Top Things to Do in Madeira: 5 Awesome Activities

This Portuguese island is known for wine, warm weather, and world class hiking. Blanketed in lush greenery, Madeira’s volcanic peaks stretch high into the clouds, towering above stony beaches bathed in sun below. Keep reading and learn more about our top things to do in Madeira!

Top Things to Do in Madeira

5. Zona Velha do Funchal

Take a relaxing walk along the historic cobblestone streets of “Old Funchal”. While on your walk you can view the outdoor gallery of door art, stop by local art shops, and take a break at the plethora of restaurants and bars.

Time to spend: 1 hour
We didn’t take a tour but they are available
All the doors on this street have been turned into artwork, painted by local artists
I recommend walking down to the waterfront for beautiful views of the city of Funchal

Top Things to Do in Madeira

4. Mercado dos Lavradores (Madeira Farmers market)

Mercado dos Lavradores is the supply point of the city. Here you can find a variety of Maderia’s specialties including exotic fruits, vegetables, spices, flowers, and fresh fish. The vendors are very friendly and will let you taste most products for sale! I recommend stopping at the bakery within the market to enjoy a snack.

Time to spend: 2 hours
To know: make sure to bring cash
Hours of operation:
- Monday-Thursday: 07:00-19:00
- Friday: 07:00-20:00
- Saturday: 07:00-14:00
- Sunday: closed

Top Things to Do in Madeira

3. Cable car to Monte

I would highly recommend the scenic ride from Old Town Funchal to Monte. The ride was the perfect amount of time to take in the scenery; about 15-25 minutes each way. In Monte there is plenty to do including riding a wicker toboggan down the roadway, visiting the church of Our Lady of the Monte, or strolling through the botanical gardens. Make sure to give the Poncha (Madeira’s traditional alcoholic beverage) a try!

Time to spend: 1-2 hours
Hours of operation: 9a-5:45pm
Ticket price (adult): 12,50€ (one way), 18€ (round trip)
Website: https://madeiracablecar.com/

Top Things to Do in Madeira

2. Hike to Pico Ruivo via Achada do Teixeira Trail

The peak to peak Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo hike offers arguably the best views of Madeira. Due to time restraints, we decided to hike vereda de Pico Ruvio, a portion of the peak to peak hike. Regardless, this trail provided plenty of beautiful views. We started our hike in the fog and had minimal clearance at the peak but the clouds cleared on the way back down offering picturesque views. We also stopped to visit the traditional Santana houses of Madeira on the way to the hike

Vereda do Pico Ruvio: 6km/3.7mi out-and-back trail
Time to spend: 3 hours (took us about 2.5 hours)
Free parking at the Achada do Teixeira Mountain Spot Cafe
Bar/cafe on the trail
Pro tip*: I always recommend researching hikes on AllTrails, which provides uptodate reviews on trail descriptions, conditions, and closures
Pico Do Arieiro to Pico Ruvio (peak to peak):
- I recommend you arrange transportation in advanced from either side of the hike to avoid walking out and back
- https://www.getyourguide.com/madeira-l67/from-funchal-roundtrip-transfer-to-pico-do-arieiro-trail-t427484/?date_from=2023-12-04&date_to=2023-12-04&ranking_uuid=88b92a3f-199e-4152-b60b-c45b3628b0b3 (transfer option from Get Your Guide)
- Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo: 11km/6.7 mi
- Time to spend: 4-5 hours
- Start at Pico do Arieiro (also a great spot to watch the sunrise)

Top Things to Do in Madeira

1. Volcanic swimming pool at Porto Moniz

This was by far my favorite thing I did while visiting Madeira. Porto Moniz offers a large swimming pool built into volcanic rock and supplied by ocean water, offering the perfect way to cool down after hiking the Pico Ruvio. After a beautiful drive along the northwest coast of the island, approximately 1 hour from Funchal, we parked on the street just outside the entrance. FYI, these pools are not heated by the volcanic rock, they are definitely cold… but highly worth it. The volcanic swimming pools are naturally filled by the tides of the ocean, creating small reefs within the pool. There is also a great diving board directly into the ocean.

Time to spend: 2-3 hours
Admission: 1.50€ (purchase at entrance)
Bathrooms, changing rooms, and showers are free of charge
Lockers are available for rent

Top Things to Do in Madeira

Bonus: SANGRIA!

I highly recommend taking any opportunity to enjoy sangria when in Portugal. Our group would always order two liters so that we could always try both the red and white. We had four people in our group and 1 liter would give us about 1.5 glasses of sangria each. We enjoyed resting at little vendors in the public squares, sitting around the table with our sangria and playing cards.