This 5-day Madeira itinerary provides amazing tips on all the best places to visit in Madeira, like off-the-beaten-track hikes, spectacular viewpoints, and amazing meals.
Katy, the Travel Honey Contributor, has visited Madeira twice, once for 5 nights and another trip for 3 nights. This is an itinerary with all the best places to visit in Madeira. The itinerary is for nights in Funchal and 2 nights in Ponta do Sol. This itinerary includes all the best places to visit in Madeira and all the must sees, including what to see in Funchal, Pico do Arieiro, Valley of the Nuns, Lourenço Point hike, Porto Moniz and Cabo Girão and many tasty restaurants. This Madeira itinerary is on-the-go, but if you want a slower-paced trip, you can choose to skip some of the hikes, take more siestas!
Why Visit Madeira Island in Portugal?
Katy chose Madeira island in Portugal, because she was visiting mainland Portugal already and wanted to add something a little more exotic that would have warmish weather in December.
Itinerary Overview: All the Best Places to Visit in Madeira
Here’s the overview page from Katy’s Madeira itinerary (get the full 19 pages and interactive Google map here).
Katy’s Itinerary Day-by-Day Summary of the Best Places to Visit in Madeira
Best Places to Visit in Madeira – Day 1
Get yourself acquainted with Funchal, the capital city of Madeira, by seeing all the must sees, like: the Funchal Cathedral, Mercado’s dos Lavradores and Projecto artE pORtas abErtas. Make sure you leave a little time to just wander Funchal’s narrow and winding streets. Then head to a tasty dinner. ? Day 1 Transport: Rental car to Funchal then walk around Funchal and to dinner.
Best Places to Visit in Madeira – Day 2
Head to the northeast of Madeira island for a beautiful 2.5 hour hike along the coast and eat lunch nearby. Relax in the afternoon and have drinks with a view, and then have a tasty dinner in a cozy restaurant. ? Day 2 Transport: Lourenço Point hike is a 35 minute drive to northeast Madeira in the rental car from Funchal, and Caniçal is about 10 minutes from Lourenço Point on the way back from Funchal. Everything else is walkable in Funchal and to dinner.
Best Places to Visit in Madeira – Day 3
Wake up early to beat the crowds at Pico do Arieiro and do a little hiking if you’re up for it. Then head to Valley of the Nuns, followed by Ponta do Sol for a late lunch, relaxing, and an awesome dinner with a view. ? Day 3 Transport: Pico do Arieiro is about a 40 minute drive in the rental car east of Funchal in the middle of Madeira island up a steep hill. The viewpoint above Valley of the Nuns is another 30 minutes past Pico do Arieiro, and it’s a 40 minute drive after that to Ponta do Sol.
Best Places to Visit in Madeira – Day 4
Go on a nearby hike in the morning, then head to the Porto Moniz pools on the northwest coast of Madeira. Have lunch overlooking the water in Porto Monize and a dinner in the town of Ponta da Sol. ? Day 4 Transport: It’s about a 30 minutes on VE4 to the north coast of Madeira island from Ponta do Sol, then another 20 minutes west to Porto Moniz. If you drive along the west coast of Madeira it’s about an hour and fifteen minutes back to Ponta do Sol (45 minutes if you drive back the way you came).
Best Places to Visit in Madeira – Day 5
On your last day in Madeira, head back to Funchal stopping at Cabo Girão and Câmara de Lobos. ? Day 5 Transport: Cabo Girão is about a 20 minute drive from Ponta do Sol. Câmara de Lobos is about 20 minutes from Cabo Girão and about 20 minutes from Funchal (30 minutes from the airport).
To see the details about all the things to do in Madeira, feedback on many restaurant and hotels, along with nitty-gritty logistics tips, check out Katy’s full 19 pages and interactive Google map here. You’ll also get extensive PDF guides with reviews and recommendations on the best Madeira restaurants and hotels.