Madeira Islands

The "Garden Island" of the Atlantic, known for levada hikes, high-mountain sunrises, cliff coasts and a mild climate all year round.

Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal in the Atlantic west of Morocco, comprising the main island of Madeira, the golden-sand island of Porto Santo, the uninhabited Desertas Islands, and the Selvagens Islands nature reserve farther south. Together with the "Azores", it is one of Portugal's outlying autonomous regions, separate from the mainland tourist regions. The capital Funchal has an old town, a farmers' market, tropical gardens, the Monte toboggan rides and Madeira wine cellars; the whole island is crisscrossed by trails along irrigation channels known as "levadas", such as 25 Fontes and Caldeirão Verde; the high-mountain trail from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo offers a sea of clouds and sunrise views; the volcanic peninsula of Ponta de São Lourenço, the natural lava swimming pools of Porto Moniz, the triangular thatched houses of Santana, and the glass skywalk at Cabo Girão are all popular; the laurel forest (a World Heritage Site) covers the valleys of the north slope. Porto Santo is known for its 9 km golden-sand beach. A common itinerary is 5–7 days based in Funchal, circling the island by car or on tours, with one trail section a day. Madeira's airport has direct flights from across Europe, and Porto Santo can be reached by ferry or a short flight. The airport is often delayed by crosswinds; mountain roads are steep and narrow with many sharp bends, some trails become slippery after rain or are even temporarily closed, and popular trails require paid online registration, so check the official opening notices before setting out.

Destinations

Itineraries