The top places to visit in Madeira — from Funchal and the south coast to the mountains, Laurissilva forest, Porto Moniz, Santana and Ponta de São Lourenço. Every spot below is included in our private tours; mention your favourites when booking and we'll build the itinerary around them.
The colourful fishing village painted by Winston Churchill.
A small fishing harbour just west of Funchal, famous for its brightly painted xavelha boats and for being one of Winston Churchill's favourite painting spots in 1950. It is also the birthplace of poncha, the traditional Madeiran drink made with aguardente, lemon and honey.
Included in: Porto Moniz & North Coast · Cruise Tour — 3 to 4 hours · Cruise Tour — 4 to 5 hours
Photo: Dietmar Rabich / CC BY-SA 4.0
One of the highest sea cliffs in Europe — with a glass skywalk.
A 580-metre vertical drop straight into the Atlantic, making Cabo Girão one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe. The skywalk has a glass floor that lets you look straight down at the tiny terraced fields and the ocean below. Not for the faint-hearted — but the view is breathtaking.
Included in: Porto Moniz & North Coast · Cruise Tour — 3 to 4 hours · Cruise Tour — 4 to 5 hours
Photo: H. Zell / CC BY-SA 3.0
The classic panoramic viewpoint over Funchal.
Just a few minutes above the city, Pico dos Barcelos offers a sweeping 360° view over the bay, the harbour and the amphitheatre of houses climbing the hills. A favourite first stop to get oriented and take that postcard photo of Funchal.
Included in: Cruise Tour — 3 to 4 hours · Cruise Tour — 4 to 5 hours
Photo: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0
The famous 2 km downhill ride in a wicker basket on wooden runners.
Invented in the 19th century as a quick way down from Monte to Funchal, the carros de cesto are wicker toboggans steered by two carreiros dressed in white. The 2-kilometre slide down the steep streets of Monte is a one-of-a-kind Madeiran experience (paid on site).
Included in: Cruise Tour — 4 to 5 hours
Famous for its runway built on stilts over the ocean.
Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport is renowned worldwide for its dramatic runway — half of it is built on a platform supported by 180 concrete columns over the sea. The pickup point for all our airport transfers.
Included in: Airport Transfer
Photo: Richard Bartz / CC BY-SA 3.0
Madeira's third highest peak — 1,818 m above the clouds.
At 1,818 metres, Pico do Areeiro is one of the few places in Madeira you can drive to and still feel like you are on top of the world. On clear mornings the view stretches across the entire central mountain range, and on cloudy days it is one of the best spots on the island to witness the famous 'sea of clouds'. Sunrise here is unforgettable.
Included in: Pico do Areeiro — Sunrise · Santana & East Coast
Photo: Marco Klapper / CC BY 2.0
UNESCO World Heritage forest crossed by centuries-old water channels.
The Laurissilva is the largest surviving laurel forest in the world, classified as UNESCO World Heritage in 1999. It is crossed by levadas — narrow irrigation channels built from the 16th century onwards — which today double as gentle walking paths through tunnels, waterfalls and ancient laurel trees. Mossy, humid and full of birdsong.
Included in: Levadas & Laurissilva Forest
Photo: Sebastian from the EU / CC BY 2.0
A balcony 1,095 m above the hidden valley of Curral das Freiras.
From the viewpoint of Eira do Serrado you look straight down into Curral das Freiras, the 'Nuns' Valley' — a deep volcanic crater where, according to legend, nuns took refuge from pirate attacks in the 16th century. The village at the bottom is famous for its chestnut cake and chestnut liqueur.
Included in: Cruise Tour — 3 to 4 hours · Cruise Tour — 4 to 5 hours
Photo: H. Zell / CC BY-SA 3.0
A statue of Christ overlooking the bay of Garajau.
Inaugurated in 1927 — actually a few years before the famous one in Rio de Janeiro — the Cristo Rei statue stands on a cliff above the protected marine reserve of Garajau. The viewpoint offers a wonderful panorama of Funchal bay and the eastern coastline.
Included in: Santana & East Coast · Cruise Tour — 4 to 5 hours
Photo: Ввласенко / CC BY-SA 3.0
A traditional village under the dramatic Eagle Rock.
A peaceful village on the northeast coast, sitting in the shadow of Penha de Águia ('Eagle Rock'), a massive 590-metre monolith rising straight out of the sea. Lovely viewpoints and authentic local life.
Included in: Santana & East Coast
Photo: Virgílio Gomes / CC BY-SA 4.0
The iconic A-frame thatched houses of Madeira.
Santana is famous for its little triangular houses with steep thatched roofs and brightly painted doors and windows — a symbol of traditional rural Madeira. Several have been preserved and restored as a small open-air showcase of the island's heritage.
Included in: Santana & East Coast
Photo: H. Zell / CC BY-SA 3.0
A working sugar-cane mill producing Madeiran rum since 1927.
A small coastal village home to one of the last traditional sugar-cane mills in Europe, the Engenhos do Norte. From spring you can see the steam-powered machinery in action and taste the local agricultural rum (aguardente de cana).
Included in: Santana & East Coast
Photo: Ввласенко / CC BY-SA 3.0
Lunar landscapes at the easternmost tip of the island.
The driest, windiest and most arid corner of Madeira — a stark contrast to the green centre of the island. Red and ochre cliffs plunge into a deep blue Atlantic, with views all the way to the Desertas Islands. A protected nature reserve.
Included in: Santana & East Coast
Photo: Richard Bartz / CC BY-SA 3.0
Dramatic basalt sea stacks at the mouth of a wild river valley.
One of Madeira's most photogenic stretches of coast: black basalt sea stacks rising out of the Atlantic, with one in particular shaped like a window — which gave the place its name. The surrounding valley is one of the deepest on the island.
Included in: Porto Moniz & North Coast
Photo: Dietmar Rabich / CC BY-SA 4.0
Volcanic lava pools naturally filled by the Atlantic.
At the northwestern tip of the island, the natural pools of Porto Moniz were carved by ancient lava flows and are constantly refreshed by the ocean. A wonderful place to swim in summer, and equally impressive in winter when waves crash over the rocks.
Included in: Porto Moniz & North Coast
Photo: Dietmar Rabich / CC BY-SA 4.0
A waterfall that pours straight onto the coastal road.
On the way back through the north coast, the Véu da Noiva ('Bride's Veil') and the famous Seixal waterfall fall straight from the green cliffs onto the road — you can even drive under one of them. Black sand beach and dramatic cliffs all around.
Included in: Porto Moniz & North Coast
Photo: Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0
A traditional north-coast village with volcanic caves nearby.
A quiet village set between the mountains and the sea, with a charming historic centre, a small chapel built into the rock and the nearby São Vicente volcanic caves — a 700,000-year-old lava tube system you can walk through.
Included in: Porto Moniz & North Coast
Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) / CC BY-SA 4.0
A relaxed seaside town where the south coast meets the mountains.
A charming coastal town built where a wide river valley meets the Atlantic. A perfect short stop for a coffee on the seafront promenade, the 16th-century São Bento church and a glimpse of traditional southern Madeiran life away from the crowds.
Included in: Porto Moniz & North Coast
Photo: Karelj / CC BY-SA 4.0
Ancient laurel trees, mist and a landscape straight out of a fairy tale.
High up in the Paúl da Serra plateau, the Fanal forest is famous for its 500-year-old twisted laurel trees often shrouded in thick mist. The atmosphere is unlike anywhere else on the island — silent, mystical and a favourite for photographers.
Included in: Porto Moniz & North Coast
Photo: Dietmar Rabich / CC BY-SA 4.0
Tell us which spots you'd like to see and we'll design a custom tour at your own pace.
Build my custom tour