Madeira, Portugal

Travel Dates: December 2025

Things to do in Madeira

Pico do Areeiro – No trip to Madeira is complete without visiting Pico do Areeiro, one of the island’s most stunning mountain ranges offering breathtaking views.

If you’re up for an adventure, consider catching the sunrise here, but only if the weather is clear, which can be hard to predict. On our visit, strong winds and low clouds created heavy fog, blocking the sun. In that case, waking up early may not be worth it.

We arrived around 7:30am and noticed a police car parked behind a sign pointing to the lower parking lot, so we assumed the upper lot was closed. It took about 15 minutes to pay at the meter due to long lines. You’ll need your license plate number, and the cost is €3 for 2 hours. There are two meters: one near the entrance and another at the left end of the lot.

Across from the parking area, you’ll find a hiking path. Follow it uphill, crossing the road once, and continue for about 15 minutes to reach the summit. Interestingly, when we got to the top, we saw several available parking spots.

For the best sunrise view, head to the right side of the weather station. Search “Sunrise Spot Pico do Arriero” on Google Maps for guidance. From the summit, take the road on the right of the parking lot, which leads to a roundabout. This road brings you to the sunrise viewpoint, where you’ll find a rocky path and other visitors looking for a spot to stand.

After sunrise, you can start the P1 hike, part of the famous Stairway to Heaven trail. As of 2025, P1 is partially closed and doesn’t connect to Pico Ruivo, so you’ll need to turn back at some point. The trailhead is left of the weather station—walk uphill past the stairs, and you’ll see a sign for P1 and another indicating a €3 fee. No one checked during our visit, but enforcement may happen during the busy season.

Due to the extreme wind, cold, and fog, we only went to the first observation deck, Ninho da Manta. Most of the time, visibility was poor, but when the clouds cleared, the views were spectacular. The round trip to this point took less than 30 minutes, with steps and railings along the way. Be cautious—the wind can feel strong enough to push you off balance.

There’s a bathroom near the gift shop and snack bar, which opens at 9am and costs €1 per person. Expect crowds—Pico do Areeiro is a popular spot.

Ponta de São Lourenço – The P8 coastal hike in Madeira is a fantastic choice for stunning ocean views, but it comes with a few challenges. The full hike takes about 3 hours and 20 minutes round trip, including a 30-minute break at the outdoor café near the end. The trail is completely exposed, so expect intense sun with no shade. On our hike, we experienced flash storms and strong winds, which made the path muddy and the conditions more difficult. The trail itself isn’t overly technical—mostly rocky with some steps and hill climbs—but the wind can make certain sections tricky.

Near the end of the hike, you’ll find a small café with bathrooms (€1 per person, cash only). And before you reach the café, there’s a vendor that offers a boat ride back to the start of the trail for €7 per person.

The very last section of the trail, leading to the top of the hill, was under construction during our visit so we couldn’t see the best view of the hike. Because of that, I wouldn’t recommend doing the full hike. Doing just about an hour is enough to see some of the scenic points.

Like other PR hikes in Madeira, there’s a €3 fee per person at the start. You can pay via QR code online or in advance. No one checked during our visit, but enforcement may happen during peak season.

Lagoa do Vento – Online, this hike is listed as a 3-hour roundtrip, but we completed it in about 2 hours and 20 minutes. It’s a great alternative to the 25 Fontes hike, with fewer people, but you still get a beautiful waterfall and lake view at the end.

Start by parking at “Parque de Estacionamento 3” using Google Maps. From there, follow Google Maps to the hiking trail that’s part of PR 6.2. Walk along the aqueduct path for roughly 40 minutes. At a junction, you’ll see signs indicating you can either continue straight along the aqueduct or turn left to descend. Take the left turn, and you’ll start going down the mountain on a trail with many steps for about 30 minutes. If it’s raining, be extra careful—the steps can get very slippery. The waterfall view at the end was rewarding.

Miradouros – Any trip to Portugal is full of miradouros (viewpoints). The following were my favorites:

• Miradouro do Véu da Noiva – Must-see viewpoint, offering magnificent views of the coast, with a waterfall.
• Miradouro de São Cristovão – Another coastal viewpoint gem, perfect for watching the sunset. There’s a small bar where you can grab a Nikita (similar to a piña colada) or a Poncha (a Madeiran fruit cocktail with a strong, boozy kick), then sit back and enjoy the views.
• Miradouro Ilheus da Ribeira da Janela – The distinct rock formations make this a scenic stop. From the parking lot, walk along the rocky beach to the left to see the formations up close, or take the staircase on the right for an elevated view.
• Miradouro do Guindaste – This spot offers a beautiful coastal view with a glass viewing platform overlooking the ocean. There’s also a free public bathroom here. Many blogs and online videos highlight the view from the right side, where a narrow cliff ledge once provided the best angle. However, that area is now blocked off and no longer accessible.
• Miradouro da Rocha do Navio – In my opinion, this viewpoint was a lot prettier in-person than pictures show. While it’s similar to Miradouro do Véu da Noiva, there were less tourists here, so you can spend more time enjoying the view. Google Maps will indicate the road leading here is closed, but it is not.
• Pico dos Barcelos viewpoint – A great spot with panoramic views of Funchal. The viewpoint feels like a small park and includes a parking area.
• Miradouro Lombo do Facho – This observation deck provides views of Câmara de Lobos town, and there is parking right next to it.
• Miradouro do Cristo Rei – There’s a statue of Jesus here, along with a stairway that leads down the cliff and offers beautiful views of the coast. There’s also a parking lot here.
• Miradouro Winston Churchill – This spot is where Winston Churchill once came to paint. The viewpoint provides a pleasant overlook of the port and makes for a quick, worthwhile stop if you have the time and interest to stroll along the area. Street parking is €0.50 for 30 minutes, and the meters only accept coins.

• Miradouro da Ponta do Rosto – If you don’t want to do the hike at Ponta de São Lourenço, this viewpoint is a great alternative and still offers a gorgeous view of the dramatic coastline you’d see along the trail.
• Piscinas Naturais do Porto Moniz – If you visit in the warmer months, this natural pool is one of the highlights of Madeira, though it can be packed with tourists. In the winter, it is closed due to high tides, but you can still visit outside and watch the waves. There is metered parking in the area. For a view of the town, drive up to Miradouro da Santinha.

Additional miradouros we visited, but in my opinion they can be skipped, as they didn’t offer more spectacular views than what we had already seen:

• Cabo Girão miradouro – I recommend skipping this coastal viewpoint, which costs €3, and visiting Miradouro Lombo do Facho instead. It offers a very similar view and is completely free. Although it’s advertised as one of the highest sea cliffs in the world at 589 meters, Cabo Girão miradouro is quite small and, in my opinion, underwhelming. If you do decide to visit, tickets can be purchased either online or in-person. We bought ours on-site and had a short wait. There are two lines: the left is for card purchases at the machine, while the right is for cash or card payments at the cashier. Note that the restroom here costs an additional €0.50, and is located next to the ticket booth.
• Fortress of Faial – This viewpoint offers a nice look over the municipality of Faial, but if you’re short on time, feel free to skip – especially if you’ve already seen similar views of the Portuguese red tile houses elsewhere. To get here, search “Viewpoint to the Fort” on Google Maps. It will lead you to a small parking area located behind the fort. Otherwise, if you use “Fortress of Faial,” Google will take you below the fortress.
• Ruínas de São Jorge – While the beach and coastal views here are nice, I’m including this stop in the skip section because the hike is now closed. We followed the path to the left from the parking lot for about eight minutes before reaching a sign warning that the area is dangerous and access beyond that point is not allowed.
• Miradouro do Pináculo – View of Funchal coastline from the distance. Parking is on the side of the road.
• Cascata dos Anjos – This is a waterfall that flows directly onto the road. The road itself is blocked off, though you can still walk up past barricade. Overall, it’s a bit underwhelming unless you’re interested in walking or running through the waterfall.
• Ribeira do Inferno – Park your car on the side of the road and walk toward the tunnel. You’ll need to walk a few steps inside the tunnel – be careful of passing cars -then take the path on the right. This used to be a road for vehicles but is no longer accessible by car. You can walk along it for coastal views and explore the old tunnel path. The road is uphill, overgrown in some parts, and you’ll need to be careful of falling rocks overhead.
• Praia da Ponta do Sol – The beach here is made of stones rather than sand. There are a few restaurants, and there’s also a free public bathroom by the beach. While it’s a pleasant place to walk around, it’s nothing particularly memorable in my opinion.

• Miradouro do Teleférico das Achadas da Cruz – I’d skip this unless you plan to pay for the cable car ride down to the village of Achadas da Cruz below. Otherwise, the lookout point is small and not particularly impressive. There is a free restroom on-site.
• Miradouro do Ponta da Ladeira – Another viewpoint of Achadas da Cruz, with a small steep hiking trail to a cliff ledge. It can be muddy and parts are unpaved, so take caution.
• Praia do Porto do Seixal – This black sand beach is more worth visiting in summer than in winter. The views are nice, but since it’s primarily a beach and natural pool area, there isn’t much to do during the winter months.

Fanal Witch Tree – If you have the time, this is a quick stop to see the Fanal trees in Madeira. If you’re lucky enough to visit when it’s foggy, the area feels mystical.

To get here, search “Fanal Parking” on Google Maps. If you’re coming from the Porto Moniz direction, park on the left side of the parking area. This is also where you’ll find a free public bathroom (note: there may be no toilet paper).

From the parking lot, walk straight into the open field. You’ll find the trees on the left, with cows roaming freely across the hills. Be prepared that it can get very muddy, and watch your step—there’s cow poop everywhere.

What to eat in Madeira

Pau de Lume – We chose to dine here because our stay included a complimentary dining credit through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts. While everything we had was flavorful, it was generally heavy and on the saltier side. Of all the dishes we ordered, we enjoyed the octopus, sweet corn, Portuguese-style rice and seafood stew, and grilled squid. Other dishes we ordered that weren’t that great in our opinion were: lamb shank, picanha steak, roasted vegetables, thinly sliced picanha beef appetizer, and Caesar salad.

Barbatanas Buffet – For €10 per person, this buffet is a good bang for your buck. Food selection was limited because we came near closing time, though I did enjoy the Bacalhau lasagne-like dish.

Cabo Aéreo Café Restaurant – While the food isn’t anything special, the view here is the reason why most people come to dine.

Restaurante Alta Vista – Come here for the delicious passion fruit sangria. Otherwise, the food we tried was fairly mediocre: the Madeira garlic bread was a bit doughy, the fried swordfish fillet was fine but the fried sweet banana that came with it was good, and the steak skewer was slightly dry.

O Visconde – No-frills, small restaurant with delicious limpets and octopus lagareiro.

Bar Number Two – In need of a break and a drink? This bar has relatively cheap drinks, including Nikitas, Ponchas (the passion fruit flavor was delicious), and more. There’s outdoor seating, and a small dish of nuts will be served along with your drink order.

Where to stay in Madeira

Savoy Palace – This is a nice, large hotel with buffet breakfast included. We also received complimentary desserts and drinks as a welcome gift, which was a nice touch. We stayed here using the Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts credit, which made it a great value.

Self-parking costs €10 per night and is located in the hotel’s garage—just drive to the front of the hotel and the valet will provide instructions. There is an EV charger available, though it’s not free. If you’re looking to save a bit, there’s a small strip mall across the street with cheaper EV charging. The property also has a walking path that connects directly to the seaport.

Enxurros House – We chose this place because we needed accommodation on the north side of the island for our itinerary, and it has a kitchen and washer—more like an apartment than a hotel. There’s free parking right in front of the property, and the front desk is only staffed for a few hours each day. On arrival, they provided us one bottle of water. Note, there is no dryer, but a drying rack is provided; if you place it in front of the heater, laundry mostly dries overnight.

Unfortunately, our room was located on the corner of the main street, which made it quite noisy. On the weekend we visited, fireworks started early in the morning and went off almost every hour, and we were even woken up by a marching band passing by outside.

Other tips for visiting Madeira

Weather – Weather in Madeira can change dramatically throughout the day and varies significantly depending on where you are on the island. Be sure to carry an umbrella and pack a jacket at all times. In our experience, the south side was consistently sunny, while the north was often met with rain, strong winds, and low clouds or fog.

Currency – As Madeira is part of Portugal, euro is the local currency. We were able to use our credit card pretty much everywhere. But make sure to have some coins, especially for metered parking.

Traveling to Madeira – We flew SATA Azores Airlines to Madeira, with a layover in São Miguel. Unfortunately, there was no dedicated customs line for transit passengers, and passport control took much longer than expected. By the time we finally cleared customs, our flight was already boarding. Luckily, the plane was held to wait for everyone stuck at customs. In our case, we were on the only flight from the Azores to Madeira that day, which likely influenced the decision to hold the flight.