Madeira Tips
Few bits and pieces, tips and locations for fellow travelers based on our visits to this amazing island.
Car
Having a car is a must in Madeira, unless you want to spend just 2–3 days in central Funchal. Local taxi services are in abundance and they are sensibly cheap, but you would definitely need to get around freely to enjoy the island the most. Another alternative to local taxis is Bolt service, as they don’t have Uber.
Do your own research first. My observation: cars tend to be more expensive to hire in Portugal compared to Spain, also major players like Avis, Hertz, Alamo are just shockingly overpriced compared to local and smaller agencies. After the COVID pandemic and wasted years of 2020-2021, prices have almost doubled. Local businesses can vary greatly in customer reviews and feedback — some are doing absolutely honest and decent job while others will extort every chance possible to milk unsuspecting customers in extra fees, fines, damage charges, commissions and the rest.
Search on aggregators like Skyscanner Car Rental Deals, easyCar.com, KAYAK Car Hire etc, but always check reviews for the actual car rentals provider who will be serving you on the ground.
We booked directly with Rodavante Rent-A-Car first, then with Insularcars via Zest and it was very smooth — pick up and collection. Even more so that I did not buy their own no-excess damage insurance. Some locals also recommended 7m Rent a Car but we did not use them yet.
Stay
I enjoyed both staying in central Funchal just a stones throw away from Mercado dos Lavradores, and further up on the slopes of hills surrounding the city. Decide for yourselves, or maybe mix both options, i.e. take a taxi from airport and stay first in “downtown” Funchal, exploring it by foot, then hire a car and book for a quinta or house away from the noise and with a great view. Staying in town will provide excellent vibe and access to cafes, shops, promenade and restaurants, but if you are lucky to secure some of the better quintas further above, the views will be just astonishing day and night, and possibly a better value as well.
Important to note residing in Funchal or in immediate vicinity does make sense for the whole period, as this area has good access towards any part of the island, and the unique geographical position ensures this place gets most of the sunshine, even when most other parts is deep in fog, clouds or rain.
Parks near Funchal
As an absolute must, ensure visiting these 3 parks while in Madeira:
- Jardins Do Palheiro (Palheiro Gardens)
- Jardim Botânico da Madeira (Madeira Botanical Garden)
Walking and Hiking
Some of our walks and hikes are published here: Madeira | Komoot
So far, the key locations to hike around are:
- Levada dos Balcões – Short and very easy
- Miradouro Eira do Serrado. Some of the greatest views, also quite short
- Posto Florestal Fanal. First time we have been there it was sunny and we were not immediately impressed, but second time once it was very misty and cloudy, then yes, a wow effect is guaranteed.
- Parque Florestal das Queimadas
- Ponta de São Lourenço
Beaches
- Praia de Formoza, minutes drive from Funchal. Long natural black sand beach. Waves can be quite high at times. Praia Formoza restaurant offers one of the best lapas we have tried. (car park)
- Praia de Machico. “Blonde” sand delivered from Portugal, nice wave-protected area, always calm, town offers good cafes and restaurants.
- Porto Moniz Natural Swimming Pools (coffee and deserts at SeaView Rooftop is a must! ask specifically for directions to the “Rooftop” cafe)