8 Madeira Travel Tips from a Local
For a few quick and interesting tips on traveling in Madeira, we had a chat with locally-based tour guide and trip planner Mary. Here are a few of her quick tips on how to plan an interesting and authentic visit to her island archipelago. Enjoy!
For in-depth info on travel in Madeira, check out our Madeira travel guide. For some ideas on where (and what) to eat during your visit, here’s our guide to dining in Madeira.
1. Madeira is naturally beautiful and diverse
Madeira has a natural beauty that is diverse and includes all types of plants from all over the world. Even on a small island, you’ll see great differences in our landscapes; from the UNESCO world heritage site of the Green Laurel forest where many of our Levada walks are found to the remote and escarped terrain of the high mountains on the eastern point of the island.
It complements its natural beauty with good food, friendly locals, interesting cities and villages all over the island, stunning viewpoints (including the second highest sea cliff in the world) and some excitement with activities like our toboggan ride, boat trips, and more.
2. Madeira is small, but there is a lot to do
Madeira on the map seems to be small, but there is plenty to do. Bring a jacket or windbreaker because depending where you go on the island, you encounter all four seasons in one day.
The island is also mountainous, so getting between places sometimes takes a bit longer than you think. Aside from this, much of the pleasure of a visit here lies in getting outside - in the hills or on the water - and this takes time. You don’t come to Madeira to check off sites and hit “must-dos”, so give yourself enough time to relax, slow down, and enjoy the place as you should; on island time.
3. Your best base is Funchal
For most visitors, Funchal is the best place to stay on Madeira. Base yourself here for a number of reasons; it’s a strategic point for visiting everywhere else on the island, you have the best selection of accommodation, and you’ll have things to do in your evenings (and lots of restaurants and bars to enjoy!).
The exception to this would be if you prefer to stay in the “Quintas” - estates found in the rural areas of the island - that offer a quieter and more local experience. Of course, you’ll need a car if you choose to stay in the countryside.
4. Public transport is not good - rent a car!
Public transport on Madeira is limited and infrequent - even during the week. While you can take a bus from Funchal to some of the larger towns, you won’t be able to get to beaches or natural places using public transport. And even if you are able to get to somewhere you want to visit, you may not be able to get back to Funchal at the end of the day. If you want to maximize your time (and avoid getting stranded in remote parts of the island), do yourself a favor and rent a car.
5. Levada walks are an absolute must
I thoroughly enjoy doing the levada walks within our island. These walks are mostly done along irrigation channels that were built as far back as 500 years ago by locals. This irrigation system is still used today for irrigation, hydroelectric power and hiking. I love going to our cobblestone and black sandy beaches, the volcanic rock pool of Porto Moniz as well as the 9km golden and therapeutic beach of our sister island Porto Santo.
Our ocean is very clean and has a great dversity of animal life. I love walking in quaint streets of both our Capital city finding small architectural and gastronomical treasures as well as local villages.
6. Our “toboggan” ride is touristy, but very fun
Many people come in search of the toboggan ride which is done on an asphalt road higher up in the capital city of Funchal. This was one of our means of transport in the mid 19th century used throughout the whole of the city.
Though it is a touristic attraction, it is also an 170 year old tradition which employs gentlemen that inherit the position as a tobogannist. This experience can be complemented with the cable car from the centre of Funchal with some magnificent views.
7. Madeiran cuisine is different from that of mainland Portugal
The food on Madeira of course is heavily influenced by that of mainland Portugal, but it’s also quite distinct.
If you only had time for one meal here in Madeira, I would suggest the “Espetada”, beef on the skewer seasoned with bay leaf, garlic and salt, and grilled over an open fire. It’s a local dish with origins in the island’s many festive periods. You’ll usually see it accompanied by the “Bolo do Caco” (a special flat round shaped bread with garlic and parsely butter), a green salad, and fried maize.
It’s a traditional dish served at the local restaurant of “Santo Antonio” in Estreito de Camara de Lobos.
8. Traditional Madeiran cocktails are always a treat
Here are some drinks tips when in Madeira: at local taverns in our fishing villages we have a traditional cocktail created by the fishermen which is made up of sugarcane rum, lemon juice and honey. These three ingredients stirred with a special instrument make a potent cocktail known to cure colds and flus amongst other things.
There are also other variants of the poncha nowadays for all tastes, and for those of us with a softer palate, there is also the Nikita made with the local “Coral” beer and a passion fruit soft drink – “Brisa Maracuja”, vanilla ice cream and a piece of pineapple. This is made from scratch at local family owned taverns.
But beware! The poncha is so smooth that you only feel the punch much later on…
Chat with Mary in Madeira
