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The largest volcanic island in an archipelago of the same name, Madeira rewards visitors with two distinct regions — the beachy, more urban south dotted with charming towns, cliffside hotels, and black-pebble beaches, and the wilder, subtropical north.

The variety of flora here is astounding — you can explore tropical gardens where dandelion plants grow to the size of small palm trees, and a 20-million-year-old rainforest filled with plunging white waterfalls and threaded with hiking trails.

Such varied landscapes provide a playground for adventurers, and you can trek, bike, scuba, and surf here. You might hike one of the 200 levadas (aqueducts) that crisscross the island, or tuck into a pre-dawn picnic above the clouds on the summit of Pico do Arieiro.

The capital Funchal is home to a fabulous farmers’ market where you’ll find the island’s bounty, or you could pop to a poncha bar to sample the island’s signature, potent rum cocktail.

Exploring Funchal

Madeira’s capital and largest city, Funchal is hilly but walkable. Strolling cobbled streets and leafy boulevards, you’ll come across bakeries peddling warm pasteis de nata (custard tarts) and poncha bars serving the local rum cocktail.

Watch for eye-catching street art, mosaics made of black-and-cream pebbles, and carreiros — basket-like toboggans to carry you downhill. Make sure to swing by Art Deco market Mercado dos Lavadores, where you’ll discover the freshest local produce, from black scabbardfish to banana passion fruit.

Hiking the levadas

Lacing the island like a spider’s web, levadas are small stone canals that gather water filtered by the forest and channel it along the contours to irrigate the land. Dating to the 15th century, these waterways are now popular walking trails, and we can arrange for you to hike some of the most picturesque routes. A private guide will lead you through dense forest, over streams and gullies, and past vines of passion fruit and leafy walnut trees.

Porto Moniz natural lava pools

Perched on cliffs at Madeira’s northwestern tip, Porto Moniz is best known for its natural seawater pools, which were formed by the cooling of volcanic lava and are filled daily by the rising tide. You can bathe in their warm waters as Atlantic waves lap against the rocks, taking in views of the cliffs rearing on each side and the ocean beyond. Once you’ve finished in the pools, you could ride a cable car down the cliffs to a pebble beach below.

Pico do Arieiro

The island’s third highest peak at 1,818 m (5,695 feet) tall, Pico do Arieiro is also known as the Stairway to Heaven. Here, you can climb a steep staircase to Madeira’s rooftop, a rocky outcrop that reaches to the sky.

Pico do Arieiro’s summit above the clouds is also a picturesque perch for a picnic, and we can arrange for you to breakfast here at sunrise. The early start is more than worth it for the views and to have the mountain seemingly to yourself.

Subtropical forests and gardens

Long called the “Garden Isle”, Madeira is blanketed in a deep, living green. The UNESCO-listed Madeira National Park covers much of the island and is filled with endemic flora and fauna, including the world’s largest surviving primary laurel forest.

Meanwhile, Madeira’s capital is home to two botanical gardens, including Monte Tropical Gardens, a vast estate above Funchal. Here, you’ll discover 100,000 species of plants, along with waterfalls, grottoes, follies, free-roaming peacocks, and black swans gliding across crystal-clear lakes.

Best time to visit Madeira

Madeira is blessed with a subtropical climate, and the island experiences consistently warm temperatures, making it a year-round haven for outdoor explorers. Our specialists recommend visiting in May, June, or September, when the waters surrounding the island are at their warmest, and both the hiking trails and beaches are quieter.