Madeira Island | Portugal

Madeira is a crazy Portuguese island where mountains rise from the volcanic soil with thick cloudy mist and humid ocean breezes battling for space. Papayas hang heavy on the trees and pockets of banana plantations squeeze up alongside cane plots and vineyards. Madeira is tropical Portugal; Madeira is magic. With terrain like no other, the autonomous island archipelago of Madeira sits closer to Africa than Europe.
13 Pins
·
1mo
8 best poncha bars on Madeira Island - Olá Daniela
8 best poncha bars on Madeira Island - Olá Daniela
How To See The Casas De Santana Madeira
The traditional A-frame homes in Santana Madeira are one of the best things to do on your Portugal vacation. | Madeira Portugal Travel | Santana Houses Madeira | Santana Madeira Portugal | Madeira Portugal Aesthetic
Sunday in Madeira at the Santo da Serra Farmers Market - Olá Daniela
Sunday in Madeira at the Santo da Serra Farmers Market - Olá Daniela
20 Things to Do In Madeira, Portugal: A Complete Madeira Travel Guide
20 Things to Do In Madeira, Portugal: A Complete Madeira Travel Guide
Guide to Madeira – Portugal's island of eternal spring
Mountains rise from the volcanic soil with thick cloudy mist and humid ocean breezes battling for space. Papayas hang heavy on the trees and pockets of banana plantations squeeze up alongside cane plots and vineyards. White pointy church spires poke out between lush, verdant hills, surrounding by scattering of terracotta-roofed villages. Madeira is tropical Portugal; Madeira is magic. With terrain like no other, the autonomous island archipelago of Madeira sits closer to Africa than Europe. Madeira Island is the main inhabited island and with a land mass of 801 km², it is best explored over four or five days. Extend your holiday to hop over to Porto Santo, the other island, by plane or ferry to see one of Europe’s best beaches.
5-day Madeira Island Itinerary
We actually spent nine days on the island as part of a working holiday but you could easily tick off our itinerary in five days while on a true vacation. Having been there and done all the things we could, I think five days is ample to get a real taste and tick off as much as possible. This trip splits the island, starting on the east coast, dropping into Funchal and finishing on the west. If you’re a keen hiker you might like to extend another day or two to include more magical hikes through the laurisilva forest. I’ll definitely dive deeper into nature when I return for round two.
Perfect 5-day Madeira Island road trip
Having been there and done all the things we could, I think five days is ample to get a real taste and tick off as much as possible. This trip splits the island, starting on the east coast, dropping into Funchal and finishing on the west. If you’re a keen hiker you might like to extend another day or two to include more magical hikes through the laurisilva forest. I’ll definitely dive deeper into nature when I return for round two.
Essential Guide to Madeira Island, Portugal
Mountains rise from the volcanic soil with thick cloudy mist and humid ocean breezes battling for space. Papayas hang heavy on the trees and pockets of banana plantations squeeze up alongside cane plots and vineyards. White pointy church spires poke out between lush, verdant hills, surrounding by scattering of terracotta-roofed villages. Madeira is tropical Portugal; Madeira is magic. With terrain like no other, the autonomous island archipelago of Madeira sits closer to Africa than Europe. Madeira Island is the main inhabited island and with a land mass of 801 km², it is best explored over four or five days. Extend your holiday to hop over to Porto Santo, the other island, by plane or ferry to see one of Europe’s best beaches.
The 4 best hikes (that I’ve done) on Madeira Island
From lush, tropical scenery to ancient Laurisilva forests to arid plains and volcanic stone beaches, the scenery in Madeira is anything but dull – and dozens (in fact, hundreds) of incredible trails make it a top hiking destination in Europe. I really feel one of the best ways to experience the natural landscapes, flora and fauna of Madeira island is while hiking. That’s especially true for levada hikes, which are walks that follow ancient man-made waterways that move fresh mountain water from the spring to sea level. Half-day hikes are my sweet spot, and on two trips to Madeira I’ve ticked off four popular hikes (including three levada hikes!) that I can wholeheartedly recommend the following from my personal experience.
4 best Madeira Island hikes (that I’ve done)
From lush, tropical scenery to ancient Laurisilva forests to arid plains and volcanic stone beaches, the scenery in Madeira is anything but dull – and dozens (in fact, hundreds) of incredible trails make it a top hiking destination in Europe. I really feel one of the best ways to experience the natural landscapes, flora and fauna of Madeira island is while hiking. That’s especially true for levada hikes, which are walks that follow ancient man-made waterways that move fresh mountain water from the spring to sea level. Half-day hikes are my sweet spot, and on two trips to Madeira I’ve ticked off four popular hikes (including three levada hikes!) that I can wholeheartedly recommend the following from my personal experience.
The 4 best hikes (that I’ve done) on Madeira Island
From lush, tropical scenery to ancient Laurisilva forests to arid plains and volcanic stone beaches, the scenery in Madeira is anything but dull – and dozens (in fact, hundreds) of incredible trails make it a top hiking destination in Europe. I really feel one of the best ways to experience the natural landscapes, flora and fauna of Madeira island is while hiking. That’s especially true for levada hikes, which are walks that follow ancient man-made waterways that move fresh mountain water from the spring to sea level. Half-day hikes are my sweet spot, and on two trips to Madeira I’ve ticked off four popular hikes (including three levada hikes!) that I can wholeheartedly recommend the following from my personal experience.
See Madeira's dramatic landscapes, from sea pools to volcanic heights
See Madeira's dramatic landscapes, from sea pools to volcanic heights