How to get the Most out of your Seven-Day Visit to Madeira, Portugal

Welcome to Focus on the Journey with Wild Meadow Studio, where we are excited to talk travel with you and share our detailed itineraries in hopes that they can make your adventures more enjoyable and easier to plan! I have created a 7 full day itinerary with the expectation you’ll have travel days on either side, so if don’t have 7 full days on the island you can pick and choose from our suggestions. In this seven-day detailed Itinerary, we’ll be exploring, all the experiences that are discussed in our post, “Top 10 Experiences in Madeira, Portugal”, as well as a few others. For some great recommendations on places to eat around the island, advise on car rental vs public transportation and more please read our posts, “Tips and Recommendations, helping you create your own perfect journey to Madeira, Portugal” and “Tips and Recommendations, helping you create your own perfect journey to Funchal, Portugal”. As well, for a delicious recipe of Tomate e Cebola (Tomato and Onion Soup with a poached egg and bread), read our post “How to make Tomate e Cebola (Tomato and Onion Soup with a poached egg and bread)”.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I would get a small commission if you decided to make a purchase through one of my links, at no extra cost to you!

Table of contents:

1. Itinerary Day 1 Zona Velha (old town Funchal) Walking Tour and afternoon Food Tour
2. Itinerary Day 2 Sunrise hike at Pico do Arieiro, Lunch at Ribeiro Frio, hike to Balcoes
3. Itinerary Day 3 Morning Walking Tour in Funchal, Afternoon Whale watching Tour
4. Itinerary Day 4 Morning Peninsula hike at Ponta Sao Lourenco, afternoon in Santana
5. Itinerary Day 5 Porto Moniz, natural pools, Seixal Black Sand Beach, and Sao Vicente
6. Itinerary Day 6 Cabo Girao Sky Walk, Levada Do Risco and Levada das 25 Fontes
7. Itinerary Day 7 Cable Car to Monte Palace Tropical Garden, Monte Sledge Ride
8. References
9. The Wrap up

In these 7-day Itineraries we will be visiting different neighbourhoods of Funchal, enjoying a food tour and whale watching cruise, taking some incredible hikes, swimming in natural ocean pools, seeing some unique and historic architecture and more! Some of the days are split into half days, which can be switched up if needed, keep in mind open/closing hours and days for some sites, for example the Mercado dos Lavradores (Market) is closed on Sundays, so plan accordingly. When you first arrive at the airport stop off at the Tourist Office located on the ground floor of the airport not too far from the car rental counters. This is a great time to pick up maps of the island and of Funchal, as well as any other information you’d like. A few of the hikes we are suggesting require knowing the sunrise times, so here is the 2025 sunrise/sunset schedule for Madeira. 

 I’ve planned out the week with your food tour on day 1, so you can get advice and recommendations from your guide and I spread out the 3 longer hiking days, so you have some less active days in-between.

One piece of advice that I used to struggle with, but have now given into, is that travel rarely works out exactly as you thought it would, no matter how much planning you do! So, if you miss a bus, your rental car isn’t what you were expecting, you couldn’t finish the hike you had been dreaming about, it’s raining etc. Learn to Pivot! Some of my favourite times have been plan B, just embrace it. Travel is an adventure!!

1. Itinerary Day 1 – Zona Velha (Old Town Funchal) Walking Tour and Afternoon Food Tour

Zona Velha is a great place to start your weeklong adventure as this was the site of Funchal’s first settlement, where it all began. So, let’s get started – Day 1. The walk covers approx. 2 kms and 20 mins of walking. The walking tour begins at the Mercado do Lavradores (Market) our #1 stop. The Market is located at Largo dos Lavradores 9060-158 and is open from 7:00am to 7:00pm Monday to Thursday, 7:00am to 8:00pm on Fridays, 7:00am to 2:00pm on Saturdays and is closed on Sundays. I would plan on arriving between 7:00am and 8:00am so you have a bit of time to wander around and explore all that this market has to offer. There is a lot to look at, including their very colourful local fruits and vegetables, herbs, flowers, chocolate, meats and seafood. They also sell some giftware and local wine.

Upstairs in the market building there is a nice rooftop café, called Macaronesia Café, this would be a great place for breakfast or a relaxing handcrafted coffee. They offer juices, smoothies, fruit plates, toasties, pastries and omelets. They are open 8:30am – 6:00pm Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 2:00pm on Saturday and closed on Sunday.

Next on our tour is #2 Rua de Santa Maria in Zona Velha. This street is very interesting, with its “Art of Open Doors” project, almost every door along the main part of the street is painted by a local or international artist. This cobbled stone pedestrian street has lots of little shops, fountains, restaurants, cafes and night clubs, just walking through this area is a treat. This is where the original settlers of Funchal lived. Take your time and wander down Rua de Santa Maria and the other side streets in this area, take note of any restaurants that pique your interest, for later.

Next up is #3 Capela do Corpo Santo. This 15^th Century chapel is just off Rua de Santa Maria and is worth a look, although it has been updated over the years, parts of it are original, like the front doors. It is one of the oldest buildings in the Funchal. After exploring the Chapel, continue east on the street that is on the right side of the Chapel (Rua Portao de Sao Tiago) this will basically take you right to our next stop.

After the fort, head north back up to Rua do Santa Maria and turn right. Head up to our #5 Igreja du Socorro and the Miradouro da Rua de Santa Maria (Church and Lookout). The lookout has a pretty azalea covered terrace and amazing views of the ocean. Across the street is the church that was originally built in the 17^th century and is one of the best examples of the Baroque style on the island.

After enjoying the beautiful views, head back down Rua de Santa Maria and turn left at the fort and head towards the ocean, turn right or west, onto Promenade Almirante Reis and walk along the waterfront, once you’ve reached the bridge you’ve come to the end of the morning walking tour.  At this point if you have the time and interest, you could visit the Madeira Story Centre and learn about some of the Island’s history. The Centre is located at the north/east end of the Jardim do Almirante Reis.

After your morning walking tour is complete, continue along Avenida do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses the main waterfront road and turn right onto Rua do Esmeraldo, stay to your left and continue north, until you get to Praca de Colombo (square), this is a pretty square to walk through on your way to the Se Cathedral, we suggest breakfast here on Day 3. Continue to the top left of the square and turn left onto Rua da Se and the Cathedral will come up on your right. We do have the Cathedral on your Day 3 walking tour as well, so if you don’t have time today, continue to the Food Tour location. The Cathedral is open Monday to Friday 7:15 to 6:30pm, Saturday 9:00am to noon and 4:00pm to 7:00pm and Sundays from 7:30am to noon and 4:00pm to 7:00pm. If you’d like to attend a mass, they are offered Monday to Friday at 8:00am, 8:30am, 11:00am and 5:30pm, Saturdays at 11:00am and 6:00pm and on Sundays at 8:00am, 9:00am, 11:00am, 5:00pm and 6:00pm. This is a beautiful catherdral in the Gothic style with Manueline elements, build between 1493 and 1517.

Once you have explored the cathedral head back down Rua da Se and turn left on Rua do Sabao. The address for the meeting point of the food tour we are suggesting is Rua do Sabao 65.  This would have to be booked in advance, we used Viator to book it, and this is the food tour we took.

We are suggesting the 1:00pm tour, it lasts about 4 hours, you will defiantly eat enough to consider this your lunch! The tour ends on Rua de Santa Maria, so once you’re done it will be around 5:00pm, you could walk back to your accommodations, swim, relax and get ready for a night out, we’re suggesting the Hole in One pub, here you can get snacks or a meal depending on your hunger level after your food tour, plus they have live music most nights. It’s located on Estrada Monumental 238A 9000-100 Funchal, in the Hotel district. So, depending on where you’re staying, this might be a good option or if you’re staying closer to town you might find something closer that piqued your interest earlier in the day. After that, rest up for Day 2!

2. Itinerary Day 2 – Sunrise hike at Pico do Arieiro, Lunch at Ribeiro Frio, hike to Balcoes:

Day 2 starts early, with a sunrise hike starting at Pico do Arieiro. Drive to PR1 Vereda do Arieiro (this is what you’ll put into your GPS), it’s approximately a 45 to 60 mins drive from Funchal, we like to add a little extra time to our routes as the driving can be slow at times with the amount of switch backs and twists and turns. There are a few options here, you can hike the trail to Pico Ruivo and back, which is approx. 12 kms and would take roughly 6 hrs. This is moderate to difficult hike with lots of elevation changes, stairs and tunnels. It is not easy, but it’s rewarding. You would definitely need good hiking shoes and a headlamp or flashlight for the tunnels. Another option would be to hike to Pico Ruivo, then instead of coming all the way back, hike out to the Achada Do Teixeira parking lot, (PR1.2 Vereda do Pico Ruivo), which is approx. 2.5 kms, making your total 8.5 kms and with a hiking time of roughly 4.5 hours. At this point you can take a taxi back to PR1 to get your car, taking about an hour. Alternatively, you can join a tour, which would pick you up at or near your accommodations and drop you off at PR1 then pick you up at PR1.2 and drive you back to Funchal, which takes about an hour, going through Santana. Lastly, if these options are not for you, you can simply drive and park at PR1, hike to Miradouro do Ninho da Manta (lookout) and back or as far as you’d like and back. The Miradouro is under a Km each way, taking approx. 45 mins there and back, (depending on rest and photo stops) still with ups and downs and not easy, but amazing views. Doing some part of this hike is a must-see experience in Madeira!

If you choose the last option, then you’d likely have the time and energy to add a second short hike to your day. Balcoes de Ribeiro Frio, observation deck and lookout. Located at PR11 Levada dos balcoes which is a 20 mins drive from PR1. There is mainly street parking with some pull in spots along the road. Here there are a few options for lunch – Ribeiro Frio Restaurant located at ER103 9230-209 Santana across the street and little ways down from the start of the trail. They serve Portuguese cuisine and are open every day from 9:00am to 6:00pm. Or Restaurante Snack-bar Faisca, located about 2 mins down the road at Estrada da Laurissilva 9230 Santana. Also serving Portuguese cuisine and are open daily from 8:00am to 7:00pm. After lunch, head to the beginning of the PR11 Levada dos Balcoes hike, it’s just over 1 km each way and should take you about 45-50 mins return, but take your time to enjoy the beauty and of course the photo opportunities! At the lookout you will have sweeping views over the picturesque Ribeira da Metada valley, the Laurissilva forests and on clear days you can see the mountain range with the 3 highest peaks, Pico Ruivo, Pico do Arieiro and Pico das Torres. As well as Penha d’Aguia, one of Madeira’s most outstanding symbols, this rock formation stands at approx. 600m high and is located on the east coast, near Faial. So, Levada dos Balcoes is also worth the trek out.

After you’re done in this area, we suggest heading back to Funchal for your daily swim or relaxing time, then get ready to head out for dinner. For tonight we are suggesting you try Casa das Espetadas, located in the Hotel district at Estrata Monumental 175-177 (part of VidaMar Hotel) open from 3:00pm to 11:00pm, from Friday to Tuesday. This is a casual restaurant with outdoor picnic tables and a recreation of a Thatched roof house, giving it an interesting atmosphere. They serve traditional espetadas or meat/veggie skewers, as well as salads, chips, bolo da caco, desserts, wines and poncho. After this you can walk down through the hotel district and look for somewhere to have a drink with view, or go to bed!

3. Itinerary Day 3: Morning Walking Tour in Funchal, Afternoon Whale watching Tour

Welcome to Day 3, this morning walk covers just under 2.5 kms and about 35 mins of walking time, but slow down and enjoy, you have until about 2:00pm when you’ll have to meet for your boat cruise down at Praca do Provo. #1. Paca de Colombo. This is a very pretty square with little cafes, a tea house, shops and the Sugar Museum, take you time here, I would suggest having breakfast at Loja do Cha tea house, great for teas, coffees, pastries, crepes and toasties. Sit outside to eat and just take in the atmosphere. Next, from the top of the square (north, away from the water) turn left (west) and follow along Rua da Se, until you reach #2. Catedral Paroquia da Se (main Funchal Cathedral). See above for opening times and masses. If you had the chance on day 1 to see the cathedral, then just move on, if not, now’s your chance. From here continue west until you reach #3. Palacio do Governo Regional and the Statue of Joao Goncalves Zarco. This is a pretty square with unique architecture and a statue of Zarco, who was a Portuguese explorer and in charge of the first settlement in Funchal, appointed by Prince Henry the Navigator. Next, head north up #4. Avenida Zarco, this is a beautiful tree lined street.

Continue walking up Rua das Pretas, then Calcada de Santa Clara towards #5. Convento de Santa Clara. This convent was built between 1486 and 1489, there are different buildings that make up the convent including the chapel with a beautiful, tiled steeple. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00am to 12:30pm and 2:00pm to 5:00pm. From here walk uphill and turn left on Rua das Cruzes. After a few minutes’ walk you’ll come to our #6. Miradouro das Cruzes, (lookout) with great views over Funchal and the Atlantic Ocean. The lookout itself is very pretty, with benches and planters made from tile work and beautiful flowering plants.

Next head back the way you came, passing the convent downhill to Rua do Surdo keep heading south towards the Municipal gardens and our #7. Blandy’s Wine Lodge. This Winery has been producing Madeira Wine since 1840! After being Europe’s main sugar producer for 150 years, the rich, sweet Madeira wine took over as their main export. At the Lodge you can take a tour, do a tasting, shop or simply look around this amazing building, that used to be the Franciscan Friary. The Lodge also offers accommodations, check out their website for more information, opening times/days or to book a tour! Keep in mind if you’d like to do a tour or tasting, this should be booked in advance, but will be well worth it. As of Jan. 2025, they offer an English Winery tour, daily at 10:30am, it’s 45 mins, 18 euros and includes 2 tastings.

 Once you’re done here, head west to #8.The Funchal Municipal Gardens. Here you can stroll through the 2 acres green space, at your own pace, enjoying the beautiful flowering plants, shady trees and a pond with fish, ducks and swans. There are also public washrooms in the park. Once you’ve finished enjoying the relaxing park, head west down Avenida Arriaga towards the roundabout, Rotunda do Infante. On the other side of the roundabout, you’ll see stairs, these will take you up to #9. Parque de Santa Catarina. This lovely park has over 8 acres of green space, plants, a bandstand they use for festivals, a large pond, the Chapel of Santa Caterina and a truly amazing viewpoint. From the lookout you have a panoramic view of Funchal and the Bay, definitely worth the look. There is also a snack bar with tables at the viewpoint. The park is gated, so it does have opening/closing hours, in the summer it’s open from 7:00am to 10:00pm and in the winter it is open from 7:00am to 8:00pm. After you’ve finished this half-day itinerary, head back down the stairs, then turn right (south) towards the ocean then turn left (east) long the waterfront and head to Praca do Povo to meet up with the boat cruise, perhaps stopping along the way for lunch.

Once you’ve finished the morning walk, this is a good time to grab lunch. You could either walk along the waterfront and find a restaurant or food truck with an ocean view, depending on timing.

After lunch head back towards the water and over to Praca do Povo, the area where the whale watching cruises dock and meet up with your tour. If you book the 2:30pm tour, make sure you arrive approx. 20 to 30 mins before your departure time. We used VipDolphins Luxury Whale Watching tour and really liked them. They take about 17 people, so it’s a small group, they serve drinks and snacks and provide towels and snorkels, so you can swim in the ocean and they have a washroom on board. The staff were very knowledgeable and friendly. We booked our tour using: Viator 

Once you return, head back to your accommodations and perhaps stop off at a grocery store, market or take out and bring dinner home for a relaxing evening in.

4. Itinerary Day 4: Morning Peninsula hike to Ponta Sao Lourenco, afternoon in Santana with optional short version hike to Pico Ruivo

Day 4- Today could be another opportunity to see a beautiful sunrise! Get up as early as you can, heading to PR8 Ponto Sao Lorenco (this is what you put into your GPS), park your car and head to the beginning of the trail. Always a good idea to take a picture of the trail map before heading out. This is a beautiful hike along the peninsula, with breathtaking views on both sides of most of your hike. Important to have water here, as there isn’t a lot of shade and can get hot, you’ll also need good hiking shoes as you are walking along a cliff for parts of it.

This hike is 6 kms round trip, taking approximately 2.5 hours. Near the end of the trail, you’ll see Casa do Sardinha a cafe in the middle of a plateau with palm trees around it, from far away it looks like a mirage, we were very happy it wasn’t! A great place for a drink and snack and has pay washrooms. From here you can continue walking up to Miradouro Ponta do Furado for some more amazing views. After you have the option of walking back to the parking lot or taking a boat ride around the point, then to a harbour, closer to the parking lot. We chose the boat ride, it was fun, with great sights, you couldn’t see on foot.

After you reach your car, head north along the east coast towards Santana. Put Casas Tipicas de Santana into your GPS and this will take you directly to the area with the Thatched roof houses (approx. 30mins). This area isn’t very big, there are about 7-10 of these houses, but they are pretty interesting to see, plus such an icon for the island of Madeira and a must-see. On the way to Santana, you can take your time and stop along the way if you’re interested, there are a few pretty towns to explore like Porto da Cruz and Faial as well as Penha de Aguia, which is the 600m high rock formation you saw from the Balcoes de Ribeiro Frio lookout on day 2, if you opted in for that hike. For lunch you could stop and eat in one of these seaside towns or eat in Santana. We ate at O Terraco in Santana across the street from the Thatched roof houses, so nice views. They have a good lunch menu and indoor and outdoor seating.

After you’re done enjoying the iconic architecture in Santana, you could either head back to Funchal for some relaxing time, taking about 40 mins, or drive to PR1.2 Pico Ruivo, about 20 mins from Santana. If you weren’t able to make the hike to Pico Ruivo from Pico do Arieiro in Day 2, this is your chance to climb to the summit of the highest point on the Island of Madeira at 6106ft high! And you can accomplish this in about 1.5 hours, 5 kms return. The views are outstanding, on a clear day you can see the island of Porto Santo! Another rewarding experience. The drive back to Funchal takes approx. 1 hour, via Santana and the east coast. This might be a good night to try either Madeira Flavours Restaurante or The Hole in the Wall pub, both in the hotel district, so not too far if this is where your accommodations are. If you’re staying in town, try Kampo. For more information on these, check out our post, “Tips and Recommendations, helping you create your own perfect Journey to Funchall, Portugal”.  

5. Itinerary Day 5: Porto Moniz, natural pools, Seixal Black Sand Beach and Sao Vicente

Day 5 – you will be travelling west to Porto Moniz to enjoy the natural ocean pools. It’s about 45 to 55mins drive from Funchal, with mainly highway driving, ending with a beautiful coastal drive from Sao Vicente to Porto Moniz. There are two choices here for ocean pools, #1. Piscinas Naturais do Porto Moniz and #2. Piscinas Naturais do Aquario. They are both open daily from 9:00am to 7:00pm, #1 has a few more amenities, that you’ll pay a few euros for, this is the one we did and loved it, what a fun experience. We are suggesting arriving for 9:00am when they open, this way you shouldn’t have a problem with parking and the crowds will be less. When planning this day, check the weather, if it is overly windy and the sea is rough, they may close the pools for safety reasons. This happen the day we were there, but after we finished and where having lunch with a view of the pools, so the waves were amazing to watch. We had lunch at the Sea View Restaurant, which is located beside the pools in the Aqua Natura Hotel, we had great seafood meals and incredible views from our table on the balcony. Walking through the cute seaside town, there are souvenir shops, other restaurants, an aquarium an ocean view lookout and more! If you’re not ready for lunch after you’re done at the pools, you could walk around the town first, then have lunch. Or move on to Seixal.

When you’re done exploring Porto Moniz, head back east about 10 mins to Seixal. This is another pretty seaside town, known for its black sand beaches and additional Natural Ocean pools. Stroll along the beach, check out the pools and explore the town. If you stand on the east side of the town, while facing east you can get some amazing, Jurassic Park like photos of Sao Vicente. The coastline here is beautiful.

Next up is Sao Vicente, an additional 10 mins east, along the coast. If you park where indicted on the map above, it’s a quick walk into the middle of the little village, there are some pretty streets (esp. the ones with the arrows). As well as a pretty church. After you explore the village, follow the hiking trail across the river and north towards the ocean. It’s a short 10mins walk with views of the town, small river and some volcanic caves. You can then walk west across the Sao Vicente bridge and along the waterfront, where you can check out the little cafes, shops and the beach. Walk back through the Parque Urbano de Sao Vicente and check out the mushroom statues. Then back to the car.

6. Itinerary Day 6: Cabo Girao Skywalk, Levada Do Risco and Levada das 25 Fontes

Today, we will be starting at the Cabo Girao Skywalk, approx. 15-20mins west of Funchal. The glass bottom skywalk is 580 metres high and the tallest of its kind in Europe. From here you can see the farming land directly below, the village of Camara de Lobos and as far as Funchal and of course the beautiful Atlantic Ocean. When we were last there, we could see whales, a mom and her baby from the skywalk. There is a 2 euro charge for those 13 and older. The earlier you get here the better, the parking is limited and some spots are very steep and a number of them are saved for buses, as there are a lot of tours that come here. We didn’t stay too long, just took some photos and enjoyed the view for a bit and moved on before the crowds came.

After you’re finished at the skywalk, continue west to PR6.1 The Levada do Risco and Levada 25 Fontes hikes (put this into your GPS).

When you get to the parking lot, take a picture of the map to take with you. At this point you can either walk downhill 2 kms to the trail start or take the shuttle bus, (3 euros one way or 5 euros return) We walked down and took the shuttle bus back up at the end, which worked out well. We stopped first at the Rabacal Nature Spot Café for an early lunch (delicious), water and to use the washrooms, there are free ones inside the café or paid ones on the outside around the back of the building. Make sure you have good hiking shoes and water with you. Once ready, we did the levada do Risco first, it is a 1.5km hike each way and follows alongside the levada in the lush Laurissilva forest and ends at the Risco Waterfall lookout. This hike is generally flat and considered easy, 3 kms in total and takes approx. 2 hours to complete. Doing at least one Levada hike while you’re visiting Madeira is a must. If your fitness level is stopping you from doing some of the more difficult hikes, this one would likely be a good one to try, even if you walked part of it and headed back, just being in this forest and walking along the running water, was a treat.

If you have the interest and energy, while you’re here you could do the 25 Fontes hike after the Levada do Risco. This one is approx. 4.3 kms (return) and takes about 3 hrs to complete. This hike is more difficult than the first, but also very rewarding. You could take a break and have some lunch at the café, replenish your water and take a bathroom beak before heading out on this hike if needed. The 25 Fontes hike has more elevation changes and stairs, but also follows a levada and ends at a beautiful waterfall, with 25 springs spanning a u-shaped cliff face. Very pretty. Once you return, you could get some gelato at the café and enjoy it while you wait for the shuttle, something to look forward too!! Depending on the time and your energy level you could head east towards Funchal and stop along the way at one or two of these cute seaside villages, Ponta do Sol and/or Camara de Lobos, both worth seeing. Then head back to Funchal for some well-deserved rest and dinner out.

7. Itinerary Day 7: Cable Car to Monte Palace Tropical Garden and Madeira Botanical Garden, explore Monte and take the Wicker Basket ride back to town

So, we’ve come to your possible last full day on the beautiful island of Madeira! This is the day that I would suggest to either get up early, grab your camera and wander the streets of Funchal before breakfast and before you start today’s itinerary or sleep in a little (yes, I said it) then head into town. You could check out a little café or bakery along the way or stop for a coffee at one of the food trucks near the waterfront. For recommendations on where to eat, please read my post “Tips and Recommendations, How to Create your own perfect Journey to Funchal, Portugal”.

After, continue all the way along the waterfront to the Cable Car Station, taking you to Monte, it operates from 9:00am to 4:45pm daily, the earlier you arrive at the cable car the better. The ride up takes about 15 to 20 mins, climbs 3200 meters and has beautiful views over Funchal and the ocean. The tickets cost 12.50 euros one way or 18.00 euros round trip for people 15 and up, 6.50 euros one way or 9.00 euros round trip for those 7 to 14 and free for those 6 and under.

Once you’ve reached the top, the entrance to the Monte Palace Gardens is just across the road from the Cable Car exit (west). The Gardens are open from 9:30am till 6:00pm. It costs 15.00 euros for those 15 and older and free for those under 15, with a paying adult. The Monte Palace Tropical Garden has a beautiful display of over a 100,000 different plant species from around the world. You can spend hours wandering around in this relaxing atmosphere, from the vegetation to the ponds, waterfalls, fountains, architecture, sculptures, precious stone display, museums, Japanese garden and beautiful birds, there is a lot to see here. I would probably give myself at least 2 to 3 hours to wander around. Also, if you take your entry ticket to the Terrace Café, located on the grounds, you will receive a free sample of Madeira Wine. Make sure you get the site map when you purchase your tickets.

Once you are satisfied with what you’ve seen at the Gardens and you’re ready to move on, I’d opt in for lunch at the Patio das Babosas. Head east down Caminho das Babosas, past the cable car station, it’s about a 3 mins walk. This café has great food, with indoor and outdoor seating and there are stunning views over Funchal and the ocean! After lunch, head back down towards the cable car station, at this point if you’re interested you can opt in and take the cable car up to the Madeira Botanical Gardens to explore, then take it back down to Monte. From the cable car station follow the road Caminho das Babosas to the right (north) and follow up to the little town of Monte, it’s about a 600m/12 mins walk. Here you can take a look around the square and the pretty church, Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte, which will take you 74 steps to reach. There are public washrooms here as well.

Now you have a decision to make, are you going to take the cable car back down to Funchal, or are you going to take the Traditional Wicker Basket Toboggan Ride down (Monte Sledges)? These wicker sleds originated in the early 19^th century as a means for residents of Monte to travel quickly downhill to Funchal. Since then, it has become a very popular tourist attraction and a must do for thrill seekers. The ride costs 27.50 euros for one person, 35.00 for two or 52.50 for 3. They are open from 9:00am to 6:00pm, with the last ride leaving at 5:45pm. You leave from the bottom of the Monte Church steps and follow downhill along Caminho do Monte reaching speeds of 30kms/hr and arriving in Livramento about 2 kms away. At the end of the ride, you can either take a taxi, bus or walk the rest of the way back down into Funchal. If you walk, it’s about a 2.5km downhill stretch, taking you about 30mins. After this, head back to your accomodations, swim/relax, do a little packing if you’re leaving the next day, then get ready for your last dinner/night out. We are suggesting you spend your last night in Zona Velha, where you started and stroll along Rua de Santa Maria, try Restaurante Gaviao Nova. We ate here and really enjoyed the food and atmosphere; reservations are recommended. Afterwards, if you don’t want the night to end yet, you could check out the Madeira Rum House, also near Rua de Santa Maria, here you can try some of Madeira’s own rums or some Poncha, Madeira’s signature drink. Enjoy!!

**All pricing, opening/closing hours and days listed here are as of May 2024 and are subject to change, so be sure to check before you go. I like this website: visitmadeira.com for all your current information.

8. References:

All this information, research and suggestions came from our own experiences we had while exploring this amazing island and the itinerary we followed while we were there. In addition, we spent countless hours reading travel books, like DK Eyewitness, Portugal and DK Eyewitness Top 10 Madeira, Walking on Madeira hiking book and we enjoyed Lonely Planet’s Portuguese Phrasebook and Dictionary, which helped us get by with the pleasantries, while we were exploring the island. We read multiple Travel blogs and Madeira/Funchal tourism websites too, like, visitfunchal.com and visitmadeira.com. We also used Google maps to check out directions and distances between sites.

9. The Wrap up:

 I hope you enjoy these suggested itineraries and walking tours for this unique and beautiful island, as much as we did and find this information helpful. I have added a website link to most of the major sites so you can check them out and see what piques your interest! If you have any questions, ask away. Feel free to comment, give advice, join our mailing list, follow, like, pin, share with friends, anything goes. Let’s talk Travel!

Thank you,

From Focus on the Journey,
with Wild Meadow Studio
A Travel and Photography Blog

By: Beth de Verteuil