Welcome to Madeira

Madeira is not an ordinary island — it is a volcanic Garden of Eden in the middle of the Atlantic, 1,000 kilometers from the European mainland and closer to Africa than to Lisbon. The "Island of Flowers" rises dramatically from the ocean: cliffs over 500 meters high, rugged mountain peaks over 1,800 meters, and in between, a network of centuries-old irrigation channels — the legendary Levadas — that serve as hiking trails through the lushest laurel forest in Europe.

• Levada Hikes — Madeira's unique trademark: Over 2,500 kilometers of 16th-century irrigation channels crisscross the island, and along many of these Levadas, spectacular hiking trails lead through laurel forests, tunnels, gorges, and past waterfalls. From a simple stroll to a challenging mountain tour — Levada hiking is an experience found nowhere else in the world.
• Eternal Spring — Madeira has the mildest and most balanced climate in Europe: 18–26°C all year round, never too hot, rarely below 15°C. The island blooms twelve months a year — Strelitzias, hydrangeas, bougainvillea, jacaranda, and orchids turn Madeira into a permanent botanical garden.
• Cabo Girão — The second-highest sea cliff in Europe (580 m) has a glass viewing platform that juts out over the abyss. The view down — to the deep blue sea, tiny fields, and the surf — is dizzying and breathtaking at the same time.
• Pico do Arieiro & Pico Ruivo — The two highest peaks of Madeira (1,818 m and 1,862 m) rise above the clouds. The hike between them is one of the most spectacular high-altitude hikes in Europe: narrow ridges, tunnels through the rock, and below you a sea of clouds through which the mountain peaks rise like islands.
• Funchal — Pearl of the Atlantic — The island's capital is a jewel: a natural amphitheater by the sea with lush gardens, colorful markets, historic quintas (manor houses), a vibrant restaurant scene, and the famous wicker toboggan ride from Monte. Funchal combines big city flair with island tranquility.
• Poncha & Cuisine — Madeira's national drink Poncha (sugar cane brandy with honey and citrus) is legendary, the cuisine a feast: black scabbardfish with banana, Espetada (beef on a laurel skewer), Bolo do Caco (garlic bread), and the world-famous Madeira wine, which has been maturing in the cellars of Funchal for centuries.
• Year-round Destination — Unlike most European islands, Madeira is travelable twelve months a year. No winter sleep, no "everything closed" — Madeira always welcomes you with flowers, mild weather, and open arms. This makes the island the perfect travel destination for the off-season when other destinations close.
• UNESCO World Heritage — The Laurissilva laurel forest in the north is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage and the largest contiguous laurel forest in the world. A relic from the Tertiary — 20 million years ago, these forests covered all of southern Europe. Today, they only exist on Madeira in this extent.

Madeira is simultaneously wild and cultivated, vertical and cozy, ancient and modern. It is an island that amazes hikers, moves nature lovers to tears, and compels connoisseurs to return. Anyone who has once stood above the clouds on Pico do Arieiro in the morning, hiked through a Levada tunnel at noon, and sat with a Poncha at the harbor of Funchal in the evening understands: Madeira is not just an island — it is a way of life of nature, serenity, and subtropical beauty.

Madeira can be divided into four major travel regions — each with its own character and highlights:

Funchal & Surroundings

For whom: City lovers, culture enthusiasts, gourmets
The island's capital with its amphitheater by the sea: tropical gardens (Jardim Botânico, Monte Palace), the lively Mercado dos Lavradores, historic wine cellars, the wicker toboggan ride from Monte, and a growing gastronomy scene. Funchal is the cultural and culinary heart of Madeira.

The North (Santana, Porto Moniz, São Vicente)

For whom: Nature lovers, hikers, adventurers
The wild, dramatic side of Madeira: UNESCO laurel forests, the natural pools of Porto Moniz, the traditional straw-roofed houses of Santana, and some of the most spectacular Levada hikes. The north is greener, wetter, and wilder than the sunny south — here Madeira's original face is revealed.

Levada Hikes & Mountains

For whom: Hikers, nature photographers, active vacationers
Madeira's unique hiking network along the historic irrigation channels. From the simple Levada do Caldeirão Verde to the challenging Royal Trail Pico do Arieiro–Pico Ruivo. The mountains offer panoramas above the clouds, while the Levadas lead through mystical laurel forests and past waterfalls.

Porto Santo (Neighboring Island)

For whom: Beach vacationers, peace seekers, wellness fans
What Madeira lacks, Porto Santo has in abundance: a 9-kilometer-long golden sandy beach. The small neighboring island (42 km²) lies 43 km northeast and is accessible by ferry or short flight. Flat, dry, and relaxed — the perfect contrast to Madeira's vertical lushness.

1. Hike the Royal Trail Pico do Arieiro–Pico Ruivo — Walk above the clouds, through tunnels, over ridges, and between rock towers — the most spectacular hike in Madeira and one of the most beautiful in Europe. → Chap. Levadas & Mountains
2. Hike through the laurel forest of Levada do Caldeirão Verde — Moss-covered trees, tunnels with flashlights, waterfalls at the end — this Levada hike leads through a primeval forest that has existed for 20 million years. → Chap. Levadas & Mountains
3. Look into the depths at Cabo Girão — 580 meters straight down, through a glass platform: the second-highest sea cliff in Europe is not for the faint-hearted, but the view is overwhelming. → Chap. Funchal
4. Try exotic fruits at the Mercado dos Lavradores — Passion fruit, Anona (Cherimoya), Pitanga, Tamarillo — Funchal's market is a tropical color spectacle, and the vendors let you taste everything. → Chap. Funchal
5. Swim in the natural pools of Porto Moniz — Natural seawater pools made of black volcanic rock, washed by the Atlantic surf: swimming on the north coast becomes an experience here. → Chap. North
6. Drink a Poncha in a bar in Funchal — The Madeiran national drink made from Aguardente (sugar cane brandy), fresh lemon juice, and honey: smooth, strong, and the perfect drink after a day of hiking. → Chap. Funchal
7. Experience the sunrise at Pico do Arieiro — Set off at 5 a.m., stand at 1,818 meters, and watch the sun rise over the sea of clouds. One of the most magical moments Europe has to offer. → Chap. Levadas & Mountains
8. Sled down from Monte to Funchal in a wicker toboggan — Two Carreiros (toboggan drivers) in white attire steer the rattan sled down the steep road: Madeira's craziest tradition since 1850. → Chap. Funchal
9. Visit the straw-roofed houses of Santana — The triangular, thatched Casas de Colmo are Madeira's landmarks and a piece of living island history. → Chap. North
10. Taste Madeira wine in a historic cellar — Blandy's or Pereira d'Oliveira: centuries-old wineries in Funchal, where wines mature that are older than your great-grandparents. → Chap. Funchal
11. Relax on the golden beach of Porto Santo — 9 kilometers of fine sand, warm sea, and therapeutic mineral content: Porto Santo has the beach that Madeira does not. → Chap. Porto Santo
12. Experience the Levada das 25 Fontes with the waterfall finale — Through dense laurel forest to a natural amphitheater with 25 springs and a waterfall: Madeira's most photogenic hike. → Chap. Levadas & Mountains