure is great during the summer months, but, as you can see, we didn’t really have this type of weather. The one element that spoils the view a bit is the nearby electricity line, although you do not see it when looking towards the valley.
Here you can see the breakfast area, which could well be the living room of a designer house. So, overall, I must say, the experience at Quinta da Portela was pretty good.
A great place to stay in Porto
While it is a bit out of the scope of this post, it is safe to assume many travellers visiting the Douro Valley wine region will start or end their journey in the city. This is the reason that I found it appropriate to provide also a recommendation about where to stay in Porto. And my pick is…
Oporto Maison Anselmo
Rua de Anselmo Braamcamp 165, 4000-082 Porto
This property is technically an aparthotel although it has pretty much all the services you would expect in a hotel.
It is located in a rather modern facility, just one the edge of the historical center, which it makes it quite convenient if you are traveling by car. The aparthotel has, actually, its own parking space (which can be booked for a fee), although there appeared to be quite a lot of parking space also on the streets around it.
In fact, in terms of location, I’d say the Oporto Maison Anselmo hits the sweet spot, because it is close enough to the center that you can walk, it is about 20min of a nice walk, but it is also close enough to the main motorway ring and the accesses to the city that it saves you from having to navigate Porto’s very intricate urban grid in the very center.
The Oporto Maison Anselmo has also its own courtyard and a pool, although we didn’t really make use of these facilities, since were staying only for one night.
Also worth mentioning is that the staff were very friendly throughout and gave us plenty of guidance about moving around town, for example. Also worth noting is that there is an amazing bakery (“Confeitaira Miguel Ángelo”) just around the corner, which is where we had breakfast.
As per the room, we were given not just a room, but a whole two-floor modern apartment, complete with a large living room, two bedrooms, kitchen and even a small patio.
We didn’t spend that much time there to be able to enjoy all of this fully, but I must say we were really impressed by the whole setup and the value for money this establisment provides.
Thinking about visiting Portugal? Why don’t you also check our posts about:
What to see in the fascinating island of Madeira
JAM Lisbon, a truly original hotel in the Portuguese capital