2 days in Madeira

Day by day

1. Day 1: Mercado dos Lavradores and Rua de Santa Maria and the Old Town

   Mercado dos Lavradores, Rua de Santa Maria and the Old Town, Monte cable car and toboggan ride and Cabo Girão, then Funchal Old Town in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Mercado dos Lavradores

      Funchal's 1940 Art Deco market hall has azulejo tile panels at its entrance, a courtyard of flower sellers in traditional dress, stalls of tropical fruit such as custard apple and passion-fruit varieties, and a fish hall where black scabbardfish and tuna are laid out each morning.

   2. Late morning

      Rua de Santa Maria and the Old Town

      It ends at the yellow Fortaleza de São Tiago, a 17th-century fort on the seafront, with a pebble beach and sea-swimming spot beside it.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Espetada

      Traditional restaurants in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos and Santo da Serra are known for it, as well as many places in Funchal.

   4. Afternoon

      Monte cable car and toboggan ride

      From near the Church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, where Emperor Charles I of Austria is buried, wicker toboggans steered by two drivers in straw hats slide about 2 km down the steep streets towards Livramento.

   5. Late afternoon

      Cabo Girão

      One of Europe's highest sea cliffs, Cabo Girão drops about 580 metres to the ocean, with a glass-floored skywalk at the top looking straight down onto terraced fields called fajãs at the foot of the cliff.

   6. Evening

      Funchal Old Town

      Rua de Santa Maria and the surrounding lanes fill with restaurant terraces and small bars until around midnight.

2. Day 2: Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike and Monte Palace Tropical Garden

   Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike, Monte Palace Tropical Garden, Madeira Botanical Garden and Funchal Cathedral, then Funchal marina and centre in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike

      Sunrise at Arieiro, often above a sea of clouds, is a popular early start.

   2. Late morning

      Monte Palace Tropical Garden

      A museum in the grounds displays minerals and African stone sculpture.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Black scabbardfish with banana

      Almost every restaurant on the island; the fish itself is on display at the Mercado dos Lavradores fish hall.

   4. Afternoon

      Madeira Botanical Garden

      A second cable car links it to Monte across the valley.

   5. Late afternoon

      Funchal Cathedral

      Inside, its carved and inlaid ceiling of native Madeiran cedar and a gilded altarpiece contrast with the plain white exterior.

   6. Evening

      Funchal marina and centre

      Bars and a handful of clubs near the marina and Avenida do Mar, busier at weekends.

Before you go

• Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike: Mountain trails close after storms, landslides or fires and some now require online registration; check the official trail status before you go.

If it rains

• Swap in Blandy's Wine Lodge (Funchal): Book a guided tour with tasting to see the cask lodge; the walk-in tasting room alone misses the best part.
• Swap in CR7 Museum (Funchal): It takes under an hour; combine it with a walk along the marina and the seafront gardens.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 15–18 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10 hours in December to 14.3 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Car. A hire car is the easiest way to reach trailheads, viewpoints and the north coast.

More or fewer days

• One day in Madeira
• 3 days in Madeira
• 5 days in Madeira

Questions travellers ask