4 Day Madeira Itinerary | Make The Most Of Your Trip

Nicknamed the “Hawaii of Europe,” you could easily spend a whole week exploring the Portuguese island of Madeira. But if you only have time for a quick trip or long weekend, you’ll want to be sure to make the most out of your time there! After visiting the island, we can confidently say that if you prioritize the activities in the four day itinerary below, you wont leave Madeira with any regrets.

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Day 1: Explore the West Side of the Island

If you’re anything like me, you’re going to be so excited to see all that Madeira has to offer that you’ll want to hit the ground running on your first day! To do this, we recommend setting up a highlights tour of the west half of the island. This will enable you to see the diversity of the island in just a day, and check off a slew of Madeira’s bucket list items!

Ribeira Brava

The first stop outside of Funchal – only about a 20 minute drive west – is Ribeira Brava. This small coastal town is a popular attraction in Madeira for its beach access, but also for its stunning views of its surrounding mountains and valleys.

While Praia Da Ribeira Brava is one of the most famous beaches in Madeira, we recommend waiting until you reach the northwest side of the island before laying out your towels in order to optimize your time.

Seixal Beach

Cut through the mountains to make your way to the next stop – Seixal Beach. Though a bit crowded due to its popularity, Seixal Beach is definitely the prettiest beach we found in Madeira. Made from the volcanic rock of the island, Porto de Abrigo do Seixal Beach is a famous black sand beach. Aside from its soft sand and clear blue waters, this beach also hosts a stunning waterfall and lush green mountains.

Seixal Beach is pretty much a fairytale paradise destination, so be sure not to miss this one!

Porto Moniz

Towards the northern most point on west region of Madeira is Porto Moniz. This coastal town is most famous for its natural volcanic pools. This area is a great spot to stop for a bite and take a dip in the seaside pools before working your way back towards Funchal.

There are both free & paid natural pools in Porto Moniz. They’re both beautiful and offer great views of the ocean, but the paid area offers convenient amenities such as a bathroom and snack bar. If you’re looking to stay for a while, the paid pools are likely worth the wait. But if you’re just taking a quick dip, the free pools definitely get the job done.

Fanal Forest

The Fanal Forest is nicknamed the “enchanted” forest of Madeira, and is a popular tourist attraction on the island. Famous for its ancient Til trees and rolling clouds, Fanal Forest is one of the most photographed areas in Madeira.

The Fanal Forest is completely free to access.

Pro Tip: To remove the stress out of your journey through the west side, book a full day off-roading tour that will take you to all of the places we listed above! This was our preferred method as well, and having someone explain the culture of the island while you move your way through it is invaluable.

Day 2: Funchal & Monte

After your first day traversing the west side of Madeira, slow your pace down a bit and explore the immediate vicinity of Funchal!

Swim With Dolphins & Go Whale Watching

Funchal – and Madeira in general – is well known for its abundance of active marine life. To see its resident species, such as dolphins and whales, up close, sign yourself up for a boat cruise! While there are many companies that offer the opportunity to search for marine life, we ultimately joined a group that would allow us to swim with the dolphins should we find a group. This tour was lead by a local marine biologist studying pods of pilot whales in the area, so it was also a great way to learn about the sea life in Madeira.

To respect the wildlife, boats are only allowed to stay near each pod of animals for up to ~ 10 minutes. Furthermore, you will only be able to swim if the temperament of the pod seems agreeable, and they equally want to swim with you as well. It overall was a great experience, and even if you do not get to swim – seeing the coast of Madeira from the water is beautiful & worthwhile as well.

Teleférico do Funchal

After your excursion out at see, grab some tickets to ride up the Funchal cable car (the Teleférico do Funchal). This 15 minute ride offers scenic views over the “garden city” of Funchal and drops you off in Monte, a small suburb high up in the mountains.

The cable car from Funchal to Monte is located at Av. do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses, 9060-190 and a one-way ticket is priced at the following:

• Adult: 12.50 Euros
• 7 – 14 Years: 6.50 Euros
• Under 6: Free

Pátio das Babosas

The cable car will drop you off at a landing with access to the Monte Palace Tropical Garden. Before you begin exploring the area, there is a great place to stop to eat only a short walk away called the Pátio das Babosas. This restaurant offers a wide range of food, as well as a great view of the valley!

The Pátio das Babosas is located at Largo das Babosas 16.

Monte Palace Tropical Garden

Another popular stop in Monte is the Monte Palace Tropical Garden. This park houses a collection of flowers and plants from around the world, along with a fair number of swans as well! This natural escape is a peaceful area to roam around and take a walk.

The gardens are open from 9.30am – 6:00pm daily. Entrance fees are listed below:

• Adult: 12.50 Euros
• Under 15: Free

Carreiros do Monte

One of the most well-known things to do in all of Madeira, sign yourself up for a ride with the Carreiros do Monte when you are ready to make your way back down the mountains. This experience seats participants in a traditional wicker toboggan, guided manually by a “carreiro” on either side of the sled. The route will drop you off in Livramento, a nearby suburb, from which you can make your way back to Funchal to end your day.

The Carreiros do Monte are open from 9:00am to 6:00pm daily, but it is important to note that they often close early if there is risk of inclement weather or if they reach their maximum capacity of customers for the day. For this reason, be sure not to cut it too close to its closing time if you would like to participate in the Madeira classic.

Day 3: Hike Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo

Madeira is an island filled with opportunities to hike and explore its tropical landscape. Now that you’ve had a couple days to settle into the island, we recommend participating in one of the most famous hikes on the island: the trek from Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo Hike. This is considered a challenging, all day hike, so be sure to rest up the night before.

The photos speak for themselves, this hike is definitely worth spending a day on – even if you’re only in Madeira for a short visit. Since there are some steep areas, and there are not rails for the entire hike, we do recommend joining a guided hike. Aside from the safety bonus of having an experienced guide with you, this will also allow you to learn about the island from a local while you enjoy your hike.

Day 4: Funchal

After an active day hiking, we recommend taking it slow and exploring Funchal for your last day in Madeira.

Madeira Botanical Garden

The Madeira Botanical Gardens are home to over two thousand species to marvel at. Spanning around eight hectares in size, the gardens have numerous paths to explore, and even host a small lake and amphitheater inside their grounds.

The botanical gardens are open from 9:30am – 6:00pm everyday, and entrance fees are listed below:

• Adult: 6 Euros
• 6 -12 Years: 3 Euros
• Under 6: Free

Funchal Town Center

Now that you’ve spent a few days on the island, spend a bit of time walking around Funchal’s town center! With many boutiques and shops, this is the perfect opportunity to get yourself some souvenirs from your trip.

Barreirinha Bar Café

To end your last day in Funchal, we recommend a light dinner at Barreirinha Bar Café. With live music and a gorgeous view of the cliffside ocean, there is no better place for sunset and drinks than this cafe. Reasonably priced, this is a popular spot for both tourists and locals.

And that’s a wrap! We hope you have an amazing vacation in Madeira. Please let us know what your favorite thing to do in Madeira was in the comments below!

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About the Author: Hi, I’m Jill! I am a biomedical & mechanical engineer who loves traveling during my free time. My hope is to help make it easier for others to plan their dream trips by providing firsthand experience from the places I’ve been! Read More.

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