Travelling content and news creator. Kraków, Poland.

Madeira

Atlantic Ocean, Portugal | Paradise island * 29 June 2025: expanded the story, more photos

The bare eastern end of Madeira, February 2020.

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

Long distance view at the nothern coast towards Ponta do Bode, Madeira.

Pico do Areiro
Hiking westbound from the Pico do Arieiro

Hiking westbound from the Pico do Arieiro

Looking down from the Pico do Areiro.

Looking down from the Pico do Areiro.

View west from Pico do Areiro.

View west from Pico do Areiro.

The Madeira inlands
The inland of Madeira.

The inland of Madeira.

Roadtrip through the inlands of Madeira.
Roadtrip through the inlands of Madeira.
View at the Parish Church of São Roque do Faial from the local cemetary
View at the Parish Church of São Roque do Faial from the local cemetary
View from the Miradouro do Lombo dos Palheiros.

View from the Miradouro do Lombo dos Palheiros.

A valley near Faial, Madeira

A valley near Faial

Eira do Serrado, Madeira

Eira do Serrado

Madeira, just north of the Parque Natural do Ribeiro Frio

Just north of the Parque Natural do Ribeiro Frio

An inland forest.

An inland forest.

The northern shores of Madeira

View at Praia da Maiata in Porto da Cruz

In Porto da Cruz, Madeira

In Porto da Cruz, Madeira.

The southern shores of Madeira
Morning view from the Cabo Girão towards Funchal.

Morning view from the Cabo Girão towards Funchal.

Outskirts of Câmara de Lobos, Madeira

Outskirts of Câmara de Lobos.

Agricultural lands just outside Câmara de Lobos, Madeira

Agricultural lands just outside Câmara de Lobos

Down there, is the Atlantic Ocean. Cabo Girao, Madeira

Down there, is the Atlantic Ocean. Cabo Girão, Madeira

Camara de Lobos harbour

Camara de Lobos harbour.

Small boats in the Câmara de Lobos harbour
Small boats in the Câmara de Lobos harbour
Jarmin do Mar & Paúl do Mar
Jamon do Mar, Madeira

Jamon do Mar

The west point

Ponta do Pargo.

Cow and a view at Ponta do Pargo

Cow and a view at Ponta do Pargo

A lone surfer in the surf of Jarmin do Mar
A lone surfer in the surf of Jarmin do Mar
Paúl do Mar, Madeira

Paúl do Mar, Madeira

The east point
Full sunrise over Madeira's eastern end: Ilhéu da Cevada

Full sunrise over Madeira's eastern end: Ilhéu da Cevada

Door art in the Funchal old town
Ribeiro Bonito trail
Madeira, just north of the Parque Natural do Ribeiro Frio
Madeira, just north of the Parque Natural do Ribeiro Frio
Porto Moniz

Porto Moniz.

Helicopter landing zone in Porto Moniz.

Helicopter landing zone in Porto Moniz.

The natural swimming pools of Porto Moniz.
The natural swimming pools of Porto Moniz.
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