The bare eastern end of Madeira, February 2020.
Floating through fluffy clouds, I descend from the heavens to an exotic green island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This pretty much sums up my very first experience of Madeira, the lushly green and versatile oasis in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. During this only visit for me so far, in February 2020, I travelled 600 kilometres (373 miles) in a rental car to much of what is worth seeing.
"Never have to leave Madeira"
The amazing thing about Madeira is one can start at the seaside in the morning and an hour later one can start a mountain hike at 1,800 metres above sea level (5,906 feet). One can enjoy the nightlife of the capital of Funchal, and have a quiet view from high up over the ocean soon after that. One can see the sun rising from the ocean in the bare eastern part of the island, and see it set in the greener west on the same day. One can hike up over trails through rainforest like areas and have a fancy lunch soon after. Or, as a local I met in Funchal put it, "when I want to leave for a different experience, I just take the car to the north of the island, and I am in a totally different country. I never have to leave Madeira."
Long distance view at the nothern coast towards Ponta do Bode, Madeira.
Pico do Areeiro
Getting up to the 1,818 metres (5,965 feet) above sea level to the Pico do Areeiro is easy. The third-highest point on the Madeira island has a car park almost at the top. It is a great escape to get above the clouds if low-hanging in the coastal areas, and the drive to the top is beautiful. From the parking lot one can start hiking towards west, and breathtaking views bring you to the Pico das Torres (1,851 m / 6,073 ft) and the Pico Ruivo (1,862 m / 6,109 ft).
Hiking westbound from the Pico do Areeiro
Looking down from the Pico do Areeiro.
View west from Pico do Areeiro.
The Madeira inlands
Lushy green escapes where it can feel like one is in South America. That are the inlands of Madeira. The roads bring you gorgeous views and small villages. And some of the viewpoints just are simply wow!
The inland of Madeira.
Roadtrip through the inlands of Madeira.
View at the Parish Church of São Roque do Faial from the local cemetary
View from the Miradouro do Lombo dos Palheiros.
A valley near Faial
Eira do Serrado
Just north of the Parque Natural do Ribeiro Frio
An inland forest.
The northern shores of Madeira
Travel to the north of Madeira and it feels like you have entered a different country than the south. Here it is more green and there are some amazing trails to get even closer to all that nature. At the coast one finds natural or artificially created swimming pools that are filled with ocean water. Diving in is safe, while the wild Atlantic Ocean roars nearby.
View at Praia da Maiata in Porto da Cruz
In Porto da Cruz, Madeira.
The southern shores of Madeira
The southern shores of Madeira are the most popular among tourists. Here one finds also plenty of agricultural activities, as this is the sunny side of the island.
Morning view from the Cabo Girão towards Funchal.
Outskirts of Câmara de Lobos.
Agricultural lands just outside Câmara de Lobos
Down there, is the Atlantic Ocean. Cabo Girão, Madeira
Camara de Lobos harbour.
Small boats in the Câmara de Lobos harbour
Jarmin do Mar & Paúl do Mar
Jarmin do Mar in the southwest of Madeira is surfers paradise. The ocean is the main attraction here, and it is doing a fine job. Nearby Paúl do Mar is an important fishing centre, with the village profile being very picturesque against the backdrop of the hills behind it.
Jamon do Mar
A lone surfer in the surf of Jarmin do Mar
Paúl do Mar, Madeira
The west point
Ponta do Pargo is the most western point of Madeira, nicely marked with a lighthouse. The rocky point is elevated 290 metres (951 feet) above the ocean, the light even 312 metres (1,024 feet) ASL. It is a great spot for sunset.
Ponta do Pargo.
Cow and a view at Ponta do Pargo
The east point
To sea the sun rise above the ocean, the mostly bare eastern islands are great to start your day with. In contrast to the western point of Madeira, here one needs to hike quite a bit if you really want to be on the end of Madeira. And even then, the last sub-island of the main island and its Farol da Ponta de São Lourenço lighttower can only be reached by boat. But, great views already start about half an hour walk from the eastern-most parking lot (a roundabout) and the hike is simply wonderful. Start early and the world is your oyster.
Full sunrise over Madeira's eastern end: Ilhéu da Cevada
Funchal: door art in the historic centre
Funchal offers everything one can expect from a capital city, even though it is "only" the island capital. While maybe not as pretty as cities on the mainland of Portugal, like Lisbon and Porto, it has its gems. The door art in the historic centre of Funchal is such a treat.
Ribeiro Bonito trail
Beautiful trails lead from the northern shores into the almost rain forest landscape. The Ribeiro Bonito area is a must-see for hikers. A long time ago engineers made a pretty clever drainage system of small canals leading to the agricultural fields and villages further below. It are these man-made waterways that some of the trails follow.
Porto Moniz
The biggest attraction of Porto Moniz, on the northwestern edge of Madeira, is certainly its natural swimming pool. Swimming through the rocks with a view of the Atlantic Ocean is simply amazing, or very cool to look at if one doesn't feel for the dive itself.
Porto Moniz.
Helicopter landing zone in Porto Moniz.
The natural swimming pools of Porto Moniz.
