Below you can find the day by day detail, photos and review of our 10 day Madeira trip. If you missed it, check out the previous post for the full plan, map and costs.
Did the trip go to plan? Definitely not! Did it matter? Not at all!
Between the forest fires, ant infestation and nearly being blown off a cliff, we had an awesome time and I would highly recommend Madeira to any adventure enthusiasts! Let’s get into it –
Day 1 – Arrival
Funchal Airport
Landing in Funchal just before 11am, we picked up our awesome little Fiat Panda from Magic Island Cars at the airport.
Funchal Airport is tiny – you literally step outside the airport exit and the car park for the Car Hire pick up & drop off is just across the road.
Heading in the direction of the hotel – we made the following stops:
Ponto do Garajau
Cristo Rei Viewpoint : This big ‘ol statue of Jesus was erected in 1927, and sits on top of a coastal ravine in Ponta do Garajau. The viewpoint offers a panoramic perspective over the natural heritage of Garajau, part of Funchal bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. There is parking and a cafe on site.
The statue is right by the car park but faces the sea so you have to go down a few steps to see the front. There is also a cable car next to the cafe that will take you down to the beach. Tickets can be bought on site.
Câmara de Lobos
Day 1 and already going off-plan, we decided to skip the supermarket and seek out some food. We found Restaurante e Bar Panorâmico on Google Maps en route (sort of) to the hotel.
This restaurant had the most amazing views and the most amazing Bolo do Caco! They also serve Brisa, which is a Madeira speciality soft drink. We highly recommend the Passionfruit one!
Top Tip! If you visit this restaurant during lunch hours, check out their freshly made sandwiches before ordering off the formal menu.
Next stop – the hotel! We usually aim to get to the hotel for 3pm (earliest check in time) so that we have time to get settled and explore the place a bit before heading out for dinner.
São Vicente
The Hotel – Quinta Vale Vitis : Featuring a pool with mountain and sea views, Quinta Vale Vitis is a sustainable farm stay set in São Vicente, 2.7 km from Sao Vicente Beach. The farm stay also offers free WiFi, free private parking, a bar, sauna, facilities for disabled guests & breakfast included.
The pictures do not do Quinta Vale Vitis justice. This place is absolute paradise, surrounded by mountains and absolutely peaceful. The rooms are super clean and modern with the best shower I’ve ever had. If we’d have known it would have been this good, we would have booked our entire stay here!
After a quick dip in the pool we headed down into São Vicente for a wander around and some snacks. It’s a 10 minute drive away so I made sure to check on Google Maps where I could park before leaving. Luckily there is a large free car park that is easily accessible, and only a 5 minute walk from the beachfront.
Day 2 – Change of Plan
Waking up on day 2, we were told that forest fires across the east of the island meant that most of the roads were closed so the plan had to change. You can actually see the smoke in the sky in our pictures from the night before!
Over breakfast we checked google maps so see which roads were closed and which bits of the plan we could still do and went from there.
ND TMI Time : The breakfast at the hotel is buffet style served from 8am – 10am. As a hiking destination there are a lot of people filling up for the day at 8am sharp, but it gets quieter the nearer to 10am you get. We’re both super awkward at these kinds of things and always end up breaking the coffee machine, dropping serving spoons, or just panicking if there’s other people waiting for food. It can actually be quite stressful! Not to mention the new types of food! First breakfast is always a trial and error, which is why we like to go at the quietest time (if possible). Once we’ve worked out what we like, how to get it, and where we like to sit, it gets easier.
Seixal
First stop was the Seixal Natural Swimming Pools (Poças das Lesmas), just 15 minutes away from the hotel. After parking along the street at the top, we walked down to the pools. Be aware this is a steep hill and tough to walk down, let alone back up!
This is a beautiful area with various volcanic pools to swim in. If you swim to the edges you can see huge crabs scuttling around the rocks. Watch out for the waves crashing over the top though!
There are showers by the pool along with a small bar serving drinks, snacks and amazing pina coladas.
Top Tip! The way in to the pools is rocky and really, really slippery. Wear sandals or flip flops in and just take your time. There is no shame in sliding down on your butt (like we did!). There are no lockers here so leave any valuables in the car.
Porto Moniz
We had planned to go swimming at Porto Moniz Natural Pools but due to the high winds aiding the nearby fires, they were unfortunately closed. While these pools are less ‘natural’ than the ones in Seixal, they have more facilities and are a lot more accessible.
Hungry after our earlier swim, we found Conchinha cafe, which had amazing sea views and did a great Bolo do Caco cheese and ham toasty.
Ponto do Sol
Unable to travel any further east due to the forest fires, we drove for 45 minutes to Ponto do Sol on the south coast of the island. The car park (pictured below) was just a few minutes walk from the main town, easy to find, and very pretty.
Ponto do Sol is a picturesque coastal town on the south coast of Madeira. As well as numerous shops and restaurants, there is also a really cool old stone Pier you can walk on and inside. There are amazing views of Porto do Sol from here and a restaurant on the cliff front nearby.
For dinner we found this amazing place called Steak and Sun and as it was still warm, sat outside on the busy cobbled streets. For dessert we hunted down the ice cream stand we’d spotted earlier and sat on the beach to eat them as the sun went down. Perfection.
After a 26 minute drive, arrive at Madeira’s most western point : The Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse. “This viewpoint is located on the westernmost cape of the island of Madeira. It allows you to see the magnificence of the coastal cliffs as far as Achadas da Cruz.”
Head down then back up into the hills to reach the Fanal area. Fanal’s main attraction is the centuries-old Til (Ocotea foetens) forest – with trees that date back to a time before the discovery of the archipelago. Fanal Forest is classified as a Rest and Quiet Reserve by the Madeira Natural Park.
Total drive time : 1 hour 32 minutes
Up and at them this morning with an early start to get to Bica da Cana viewpoint for about 30 minutes before sunrise. “Located at an altitude of 1580 metres, the Bica da Cana viewpoint offers a broad perspective over the São Vicente valley, marked by the density of the Laurissilva forest.”
Close by, and next on the list is our first hike of the trip : PR6 – 25 Fountains.
Distance: 4.3 km (8.6 km round trip)
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 3 hours
Start/End: Rabaçal (E.R. 105) / 25 Fontes (car parking indicated on google maps)
Max. Altitude / Min. Altitude: 1288 m / 964 m
The alltrails reviews on this walk said that it was extremely popular so we’re hoping that by going first thing in the morning that we will be able to miss the crowds!
Drive 40 minutes back to the hotel for an afternoon by the pool. After 2.5 days of action, we’re definitely going to need to recharge and reset.
Total drive time : 1 hour 23 minutes
Have breakfast at the hotel and check out before hopping back in the Panda to head East. First stop of the day will be one of Madeira’s famous Levada hikes…
Distance: 5.3 km (10.6 km round trip)
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 3:30 hours
Start/End: São Jorge Wastewater Treatment Plant / Ribeiro Bonito
Max. Altitude / Min. Altitude: 573 m / 535 m
“This charming trail takes hikers to discover the magnificent beauty of Levada do Rei, surrounded by lush vegetation typical of the high regions of the island, which culminates in a unique place blessed by nature.” Sounds lush.
Continue to drive East and stop off for a couple of photos at the iconic Casas de Santana.
Next up, visit Piscina do Porto da Cruz – another natural swimming location located on the East side of the island.
From there, it’s just a 20 minute drive to our airbnb-style accommodation in Caniçal.
“Featuring exclusive direct access to the sea and a terrace, Vila Cais da Gaivota is a villa, set in Caniçal. The property features views of the Atlantic Ocean and is 20 km from Funchal. Free private parking is available on site. There is a dining area and a kitchenette complete with a microwave, a toaster and refrigerator. A flat-screen TV with cable channels is offered. Vila Cais da Gaivota features free WiFi.”
Total drive time : 12 minutes
Another early start to try and avoid the crowds. Drive 6 minutes East to reach the car park for the PR8 hike.
PR 8 – Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço
This 6 km trail will take you to discover the eastern tip of the island, with panoramic views over the north and south sides.
Distance: 3 km (6 km round trip)
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 2:30 hours
Start/End: Baía d’Abra / Casa do Sardinha
Max. altitude/ Min. Altitude: 126 m / 23 m
After the short drive back & chill for the day (or try to anyway!)
Despite choosing to do our trip in October to hopefully experience temperatures of around 21c, when we arrived it was 32c!
The beauty of having the trip worked out to the last detail, meant that it was also easy to move everything around. It helped that Madeira is such a small island!
Teleferico = Cable Car
Miradouro = View point