What to see in Madeira

Madeira
Considered one of the best islands in the world in 2015, Madeira can be defined as a small oasis in the middle of the Atlantic. And it is that it offers from spectacular natural landscapes to areas of immense historical value, through ingenious crops, majestic cliffs, natural pools and impressive beaches. Without a doubt, a place that is worth visiting at least once in your life.

If you are already more than convinced to travel to this wonderful Portuguese island, you cannot miss anything that comes next, since we are going to tell you about all the places you will have to visit . Would you like to join us?

Funchal

How could it be otherwise, we are going to start talking about Funchal, the capital of the island, where you can visit wonderful corners and enjoy a large number of activities . Thus, you cannot miss the port, the Lavradores Market, the Old Blandy’s Wine Lodge, the beautiful and picturesque Velh neighborhood, the Cathedral and the historical case. In addition, from here you can go on catamaran excursions to spot whales and seals.

Funchal

Cape Girão

Another must-see in Madeira is Cabo Girão, which is home to the highest cliff in Europe and the second in the world. We are talking about 600 meters high! As you can imagine, from here you can enjoy truly spectacular views , being able to contemplate the entire archipelago, with its multiple shades.

Cabo Girao

Porto Santo

If you travel to Madeira you cannot miss the opportunity to visit Porto Santo, an island that you can reach by ferry or plane. Here you will enjoy spectacular soft white sand beaches. The island offers all the comforts for tourists (hotels, restaurants, golf courses …), as well as numerous activities: horse riding, hiking, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing …

Porto Santo

Caves of São Vicente

Nor could the Grutas de São Vicente, a town located north of Madeira, be missing from this list. In fact, the caves are part of the Volcanic Center , which offers visitors from audiovisual demonstrations of the volcanic eruptions that gave rise to the island, to visits to beautiful gardens, as well as a tour of the caves, made up of lava tubes.

Grotto Sao Vicente

Towns and cities

In addition to Funchal, there are other urban centers that you should know, such as Machico , the second largest city on the island. Former capital of Madeira, it offers some of the best beaches in the entire territory. It is the perfect place to taste the exquisite gastronomy of the area. In addition, some buildings from the 15th century and a beautiful old lighthouse are preserved in good condition here. Nor can you miss Caniçal, a small fishing village; Camacha, a town famous for its wicker and basketry industry; Santana, a city that surprises with its traditional houses with a cane roof; and Cámara de Lobos, which houses one of the most important fishing ports.

Machico

Natural landscapes

As we mentioned at the beginning, one of the main reasons to visit Madeira is its natural landscapes. We have already told you about one of them, Cabo Girão , but we still have more places to propose, such as, for example, Pico de Arieiro, which, at 1,818 meters, is the third highest on the island, and offers impressive views . The first place is for Pico Ruivo, surrounded by a spectacular environment. Nor do we want to forget Boca da Encumeada, which is home to one of the most spectacular waterfalls on the entire island. And for scuba diving enthusiasts, nothing like the Garajau Nature Reserve. Finally, we want to recommend a visit to the natural pools of volcanic origin in Porto Moniz.