Ultimate MADEIRA Travel Guide 🇵🇹 (11 Epic Experiences You Can’t Miss)

Ultimate MADEIRA Travel Guide 🇵🇹 (11 Epic Experiences You Can’t Miss)

If you’re planning a trip to Madeira, 
congratulations. It is beautiful. There are not many places on this planet where you can 
hike above the clouds, swim in volcanic pools, and spot wild whales and dolphins in a single day. 
But where should you go? What should you do? What should you experience? Well, this video is perfect 
because I put together the 11 best experiences that I think you should check out when you go 
to Madeira. So, let’s begin this list right now. The first three will be in Funchal, the main 
town, and then we’ll start going and exploring other parts of the island. So, number one, 
and my favorite thing that I did in Madeira and in the Azores nearby was whale watching. 
This beautiful part of the world is nestled right in the middle of the Atlantic, and whales 
and dolphins migrate through this area pretty much all year round. Fun fact, there are over 20 
species of whales and dolphins living in Madeira, so your chances of seeing them are high, although 
it’s not guaranteed. I booked to go on a smaller catamaran. There was around 15 of us and the tour 
was over three and a half hours. We went out to sea. We sailed along the coast. We saw whales and 
it was just amazing. And then towards the end, we also found a nice sheltered bay where we were 
able to have 15 to 20 minutes to jump off and swim in the sea. It was absolutely incredible. 
Here are a few cons about the whale watching. It’s not guaranteed that you’ll see whales because 
sometimes it can be a bit choppy. the waves might obstruct the views and the whales and the dolphins 
might not be in the area on that day. Also, the weather can make things challenging. If it’s 
very windy and blustery, then there’ll be waves, there’ll be swells, and it might make you 
uncomfortable, especially if you get seasick. But here are some tips when it comes to the whale 
watching. The first one is go in the morning to maximize your chance of having better weather. 
Just in the afternoon, winds tend to pick up a bit. So, earlier mornings for calmer seas and also 
bring seasickness tablets. Don’t forget that if you’re planning to go away watching and you do 
suffer from a little bit of seasickness. Bonus travel tip for you. When I booked, I went down 
to the marina and I saw which companies use the big catamarans and therefore have lots of people 
on board and I made sure not to book that one. I’ll link the exact one that I booked. I thought 
they were great. Smaller boat means less people, means more space to enjoy the views. And yeah, 
you just don’t want to feel like a sardine packed on a big catamaran with 150 other guests. So 
yeah, go for the smaller catamarans. Honestly, if you’ve never seen a whale before, it is such a 
magical and an emotional experience. So if you’re with your family, make sure if you’re in MadiRaa, 
go on a whale watching tour. They’re reasonably priced. I really think it’s great value. And when 
you see a whale or a dolphin, fingers crossed you do, you’ll just never forget that experience for 
the rest of your life. Next up is you’ve got to ride the cable car up into the botanical gardens. 
These cable cars are fantastic. They link downtown Funcha to the higher neighborhoods in the hills. 
And you can get a bus up there quite easily, but the cable car is just a lot more fun. And 
at the top of one of the cable cars, again, all of this is linked in the description, is the 
most beautiful botanical garden. It’s around 12 to 15. I believe per person. And such a beautiful 
garden. So much to explore. Fantastic for the kids. It will just awaken their imagination. 
And there are flowers, there are birds, there are trees from all over the world. 
There’s a gorgeous Japanese garden. Honestly, it’s one of the most beautiful botanical gardens 
I’ve ever been to. But here are some travel tips. The first one is get there as early as you 
can. Literally, the first cable car of the morning is what you really want to be getting on 
because once you get up to the botanical gardens, there’s less crowds, more time for you to enjoy 
nature, and then when it’s time to come back down, you’ll be able to hopefully have a cable car 
to yourself because you’ve gotten up nice and early. The botanical gardens actually have 2,000 
different species of plant. Amazing. There are a few cons with the botanical gardens, and that 
is crowds. Now, I got there nice and early, but by the time I got down around 11:00, the 
cruise ship had rolled in and there were hundreds, if not thousands of tourists trying to get up 
there on the cable car. There was a long queue and it looked a bit stressful. So, get in there 
early is the key. Number three is make sure to eat local in Fchow. Avoid the chain restaurants. Like, 
they’ve got McDonald’s and they’ve got KFC. Don’t go there. My friend Joe who lives in Fanchcha 
took me to his favorite local restaurant and it was incredible. So much so that we ate there three 
times. Just the most amazing fish dishes. The best garlic bread I’ve ever had. They call it bolo 
dakaco. And it is just the most delicious bread you’ve ever had in your entire life. And there 
are loads of these little cantens, these little restaurants. They’re normally familyowned, locally 
run, and just an amazing place to sit down, have a cold beer, and have some delicious seafood fresh 
from the Atlantic. Persevere and keep going. Keep looking. Don’t settle for a tourist restaurant 
with tourist prices right down the marina. Yes, they have beautiful views, and it’s really 
nice to be hanging down there with the trees lining the streets and the cobbled roads 
and everything, but just just keep going. 5 minutes more, get out of downtown central area 
and you’ll start to find the more budget friendly, the more local and delicious restaurants. One dish 
you have to try is spata. It is such a local dish here. They put these delicious marinated chunks of 
meat depending if you want beef, sometimes lamb, sometimes chicken, and then they hand over this 
long stick of meat for you to cook yourself over the wooden fires. Really unique, very salty and uh 
so delicious though. Oh my god. If you do struggle to find a local restaurant on your own, just ask 
some of the locals where do they eat? Or again, you can check the link in the description to the 
exact restaurant that I really like. I promise you, it’s only about 10-minute walk from the 
marina. So, those three were all in Funcha. So, let’s get on our bike or in our rental car 
or jump in a taxi and start exploring some other parts of the island. Now, number four is 
swimming in the beautiful volcanic ocean pools, specifically the one in Porto Manise, 
but there are loads across the island. These are just incredibly beautiful and such a 
great experience. These volcanic rock pools with crystal clearar Atlantic water are just beautiful, 
natural, dramatic and incredibly refreshing on a hot day. These pools were formed when this island 
was created thanks to the volcanic activity. They look striking. They look beautiful, but there is 
um some safety involved. They have put concrete walls around the lip and uh yeah, there are 
places to sunbathe. They have lifeguards. It is, you know, it’s definitely not your typical 
outdoor swimming pool with lanes and a diving board. This is a real rustic, beautiful part 
of Madaran culture. Something to note, however, is the pools can close when it is bad weather. 
When it’s super windy, when the waves are crashing from the ocean into the pool, they will just close 
it. And so, even on a nice sunny day, if the winds are up and the swells are high, they will close. 
So, check the weather before, especially driving all the way to Portman, which is on the 
other side of the island. Beautiful drive, by the way. Holy moly. Number five is to spend one 
night in Seao. This is a quiet, beautiful village surrounded by cliffs and waterfalls. It’s totally 
peaceful, completely immersive, and literally is based on the volcanic lava that spilled 
into the sea, cooled over thousands of years, and then they’ve built the village on it. Again, 
if you have a drone, it’s just one of the most magical places you’ve ever seen. The reason why 
I’m saying you should spend a night there and book a hotel is it’s nice to pass through. Don’t get me 
wrong, on a day trip or maybe in your rental car, pull over, explore it, but there’s just something 
about staying overnight, waking up in the morning light and watching the sunset, being in Sea 
for those golden hour moments. It’s just so more immersive and it’s just such an epic part 
of the island. It really feels like you’re in the set of Jurassic Park or something. The cons to 
Sea, there’s not really much to do, especially in the evening. There’s only a handful of restaurants 
and some of them are not open all year round. So, for that reason, Seal is more for your nature 
lovers than say your social butterflies. There’s not really a lot to do, especially after dark. 
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to beautiful places like MadiRaa. So, let’s get back to the list. Number six is going on a tour 
with a local. I went on a great tour, only half a day, but it was fantastic with MadiRaa Green and 
Blue. It’s run by a local man who is fantastic and extremely knowledgeable of the island. And this 
is the best part about going on tours like these because the locals they know the best places to go 
away from the mass tourists and crowds of funchal. There are loads of really famous hikes in Madiraa. 
There are loads of lavadas. There are loads of waterfalls. But most of the tourists go to the 
top three and so those places get really busy and those attractions get very overwhelming. But 
by going on a tour with a local, he’ll say, “No, I know a I know a more beautiful viewpoint. I know 
a more beautiful, quieter hike that you’ll also be able to do. And when you have someone who takes 
care of your needs, it’s tailored. Having your own tour guide means you can be totally flexible 
and you can message them ahead of time and come up with an itinerary that’s perfect for your trip. 
Even if you’re going to Madira on a cruise and you only have a day, you can still message MadiRaa 
Green and Blue and they will pick you up from downtown in a jeep in a 4×4 and then you can come 
up with an itinerary together and then organize pricing and things like that later in their DMs. 
The Instagram link to connect with the one that I really recommend, Madiraa Green and Blue is in the 
description. Just bear in mind that these tours aren’t exactly super cheap, okay? This is not for 
your budget backpacker. They are bespoke days out with the locals, so they are a little bit more 
expensive. But having said that, this is better for the local economy, more sustainable, and 
you’re putting your money directly in the pockets of the locals. Number seven is going on a lavvada 
hike. MadiRaa is very famous for lavadas, and they are irrigation systems. Basically, there is a 
rain shadow. So, one half of the island gets a lot more rain than the other half. And so they’ve 
built over hundreds of years these lavadas that funnel water from one side of the island down to 
the other. And there are lots of beautiful hikes that go alongside them. These hikes are relatively 
flat, just a little bit downhill because obviously the water has to flow down. And they take you 
through the beautiful majestic forests, quieter areas. There’s normally somewhere to park your car 
at the beginning and then when you get to the end, you can turn around and come back and then get 
back to your car. or if you’re on a day tour, they’ll organize someone picking you up at the 
other end. And just do your research because there are lots of Lavvada hikes and definitely 
the more famous ones will be much more busy and they can be a little bit foot traffic and it can 
be a little bit tricky and annoying letting people pass. It’s a bit tight. All of the Lavvada hikes 
that I did, it was quiet. There was nobody there and that’s because we just kind of yeah went on 
bespoke local guide tours who knew where to take us. Just be aware they are quite narrow and if 
you do suffer from vertigo, you might have a few hair raising moments. But if you wear proper trail 
shoes, go early enough to avoid the crowds, you’ll have a great time. It is such a beautiful part of 
MadiRaa. Going on a lavvada hike. I did so many and uh yeah, they’re just they’re so beautiful and 
magical. Number eight is going up to Pico Ruvio, the highest point of the island to enjoy a small 
hike. Quite challenging hike, but it’s not too difficult. Not too far anyway. But the views, if 
the weather permits, is unbelievable. Pico Ruvio is 1,862 m tall. So, it’s not like you’re climbing 
Everest or anything, don’t worry. It’s relatively small in terms of mountains around the world, 
but it still is just so epic up there. If you are planning to go up there early in the morning 
for sunrise or sunset, expect a little bit more crowds. And if you’re not sure if it’s worth going 
up there, maybe the weather looks a bit dodgy, there are webcams where you can just search and 
see what it looks like live and then if the views are good, if there’s no clouds up there, then 
you know it’s good to go up there and then yeah, there’s a few different hikes. There is a 
car park up there, guys. If you rent a car or you’re maybe on a on a tour, they can park 
or you can park at the top and then do around about a 2.5 km hike to the summit. And uh quite 
tricky. You have to be careful, but you know, the views up there are just so worth it. And then 
to get from the car park to the top, turn around, come back. It’s probably about a 90minute hike. 
And just be aware, the biggest con of coming up here is the weather can flip on a dime. It might 
be sunny, might be beautiful, but the wind might change, the storm might blow in. So, just make 
sure you pack rain jacket and supplies in case you do get held up in some bad weather. Number nine 
is doing the beautiful coastal walk. It starts in Porter de Cruz and the hike is called Vereda Do 
Lorano and it is just the most beautiful coastal walk with epic drop offs and again the views are 
incredible and we just had the most beautiful time. But if you do have vertigo, if you’re scared 
of heights, this one’s going to test you cuz some of the drop offs are insane. There’s also a few 
sections where you don’t have that much shade and there are no places to resupply your water. 
So, bring your own snacks, bring your own water, and bring your sense of adventure. But if you 
can, honestly, this is one of the most beautiful parts of the world. I’m just going to bring the 
microphone a little bit closer to my mouth because behind me is a giant storm that’s just blown in. 
Um, I live in Bangkok, by the way, and it’s rainy season, and I just don’t want you to hear the rain 
whistling out the window. Fun fact, by the way, this trail was once used to connect farming 
villages before the roads reached this side of the island. And honestly, it’s just so amazing 
to walk on this beautiful hike. Just remember, bring plenty of water. Bring your sense of 
adventure. Top tip as well, you can do this one way. You don’t have to turn around and do it all 
the way back. So, you can start in Porter de Cruz, hike up and along the coastal hike and then down 
into the town of Macho. You can also order a taxi at the end or vice versa. Come the other way and 
then get a taxi from Porto Cruz back to Funcha. Bloody hell, lightning and everything. Number 10 
is the beautiful Skywalk. Not too far from Funcha, but definitely worth a look. This is Europe’s 
highest sea cliff with a glass platform, instant adrenaline, and insane views. Top tip is to go at 
golden hour sunset, which obviously if it’s in the summer, it’s quite late. So maybe push your dinner 
plans back a bit because honestly, if you’re there for sunset, it is just beautiful. But because it 
is quite close and easily accessible from FCA, lots of tourists go there. So it can feel really 
touristy, especially when three or four coach loads of tourists arrive at the same time. So 
just be prepared for crowds. But if you get there at the right time of day and you’re lucky, 
you can have it almost to yourself and just Yeah, the views are beautiful. This cliff is over 580 
m high. And then the skywalk was opened in 2012 as a free public attraction, which is again one 
of the reasons why it gets quite busy up there. And the final one, number 11, is a bonus one for 
all of you crazy hikers out there. You’re going to need a lot of energy for this one, but number 11 
is hiking across the entire island of MadiRaa. Me and my friend Joe, we did it and we documented the 
whole experience in a video on YouTube. I’ll link it below. It’s on my YouTube channel. We started 
in Porto Manise and we hiked along the coast up into the mountains and back along to the other 
side. It took us 7 days and we stayed in hotels throughout the entire journey. Yeah, it’s a big 
commitment. and that’s why it’s at the end. But if you do want to learn more about what it’s like 
to hike across MadiRaa on foot, then I’ll link my 59minute documentary that I filmed below in the 
description and you can go learn what it’s like to hike from one side of MadiRaa to the other. 
An incredible once in a-lifetime experience. I would do it again though to be honest. It was so 
much fun. These are my 11 experiences. I hope you enjoyed this list. I hope it was useful. The 
description is going to be your go-to source for more information, links, and more specifics. 
And I just really hope you have a safe, pleasant, amazing time in Madiraa. It’s one of the most 
gorgeous places I’ve ever been. And if you enjoyed this video, please leave a like and subscribe 
below. It’s free to do and it will really help this video reach more people trying to get good 
information about their trip to MadiRaa. Bye. [Music]

🇵🇹 Welcome to Madeira, Portugal’s wild Atlantic island paradise — Head to www.squarespace.com/paddydoyle to get 10% off your first website or domain with Squarespace.

In this video, I’ll take you through 11 unforgettable experiences you need to try when visiting Madeira, including epic cliffside walks, the iconic Pico Ruivo summit, natural lava pools in Porto Moniz, and even a local food tour in Funchal.

From the dizzying heights of Cabo Girão Skywalk to peaceful nights in Seixal, this ultimate Madeira travel guide is packed with adventure, hidden gems, and local insight. Whether you’re planning a short visit or a full island road trip, these are the must-do moments that will make your time in Madeira truly memorable.

📍Timestamps below so you can jump to any experience — and let me know in the comments: which one are you adding to your Madeira bucket list? Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more travel guides like this one from Portugal and beyond!

Show Notes:
1- Whale Watching Tour I booked – https://atlanticpearl-catamaran.com/tours/
2 – Cable Car Location – https://maps.app.goo.gl/n875ksmoTMrx5JeR7
3 – Local Snack Bar – https://maps.app.goo.gl/njo2yJKDaq93MfnV9
4 – Porto Moniz Natural Swimming Pools – https://maps.app.goo.gl/XZ7AUY9KEHbaQmQX7
5 – Sexial – https://maps.app.goo.gl/y24nmZhaTEa4Jkyc8
6 – Madeira Green and Blue – https://www.instagram.com/madeiragreenandblue/
7 – A great Levada hike – https://maps.app.goo.gl/ukNjzhqhcD1p3i6C8
8 – Pico Ruivo – https://maps.app.goo.gl/GsrySt6mTDkQBex79
9 – Vereda do Larano Coastal Walk – https://maps.app.goo.gl/JSq84EHZrLb2kKjG9
10 – Watch me hike across Madeira here – https://youtu.be/LFA6dXc6BSY?si=8OwUY14o1rEHUtpU

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Chapters:
00:00 – Why Madeira?
00:25 – Whale Watching
2:41 – Cable Car + Gardens
4:10 – Eating Local
5:50 – Ocean Pools
6:55 – Stay in Sexial
7:58 – Squarespace
9:12 – Madeira Green and Blue
10:46 – Levada Hike
12:10 – Pico Ruivo
13:37 – Coastal Walk
15:01 – Funchal Skywalk
15:51 – Hike Across Madera

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