Things to do in Madeira

THE 10 BEST Things to Do in Madeira (2025) - Must-See Attractions

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Things to Do in Madeira

Check out must-see sights and activities:
Monte Palace Madeira, Pico do Arieiro, Hiking Trails, Safaris. For personalised recommendations, try our AI trip-planning product.
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Book these experiences for a close-up look at Madeira.

Top Attractions in Madeira

These rankings are informed by Tripadvisor data—we consider traveller reviews, ratings, number of page views, and user location.

Tranquil gardens with oriental themes, live music, and water features. Home to unique wildlife, a Japanese garden, and an African art exhibit amidst lush plant life.
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Scenic cable car ride with panoramic views of city, canyons, and forests, linking to lush gardens and providing a thrilling toboggan descent option.
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Natural lava pools provide a serene swim in volcanic rock formations, with the option of protected or open Atlantic swim areas and picturesque views.
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Elevated skywalk with a glass floor provides panoramic coastal views and a thrilling sense of height, complemented by local shopping for regional specialties.
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Scenic hike through eastern peninsular trails, showcasing dramatic volcanic cliffs and panoramic views. Path includes a mix of terrains and a café near swimming spots.
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Botanical garden with a classic layout, diverse flora including succulents and orchids, tranquil Japanese garden, and scenic cafe views. Accessible by cable car or bus for varied exploration.
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Points of Interest & Landmarks

Hike through serene mountain paths for panoramic views and historical insights at Curral das Freiras, complete with tranquil resting spots and local cafes.
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Challenging yet rewarding mountain hike with panoramic views, featuring steep, exposed terrain. Ideal for those with decent fitness and proper gear, the trail takes 3-4 hours to complete.
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From quick jaunts to full-day outings.





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What travellers are saying

  • Mad4Theatre
    New York20 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic place! So varied, gorgeous gardens, lovely exhibits of old tiles, flamingos, modern art, brilliant views and nice cafes for lunch & delicious coffee. Worth spending several hours there and just outside you can see or participate in the crazy wicker basket toboggan ride!
    Written 15 February 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Andrew H
    Buxhall, UK42 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wow, wow, wow. Amazing! Arrived by car just before sunrise and already lots of people waiting, took position and waited and was not let down. It’s amazing to be above the blanket of clouds below and see the golden sun appear on the horizon. Darkness turning to light in the gentle morning breeze, well worth an early start!
    Written 6 February 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Fiumes61
    Toronto, Canada550 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting ride up mountain ..arrived @ 578m above sea level .Spectacular views and some walkability to go even higher . would definitely recommend !!
    Written 10 February 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Victoria M
    Dalkeith, UK17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We stopped here as part of a day tour, luckily it was sunny and not windy as the water wasn't very warm at this time of year (about 19deg according to the front desk). The changing rooms and showers were all very clean and it wasn't crazy busy after lunch. We didn't bother with a locker and just found a corner near a rock to put all our stuff when we went for a swim. Some of the big steps into the water can be slippy, and some of the wildlife under foot are a bit crunchy so it's a bonus if you have swimming shoes. The water is so clear and we spotted fish and crabs. Overall a great time and wish we could have spent longer than an hour there.
    Written 2 January 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • laczkozsu
    Debrecen, Hungary2,496 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This wonderful place is located 13km from Funchal. We took the Yellow bus ( Hop on Hop off) to get here, this is the last stop. The view from a 580m cliff is breathtaking. You can see the capital city, the ocean, and most spectacularly the steep cliff below. The skywalk is exciting. For those who are not afraid of heights, it is a must-see.
    Written 3 January 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Worldtravellers
    Yorkshire, UK165 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is an absolutely stunning walk. We are two middle-aged women and found it pleasantly taxing. It's not too long, however whilst it's only 4.5 miles you are going up and down time and time again so feels like much longer - we mapped it as over 800ft gain.

    The path is maintained and as such we had absolutely no issues paying for it. We went on a relatively quite day however the car park was full when we arrived but we managed to find a place.

    There are no toilets on the route so if you have a call of nature, please pick up your tissues and don't put them under stones and expect them to simply disintegrate as they don't!! Multiple people had left paper and it's becoming a huge issue on many walks in Madeira.

    The walk doesn't need a map as it's simply straight on, over the islands, one by one. We went on a windy day so a few of the more exposed bits were a little scary but do-able. Wear hiking boots and don't try it in trainers as you need purchase on the cliffs especially if it's been raining and gets slippy with mud. My partner does not like heights but managed it OK. There are as always really silly people not understanding how to prepare for a walk, without the proper equipment including water and rain gear - don't be one of them!

    I cannot imagine what it would be like on a busy day and I don't believe we would have enjoyed it as much as for some areas you cannot get past people and need to wait if you want to hold onto the railings on the cliff edges.

    Would highly recommend but be prepared for crowds in busy periods and don't try it if you don't like heights.
    Written 29 December 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • GRZ
    Chicago, IL12,782 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Are they better than Monte Palace? No, but are they the same type of experience? Absolutely not, and thus worth seeing as well!

    The grounds in December were still very rich in various vegetation and colors, and I can only imagine how amazing this place must look during flower blooming time!

    People talk about taking cable cars to get here, we just drove from Funchal, parked the car and walked inside, no cable car needed.

    My complaints would be: pretty pricey, but also very limited parking - we ended up parking on the street all the way on the top, which is sadly where the only restrooms/toilets appeared to be.
    Written 27 December 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Jackie E
    Newmarket, UK40 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We did a vintage premium tour which last nearly two hours including a tasting of 5 brandy’s wines. Definitely recommend this!
    Written 1 February 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Caroline M
    Comber, UK19 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is definitely one of the best things we did ! Got the 81 bus from beside cable car , even though bus stop outside our apartment because the bus fills up very quickly and you could be left standing ! Only €10.40 for return for two . Lovely views at the top . If you need the bathroom they charge a euro . Also bring a hoodie , can be a bit chilly up there .
    Enjoyed the walk down , can be a bit slippery in places so we did it slowly ! When you get to the bottom you have to walk up to the village but all signposted . Not much to see , the nuns museum was closed but there was a lovely church ! Plenty of places to eat and all very friendly .
    Great day !!
    Written 5 February 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Nell D
    Long Buckby, UK66 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Breath taking views on the highest mountain in Madeira. There are two proms to reach this and we chose the PR1 route from Pico do Arieiro. We arrived at 9am just as the sunrise watchers were leaving. The walk itself is amazing, lots of exposed walk ways and stairs so you want to have a reasonable amount of fitness and decent shoes/boots. The walk there and back was about 8 miles, however there is a cafe just under the summit. As it is one of the most popular routes in Madeira it is busy, but would definitely recommend a visit.
    Written 8 June 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Couplewithteenagers
    Yorkshire198 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning walk & well worth it.
    Extremely windy road to get to location, where parking is €10. You pay €3 pp to do the 8 mile walk which took us 5hrs & 25,550 steps . Sturdy footwear is needed for the un even ground & there are times you have to walk through puddles in the caves. One cave is low, so crouching down & torches is a must. The walls & hand rails are in very good condition. The views are spectacular & altogether well worth the walk which is pretty much level. The only thing which spoilt it for us hence the 4 * were the staff. On entering the ticket office, 2 ladies were talking & showing photos on phone laughing, completely ignoring us stood there. I had to interrupt to get their attention & buy the entrance tickets. Then after completing the walk, a young girl serving in the cafe was extremely miserable & didn’t warm the sandwiches up enough & when asked for them to be warmer so at least they were Luke warm & slightly melting the cheese, she didn’t try to speak or crack a smile. The teapot leaked so much we lost most of it on the table. Personally I’d skip the cafe & it’s high prices. The toilets were having ‘pay to use’ machines fitted that day & I only hope they provided soap & toilet paper for those that do !
    Written 22 November 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • R0gerAndJulie
    Manchester, UK21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We went on a self guided transfer with GetToHikes.com. Our pickup in a minibus was at 7:30 in central Funchal (with a number of other locations for pickup) so we arrived nice and early and avoided the worst of the large organised tours. Plenty of time to walk to Risco and 25 Fontes. Return pickup was at the other side of the tunnel rather than the drop off point which had the advantages of the experience of walking through the tunnel, and not having to walk the long slog up the road from the cafe at the start of the walk to the car park. Torch needed for the tunnel which was wet underfoot. The rest of the walk was straightforward.
    GetToHikes were well organised and responded promptly to a query about the pickup point. I'd recommend them. And they seemed to be the cheapest!
    The scenery was fantastic. Even though we were early 25 fontes was quite busy. I imagine it would be horrendous in the middle of the day when the large guided tours were there.
    Written 8 February 2025
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
The above attraction descriptions were created by AI, using information and phrases commonly found in reviews users submitted to Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor did not create and is not responsible for any of the above attraction descriptions. Please read full traveller reviews for more details and information.
Reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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