Things to do in Madeira

If you are looking for things to do in Madeira, you are in the right place.

Madeira island is among Europe’s most stunning travel locations with thousands of tourists returning year after year. Madeira presents an all year round pleasant summer climate and wonderful fauna and flora. Madeira is also crime free island and is among the safest holiday destinations in all over the world. Attraction varies from beautiful parks and gardens with exotic flowers to picturesque seascapes with the azure ocean. Soaring cliffs, rustic villages in silent valleys, sheer mountains are other highlights of Madeira.

Madeira offers a wide variety of opportunities to meet your leisure requirements. The Atlantic attracts you for fishing, sailing, whale & dolphin tours, surfing, water skiing, diving and swimming of course. The Garajau coastline presents one of Europe’s first underwater nature reserves for sub aquatic enthusiasts. For the perfect day out, relax and go for a Madeira coach tour. Take a luxury coach to the best locations of the island. With so many things to do in Madeira, you will never get bored.

Here are some of the fun things to do in Madeira.

Top Things to do in Madeira

1.) Spend a day in Funchal

Madeira’s capital Funchal is compact enough to explore in a day. It comprises remarkable architecture, a colorful market in the old town where locals shop for fresh fruit and fish. The capital also offers thrill-seeking activities like the toboggan ride, and also has some excellent restaurants. The street art in Rua de Santa Maria is the highlight of Funchal. The doors along this street have been allowed to local artists to paint and display sculptures as well.

2.) Hire a car and explore the island

Though Madeira is spread in about 800km2. There are wide scenery and places of interest scattered around the island. The northern coast is especially spectacular. Imagine yourself riding along the rugged coastline, with sheer cliffs on your right and crystal clear sea on your left. You will unwillingly stop to take a photo of colorful, picturesque roadside flowers, or a complete hillside covered with banana trees.

3.) Hike along the Levada

The Levadas are the irrigation channels classic to Madeira. Till now they bring water from the mountains, flowing through flourishing mountain vegetation. Hikers can chase their curves for hours. The backdrop is amazing. Madeira’s Laurisilva forest is the world’s biggest laurel forest. It is one of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites. Make your way to the top of the mountain for picturesque views of the coast.

4.) Have a Dive in Madeira Aquarium

Visiting Madeira Aquarium is one of the most impressive things to do in Madeira. The interesting thing about the aquarium is that it allows you to plunge into 500,000 liters of salt water, diving with sharks, morays, rays and hundreds of other fish. Before diving in the aquarium, you are escorted by an instructor in an external, natural seawater pool. Here you will be guided as how to handle the gears and to breathe underwater. Friends or family not taking part in the dive can see other from the aquarium glass and shot photos.

5.) Natural Sea Water Pools

In Madeira, you can find natural salt water swimming pools in the village of Porto Moniz. These are located in the North West part of the island. These are surrounded by volcanic rocks which keep the sea water cool, refreshing and refilled at high tide.

6.) Go Paragliding

Madeira offers an ideal spot for Paragliding with impressive cliffs and flourishing valleys on the one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other side. There is a number of excellent take-offs and landing sites, particularly around Madalena to Mar area in the South. Paragliding here is one of the amazing things to do in Madeira.

 7.) Whale and Dolphin Watching Trip

Madeira is one of the finest locations in the world for dolphin and whale watching trips. There are around 80 species of cetaceans in the world and 29 of these can be seen in Madeira. There is almost a sure chance that you can watch at least 1 or 2 species of dolphins. They playfully swim around the boat, and you might even come across a mighty whale family. Remember to take your camera with you and be ready as not to miss any opportunity to capture photos. Also, don’t forget sunscreen and a waterproof jumper.

8.) Canyoning for an Adrenaline boost

The Parque Ecologico do Funchal Located just outside of Madeira’s capital offers a natural setting for a Canyoning trip, Abseiling 15 meter cliffs or diving from waterfalls into natural pools and swimming in forest rivers. Experiencing these activities is among the top things to do in Madeira.

9.) Listen to Fado

The Fado is a style of melancholic music that has its roots in 19th Century Portugal. In this music style, the singer is accompanied by a few guitarists. For having this experience visit the family owned Sabor a Fado. It is located in Funchal. It is a small restaurant with mere six tables. They serve mainly Madeiran cuisine, but the highlight of this place is when the whole family takes turns in singing fado for the visitors. There is the same experience at Snack Bar Vila in Calheta.

10.) Look Down from the Cabo Girao Skywalk

The 589 meter Cabo Girao Skywalk is the tallest cliff Skywalk in Europe. It is the second-highest in the world after the Grand Canyon (1,450 meters). After the erection of the glass-floored platform in 2012, you can now walk into the abyss, gazing down at the sea. Around 1,800 visitors daily enjoy the view from here. The Skywalk is among Madeira’s top tourist spot. Having a view from here is among the top things to do in Madeira.