What to Do and Where to Go

Holidays by Destination Europe Portugal Madeira What to Do and Where to Go 

The main point of a visit to Madeira is just being there, taking in the lush vegetation, Atlantic views and fairly relaxed way of life. Sights, such as they are are either linked to the island's past or something more directly related to admiring the place's natural attractions.

Madeira is an object lesson in climate and landscape, its steep, volcanic slopes taking you in a short drive from the rocky coast through steep sub-tropical valleys through more temperate vegetation and up to high moors and rocks - at levels where you often find yourself looking down on the clouds. (The highest point is Pico Ruivo - only reached from the north coast.) At the lower levels sugar and bananas are grown on the terraces. There are also vines, further up fruit trees, and as you climb, these change to the likes of pine and then scrub.

The Laurissilva (lauraceous) forests, made up of various laurel trees of a type which once covered large parts of the Mediterranean countries, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. Part is around Ribeiro Frio, north from Funchal, where there is an option of a reasonably easy walk to views over the island's peaks. Elsewhere and the warm climate makes for lush vegetation including sub-tropical flowers year round, both wild and cultivated.

Bird life, in the absence of many native animals, flourished on the islands and remains a specific attraction for some visitors. Popular for spotting species from sparrowhawks to linnets is the Parque Ecologico do Funchal

Porto Santo, which is rather lower, is semi-tropical with crested hoopoes as common as sparrows, and cacti on the near barren slopes.


The following is an outline of places where you might find yourselves on exploratory outings. The list is not complete but more important here is just enjoying the place for what it is.

Funchal and Around

The old centre of Funchal was founded on the island's sugar and wine production, plus its growing role as a stop on journeys to Africa and India, with returning personnel spending weeks there to acclimatise. It's divided into the old town, attractive for strolls, the harbour and marina where boats leave for day trips and particularly lively in the evening, an inland area including the main square, and to the west the hotel zone.

Places to visit include the Fortaleza de Sao Tiago, of which the walls and ramparts can be explored, the Religious Art Museum with a very decent collection of Flemish art, many once owned by local figures of importance. The Museu de Electricidade charts the history of power and lighting on the island. Quinta das Cruzes houses a collection of arts and crafts indicating the lifestyle of the island's wealthy wine merchants in a 17th century house in fine garden. There are also state rooms at Palacio de Sao Lourenco. Other options tend to be of the kind you drop into if you feel like it as you walk by.

On the whole churches are not a big draw here, although they have their individual attractions. The Igreja do Colegio in Funchal for example includes fine azulejo tiles from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Convento de Santa Clara includes a children's playground in one of the cloisters.

The Dos Lavadores market can be fun, selling flowers, fruits and spices plus fish. It's liveliest in the mornings, especially Fridays and Saturdays. If you are feeling doting, the Beatles Boat, ie once owned by the Beatles, enables children to sit at mini boats in a mock harbour and explore the main boat which functions as a caf? restaurant.

Just north of Funchal at Monte it is by now an established tradition to sell tourists the idea of being slid down the steep roads towards Funchal in large wicker baskets, steered by a couple of ‘drivers' in a style originally used to transport agricultural produce down towards the port. It is not for the faint-hearted given that the roads are also used by traffic, often coming in the opposite direction. The trip up by cable car from the old historic city is fun and there is a church to visit too if you feel like it.

Camara de Lobos not far from Funchal is a working fishing village close to the heights of Cabo Girao, reportedly the highest cliff face in Europe. It's often mentioned that Winston Churchill enjoyed painting the traditional scenes.

Eastern Madeira

Machico is an attractive little town with plenty of cafes for hanging out and bananas and vegetables growing practically into the centre and little modern development. The town fort is now the tourist office but there are still cannons ranged in front - and beyond that a playground.

Canical a one-time whaling centre, used to be reachable only by boat or a serious hike, but is now accessible by tunnel. The Museu de Baleia looks at whale conservation since the business of killing them was made illegal and the coastal area here was made a marine reserve.

Prainha at the most easterly tip of the island is home to the island's only sandy beach where the clear water attracts rather a lot of day trippers.

Porto da Cruz is a fishing port on the wilder northeast coast with fine views of the coast from the harbour and a children's area at the seawater pool.

Santa Cruz is a traditional village with palm trees along the sea front, rocky beach backed by decent children's play area, a good covered market, and small, ruined fort.

Western Madeira

Ribeira Brava to the sest of Funchal is a busy resort home to the Joao Carlos Abrue Collection of all kinds of model horses, including toy ones.

Ponta da Sol is less touristy (until 50 years ago it was only reachable by boat) and its baroque church is one of the island's better ones, including 17th century azulejo tiles.

Jardim do Mar is a small village at the foot of mountains, attracting a growing number of surfers. Children might like to look out for the glass case containing a kind of hammock used for transporting the sick and the rich/lazy.

The Central and Northern Island

Porto Moniz on the far westerly tip of the north coast is the busiest centre in the north and features natural sea pools with fun inter-connecting channels, and shallow plunge pools good for children. A second set, helped by some concrete, are shallower and less popular, and less crowded.

Sao Vicente is a pretty village with another baroque church with early azulejos, but probably more of a draw for children are the Grutas de Sao Vicente, underground caves nearby. Formed during a volcanic eruption, they are around 1km long and open for tours.

Santana to the eastern end of the north coast, is known for its traditional brightly coloured and thatched A-frame houses, though those remaining in good condition are so courtesy of the tourist office. It is also home to a steep cable car ride down a cliff face.

Sea Swimming

The deep Atlantic waters can produce big breakers, popular with surfers along the west coast. There is one grey-sanded beach in the east and most coastal villages have some sort of stony waterfront or jetty from which good swimmers can access the water.

Alternatives are lidos with pools, access to the sea and sometimes offshore swimming platforms, though these last are generally out of action in winter. An alternative is manmade sea pools, constructed in harbours. There are lidos next to the Hotel Zone of Funchal, the Old Town of Funchal, Santa Cruz, Canico de Baixo, and Calheta. Sea pools are at Porto da Cruz, Ponta Delgada and Seixal. In addition there are natural sea pools at Porto Moniz, something of a draw in their own right.

Snorkelling is an option at Canico de Baixo and Machico where the clear waters are part of a marine reserve.

Boat Trips

Offered by a number of companies from Funchal for dolphin and whale watching, though these last seldom get close to the coastline. They may also spot the increasingly rare monk seals. Sailing trips include the option of a day on a replica of Christopher Columbus' flagship Santa Maria. The replica was built at the small fishing village of Camara de Lobos and outings last about three hours, sailing along Madeira's southern coast.

Porto Santo

The lack of water and natural defences against pirates explains why Porto Santo traditionally has been far less developed than Madeira, although there are now significant summer visitors from both Madeira and mainland Portugal, particularly in July and August, a new hotel is due to double the island's bed capacity, and a new ferry service from Madeira will increase accessibility. There are also plans to construct a golf course.

Apart from the variously estimated five or six miles of soft, clean sand (reputedly good for skin complaints including eczema) there is the port (‘capital') of Vila Baleira, with traditional Portuguese buildings and semi tropical greenery.

Tourist attractions include the Casa Museu Crostovao Colombo, said to be Colombus' home when he married the daughter of the island's first governor, horse-drawn tours of the ‘town', and a small botanical garden, plus the possibility of walking trails, for example through a cedar wood on an island much flatter than its neighbour, and rather barren. Though there are other spots with accommodation, these are suitable only for those who really want to get away from it all. Most of the hotels and restaurants are found around Vila Baleira.