5 best day trips from Madeira

Day trips compared

The day trips

75 km · About 2 hours 15 minutes by ferry

1.Porto Santo

Madeira's small, dry neighbour has a 9-km golden-sand beach that Madeira itself lacks, and the house in Vila Baleira where Christopher Columbus is said to have lived. A day trip is possible in summer, but an overnight stay is more relaxed.

Getting there

Lobo Marinho ferry from Funchal, or a short flight

Best for

Beach, Families, Couples

40 km · About 1 hour 30 minutes each way by boat

2.Desertas Islands

These uninhabited islands south-east of Madeira are a nature reserve protecting one of the last colonies of Mediterranean monk seals. Full-day boat trips land at Deserta Grande's ranger station when sea conditions allow, often seeing dolphins on the way.

Getting there

Licensed boat tour from Funchal or Machico

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays

15 km · About 30 minutes by car or bus

3.Curral das Freiras

The 'Nuns' Valley' is a village in a deep, almost circular valley ringed by peaks, where nuns once sheltered from pirate raids. The Eira do Serrado viewpoint above gives the best view, and the village is known for chestnut cakes and liqueurs.

Getting there

Car, taxi or regional bus from Funchal

Best for

First-timers, Quiet stays, Families

45 km · About 1 hour by car

4.Rabaçal and the 25 Fontes

From the Rabaçal car park, levada paths descend into a green valley to the Risco waterfall and the 25 Fontes, a pool fed by many small cascades. It is one of the island's most popular walks, so start early.

Getting there

Car or taxi to Rabaçal on the Paul da Serra plateau

Best for

Families, Couples

40 km · About 45 minutes by car

5.São Vicente and Seixal

On the north coast, São Vicente has lava tube caves and a volcanism centre, and the nearby village of Seixal has a black sand beach and natural pools beneath green cliffs and waterfalls.

Getting there

Car via the tunnels north from Ribeira Brava

Best for

Families, Quiet stays, Beach

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Yellow city buses cover Funchal and its hills, and regional bus companies connect Funchal with towns across the island, though services to remote villages and trailheads are infrequent.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask