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Places in Madeira, what each one is

The viewpoints, villages, sea pools and levada walks our tours and hiking transfers go to, each in one line, with the drive from Funchal and the time to allow.

The north coast at dusk from above Seixal, a waterfall on the cliffs and village lights along the shore
SXLThe north coast above SeixalPhoto: Dmitriy, your driver

Madeira looks small on the map, but its roads climb, turn and run through tunnels, so a day from Funchal covers one side of the island well. The places below are grouped that way. Funchal and the places near it fill a half day. The east and the high peaks fill one day, and the west and the plateau fill another.

Each card says what the place is, how long the drive from Funchal takes and how long to allow there. Add those up before you fix a day, and leave time for lunch.

What fits in one day

Places at opposite ends of the island don't fit in one day. Ponta do Pargo, Ribeira da Janela, Ribeiro Frio and Curral das Freiras, for example, make a loop of 171 km from Funchal, with about 4 hours at the wheel before the first stop. A drive round the whole coast is 161 km and a little over 3 hours of driving, so with stops it becomes a long day spent mostly in the car.

Our ready-made days work one side at a time. The west day runs from Cabo Girão along the north-west coast to Porto Moniz and back over the plateau, with about 4 hours of driving in its 8 hours. The east day goes up to Pico do Arieiro, down through the forest to Santana and back along the east coast. Monte, the old town, Câmara de Lobos and Cabo Girão fit a half day from Funchal.

If your list crosses the island, send it to us anyway. We'll suggest which places go on which day, or what to swap, before you book.

All places, by area

Each card links to a page with what you see there, practical tips and the tours that stop there.

Funchal and nearby

Within about half an hour of the centre. Two or three of these fill a half day.

  • Two carreiros in white steering a wicker toboggan with passengers down a walled lane at Monte

    Monte

    A hillside parish above Funchal, reached by cable car, with an 18th-century church, a tropical garden and the wicker toboggan ride down.

    From Funchal about 10 minAllow 2 to 3 hours

  • Fruit and vegetable stalls under umbrellas in the courtyard of the Mercado dos Lavradores

    Funchal market and old town

    Funchal's oldest quarter: the 1940 farmers' market and the painted doors of Rua de Santa Maria, a short walk from the Monte cable car.

    From Funchal about 5 minAllow 1 to 2 hours

  • Painted fishing boats on clear green water in the harbour at Câmara de Lobos, houses on the cliff above

    Câmara de Lobos

    A fishing town just west of Funchal, with boats in the bay Churchill painted in 1950 and the bars where poncha was first made.

    From Funchal about 15 minAllow 30 minutes to 1 hour

  • The Cabo Girão cliff seen from the sea, a catamaran anchored below it

    Cabo Girão

    A glass-floored viewpoint at the top of a 580 m sea cliff, looking straight down at the small fields on the shore below.

    From Funchal about 20 minAllow 30 minutes

  • Curral das Freiras village deep in its valley, ringed by steep green peaks, seen from Eira do Serrado

    Curral das Freiras and Eira do Serrado

    A village at the bottom of a deep valley ringed by peaks, and the Eira do Serrado viewpoint high above it.

    From Funchal about 30 minAllow 1 to 2 hours

  • Funchal at night from Pico dos Barcelos, the lights of the city climbing the hills under a cloudy sky

    Pico dos Barcelos

    A viewpoint 355 m up in Funchal's hills that looks over the whole bay, and on clear days out to the Desertas islands.

    From Funchal about 10 minAllow 20 minutes

  • The Cristo Rei statue at the end of the walled headland at Garajau, red aloes in front and the sea beyond

    Garajau and Cristo Rei

    The 1927 Cristo Rei statue on a headland east of Funchal, above a marine reserve where you can swim and snorkel from the shore.

    From Funchal about 20 minAllow 30 minutes, or half a day with a swim

The east and the high peaks

The peaks, the forest and the north-east coast. Our east day links most of them in 8 hours.

  • Evening light over the peaks and valleys at Pico do Arieiro

    Pico do Arieiro

    A 1,818 m peak you can drive to, where the PR1 starts and the sun often rises above a sea of cloud.

    From Funchal about 40 minAllow 45 minutes, more with a walk

  • The evening sun over a sea of cloud at Pico do Arieiro, the ridges dark against it

    PR1 Vereda do Areeiro

    The ridge walk from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo, past Pedra Rija and through tunnels in the rock, one way.

    From Funchal about 40 minAllow 3 hours one way, plus the way down to Achada do Teixeira

  • The stone path with railings climbing to the summit of Pico Ruivo, the central peaks and a sea of cloud beyond

    Pico Ruivo

    Madeira's highest peak, 1,862 m, reached only on foot: the shortest way is a 2.8 km path from the Achada do Teixeira car park.

    From Funchal about 70 minAllow 1 h 30 there and back from Achada do Teixeira, plus the top

  • The Balcões viewpoint on a forested ridge, small visitors at its railings, the valley and the north coast beyond

    Ribeiro Frio and the Balcões walk

    A forest hamlet with a trout hatchery, where the short, level PR11 levada walk leads to the Balcões viewpoint.

    From Funchal about 30 minAllow 1 h 30 for the walk there and back

  • Two thatched A-frame houses in Santana with red doors, blue trim and green shutters

    Santana

    A north-coast town known for its small triangular houses with thatched roofs and colourful fronts.

    From Funchal about 45 minAllow 30 minutes, or half a day with the Theme Park

  • A thin waterfall dropping into the round green pool of Caldeirão Verde, ringed by mossy cliffs

    Caldeirão Verde

    A levada walk from Queimadas through laurel forest and four rock tunnels to a waterfall dropping into a pool.

    From Funchal about 60 minAllow a day: the official time is 6 h 30

  • The pebble beach and old stone buildings of the Calhau de São Jorge under a steep green headland

    São Jorge

    A north-coast parish with a large baroque church, the Calhau sea pools below and a lighthouse on the point.

    From Funchal about 50 minAllow 20 to 30 minutes

  • The north-east coast from the hills above Porto da Cruz, terraces running down to the sea

    Porto da Cruz

    A north-east coast village under the Penha d'Águia rock, with sea pools, surf beaches and a steam-driven rum mill.

    From Funchal about 35 minAllow 30 minutes to 1 hour

  • Machico bay from the hillside, the beach, the marina and the town under a terraced headland

    Machico

    The east-coast bay where the Portuguese discoverers landed in 1419, now a town with a yellow-sand beach.

    From Funchal about 25 minAllow 30 minutes to 1 hour

  • The São Lourenço peninsula at sunset, the east coast running back towards the mountains

    Ponta de São Lourenço

    Madeira's bare, windswept eastern headland, walked on the PR8 from Baía d'Abra past red cliffs to Casa do Sardinha.

    From Funchal about 35 minAllow 3 to 4 hours for the PR8 there and back

The west and the plateau

The north-west coast, the far west and the plateau. Our west day links most of them in 8 hours.

  • The white São Bento church in Ribeira Brava, its clock tower topped by a blue-and-white chequered spire

    Ribeira Brava

    A seaside town where the road from the south coast turns up the valley to the north, with an old fort by the beach.

    From Funchal about 25 minAllow a drive through, or 20 minutes

  • Serra de Água village with its church and orange roofs along the road, under jagged green peaks

    Serra de Água

    A parish in a green valley ringed by tall mountains, on the road from Ribeira Brava up to Encumeada.

    From Funchal about 30 minAllow a stop on the way

  • The green São Vicente valley and its long ridge seen from the Encumeada viewpoint, broom bushes in front

    Encumeada

    A viewpoint at 1,007 m on the island's central ridge, over the Ribeira Brava valley to the south and São Vicente to the north.

    From Funchal about 40 minAllow 10 minutes

  • The small white chapel built into a dark rock topped with a cross at the São Vicente river mouth

    São Vicente

    A north-coast village at a river mouth, with a 1692 chapel built inside a basalt rock; its lava caves are closed.

    From Funchal about 40 minAllow 15 to 30 minutes

  • The Véu da Noiva waterfall falling down a green sea cliff onto the boulders of the north coast

    Véu da Noiva

    A viewpoint on the old coast road between São Vicente and Seixal, facing a waterfall that falls down the cliff to the sea.

    From Funchal about 45 minAllow 10 minutes

  • Waves running up the black sand beach at Seixal under the north coast cliffs

    Seixal

    A north-coast village with a black-sand beach, sea pools in the lava rock and vines on terraces above the sea.

    From Funchal about 50 minAllow 15 minutes, or 1 to 2 hours with a swim

  • Tall basalt sea stacks rising from heavy surf off the boulder beach at Ribeira da Janela

    Ribeira da Janela

    Sea stacks off a pebble beach at the mouth of Madeira's longest river; a hole in one islet gave the place its name.

    From Funchal about 55 minAllow 15 minutes, or an hour on the beach

  • The Porto Moniz sea pools among black lava rocks, Atlantic waves breaking over the outer rocks

    Porto Moniz

    A village at the north-west tip with seawater pools in the black lava rock: a paid complex and free pools nearby.

    From Funchal about 60 minAllow 1 to 2 hours with lunch or a swim

  • Mist over the pebble shore below the cliffs at Achadas da Cruz, where the cable car comes down

    Achadas da Cruz cable car

    A small municipal cable car that drops down the north-west cliff to the fields and pebble shore of Fajã da Quebrada Nova.

    From Funchal about 60 minAllow about 45 minutes, down and back

  • The white Ponta do Pargo lighthouse with its red lantern on the green cliff top above the sea

    Ponta do Pargo lighthouse

    The lighthouse on a 290 m cliff at Madeira's western tip, facing the open sea and the sunset.

    From Funchal about 55 minAllow 20 to 30 minutes

  • Old laurel trees in the fog of the Fanal forest

    Fanal

    Centuries-old til trees standing in open grass on the plateau above Seixal, often in fog.

    From Funchal about 70 minAllow 30 minutes, or a day with the PR13

  • A straight road across the Paul da Serra plateau through low moorland, wind turbines on the horizon

    Paul da Serra

    Madeira's only high plateau, a flat moor at about 1,500 m between the north and south coasts, often in cloud.

    From Funchal about 60 minAllow a stop on the way

  • The 25 Fontes pool, a tall waterfall and many small streams running down a fern-covered rock wall

    Rabaçal and 25 Fontes

    A forest house below the Paul da Serra plateau where levada walks lead to the 25 Fontes pool and the Risco waterfall.

    From Funchal about 60 minAllow 3 to 4 hours for 25 Fontes and back

  • The pier rock at Ponta do Sol with its yellow building and stairs, the village and its church across the bay

    Ponta do Sol

    A small south-west coast town with a pebble beach, a stone pier from 1849 and a 15th-century church.

    From Funchal about 30 minAllow 30 minutes to 1 hour

  • The sand beach at Calheta in its calm lagoon between breakwaters, under a terraced cliff

    Calheta

    A west-coast town with Madeira's first man-made beach, 100 m of golden sand by the marina.

    From Funchal about 40 minAllow 1 hour, or half a day with a swim

Questions about places

Can we see the whole of Madeira in one day?

You can drive round it, but you'd see most of it through the window: the coast loop from Funchal is 161 km, a little over 3 hours at the wheel before any stop. Two days, one west and one east, show the island with time to walk at each place.

Which places need a booking before we go?

The classified walking trails do: every walker needs a SIMplifica slot, €4.50 a person on most trails, booked online by you. That covers the Balcões walk at Ribeiro Frio, 25 Fontes, Caldeirão Verde, Ponta de São Lourenço and the PR1. Viewpoints, villages and the sea pools need no booking; where there is a ticket, you buy it at the gate. The trail fees guide explains SIMplifica step by step.

How far is Porto Moniz from Funchal?

About an hour each way by car, most of it on the expressway and through the tunnels to São Vicente, then along the north coast. Our west day stops there for the sea pools and lunch.

Send us your list of places

Tell us which places you'd like to see and how many days you have. We reply within 60 minutes, 07:00–22:00 with a plan that fits and the price for the car.

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