Welcome! Pick up your luggage and rental car at the airport, and you're ready to hit the road. Either head straight for your first adventure or check into your accommodation and wait until tomorrow to start exploring.

⚠️IMPORTANT: Most trails marked with PR require a pre-booked entry. The most popular routes often sell out well in advance, so be sure to purchase and book as early as possible. Entry is not possible without a reservation. You can find all information regarding open/closed levadas and their current status on the official websites, which I recommend monitoring: Visitmadeira and Timesofmadeira. Also, check the webcam link to see the current weather on-site.

You can pay for all levada entries or paid viewpoints here.

This is the perfect spot where teenagers' jaws will drop instantly and they'll snap some killer photos. A lookout point that will blow you away with its two glass walkways extending freely out over the sea.

A natural volcanic beach. This part of the bay has kept its original character with dark volcanic sand and black pebbles, and it's protected by a breakwater. The water here is warmer than on the open coast.

This 7.5 km long circular route takes you into a wild valley. Its biggest adventure is a 200m long tunnel, pitch black, where your little ones can finally pull out their phones, but only to use them as flashlights. The path there follows Levada do Moinho - often marked as Levada Mill on maps - and you return via Levada Nova, where, besides the tunnel, a stunning waterfall falling directly over the path awaits you.

• Route here . 

This giant statue of Jesus is steeped in a dark history - a long time ago, before cemeteries were built on the island, dead bodies of people who were not of the Catholic faith were thrown from this cliff directly into the sea.

Just below the summit, a path begins that leads along a narrow ridge and steep stairs, so when the mist rolls in, you feel as if you are walking through the air straight into the sky. The Zino's petrel nests in the surrounding cliffs. 

There is a small viewing platform built here with a railing above a deep, forested valley. You can feed the birds here.

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It's the main, largest, and liveliest city in Madeira; it has a unique vibe because it combines TikTok trends, football, and a real adrenaline rush. No boring buses here—they'll send you racing down from Monte hill on a wicker toboggan along the regular asphalt road.

For your trip, just take a shorter part of it, as the whole thing is 46 km long. My favorite section starts right in the town of Camacha and leads along the levada heading east toward the ER206 road. The route is 3.9 km long in one direction and takes about 2 hours of leisurely walking. It leads through a pleasant landscape between local villages, small fields, and gardens. Once you reach the end at the road, I recommend heading back the same way. 

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A sprawling market full of exotic fruits, vegetables, flowers, and fish. A major warning to avoid a tourist trap! Local vendors are extremely crafty. They'll let you taste the sweetest fruit for free, but once you buy some, they'll charge you an outrageous price. Just take photos of the fruit and do your shopping at the supermarket next door.

The museum is full of trophies, football boots, medals, signed jerseys, Golden Balls, souvenirs, letters, family photos, and cups. The museum is named CR7 - CR for the player's initials, and 7 for his jersey number. 

• Link for tickets here.

Area of 3.6 hectares. A charming city park full of blooming plants, trees from all over the world, and grassy areas perfect for relaxing. In the middle, you will find a large lake with swans and a fountain. There is also a playground on the premises.

Steep cliffs and the wild Atlantic. The name Boca do Risco translates to "dangerous ridge". The whole route is 12.5 km long and the path is quite rugged in places, so please be extra careful. The ocean views are definitely worth it.

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The cliff has an artificial viewing platform that is glass-floored, so you can see the terraced fields and waves crashing against the rocks beneath your feet.

• Find more information here.

A waterfall that falls directly onto the road. You can swim under it, but watch out, it's dangerous! The falling water can bring rocks down with it. It falls straight onto the ER 101 road and flows into the sea below.

This trail is extremely popular, so I recommend arriving before 9 a.m. It is lined with overhanging trees, there is a small lake at the end, and the total round trip is approximately 10 km. A breathtaking rock amphitheater where 25 smaller and larger springs and waterfalls flow into a clear pool.

From this trail, you can easily turn onto the parallel levada to Risco. At the very end, you'll see a magnificent waterfall, Risco, falling from a high rock face.

Because the trail is characterized by high humidity, shady sections, and occasional water dripping from rock walls directly onto the path, the terrain is often wet and muddy, so sturdy, waterproof footwear is essential.

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This laurel forest is up to 600 years old, the trees are covered in moss and bent into all sorts of shapes, and it's not true that you only have to be here in the fog; the forest is mysterious and mystical even without it!  

Spanning 7 hectares, you can see Madeiran flora as well as plants from other parts of the world; the garden's purpose is to preserve rare plant species.

• Link to the garden's website and admission fees.

This headland lies near the town of Machico and offers a view of a semi-arid, barren landscape. A maintained trail will lead you all the way to the top of Pico do Furado. This very steep route ends here definitively, and beyond that, there is only a sheer drop into the water. From here, you can see the rest of the peninsula - the islet of Ilhéu da Cevada and the islet of Ilhéu do Farol. There is no place to hide from the sun or strong winds on the hike, so sunscreen and plenty of water are a must.

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These houses are interesting in that they originally didn't have solid foundations and could be dismantled and moved to another location once the cattle had grazed the grass. A Madeiran mobile home long before it was cool.

The starting point is at the Achada do Teixeira parking lot; this route is the shortest and least demanding, but the 3 km trek will still give you a workout. A well-maintained path alternates with stairs.

• Route here.

The waterfall is located on the road between Seixal and Porto Moniz, on the northern coast of Madeira. It falls from a high cliff directly into the Atlantic Ocean. The name translates to "Bride's Veil".

A picturesque, 60m high waterfall on the wild northern coast. It flows through rocky cliffs between the towns of Sao Vicente and Seixal, right along the main ER 101 road, from where it is perfectly visible.

A town with natural volcanic rock pools formed by ocean water flooding ancient lava formations. The depth is up to 2 m, and concrete stairs make access easy.

This viewpoint is located right on the runway and offers a fascinating view of planes taking off and landing with the ocean in the background. Be at the airport at least 2 hours before your departure.

One last tip: Before you return the car to the rental agency, don't forget to fill up the tank. Gas stations right at the Santa Cruz airport tend to be more expensive, so fill up a few kilometers earlier along the highway.