Madeira is a Portuguese island in the middle of the Atlantic, with green mountains dropping into the sea. Its capital, Funchal, is easy to explore on foot from the port: the seafront promenade, the Sé (the cathedral, with its wooden ceiling and gilded altarpieces) and the streets of the centre. From the Zona Velha, the cable car to Monte takes about 15 minutes over red rooftops with the whole bay in view. At the top are the Nossa Senhora do Monte church, with its staircase and viewpoint, and the wicker toboggans (carros de cesto): wicker sledges that two drivers dressed in white steer down the street, a Funchal tradition.
1 day is enough for Funchal and Monte; with 3 days or more you add the rest of the island: clifftop viewpoints, trails along the levadas and villages on the north coast. Build your itinerary with AI: timings, transfers, a day map and an estimated budget in euros.
Tried-and-tested routes in Madeira, with their day-by-day itinerary.
How to make the most of a cruise stop in Madeira: walk from the port to the cable car, Monte and its viewpoint, the ride down in a wicker toboggan, the cathedral and back to the ship with time to spare. My real port day in Funchal, with timings.
