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Madeira Island Travel Guide: Where to Stay and What to Do

Pace: balanced Lush Dramatic Relaxed Charming
Ideal trip length
5–10 days
Busiest
Jun-Sep

Updated September 2026

Madeira Island

About Madeira Island

Funchal Cable Car to Monte frames Madeira Island, Portugal’s subtropical volcanic island, known for levada walks, mountain scenery and wine.

Funchal is the natural base for seeing the island, with the Old Town, cable car to Monte and coastal boat trips close at hand. Island outings follow irrigation channels through lush valleys, reach the jagged summit of Pico do Arieiro and pause at Porto Moniz’s lava pools.

Funchal suits a stay centered on local food, including espetada, bolo do caco, poncha and black scabbard fish. Portuguese shapes daily life, while English is also widely understood in visitor areas.

Where to stay

Hotels in Madeira Island

Book direct on our own Madeira Island hotel pages — no booking fee.

Stay like a local in Madeira Island

Places to stay in Madeira Island

Best for

Ranked by verified guest score, then stars. Based on 564 of 602 hotels with verified data.

Best for families

Family rooms listed · 42 hotels qualify

  1. Albatroz Beach & Yacht Club9.6/10 · 156 reviews · 5-star
  2. Quinta Vale Vitis9.5/10 · 217 reviews · 4-star
  3. The Cliff Bay - PortoBay9.4/10 · 288 reviews · 5-star
  4. Quinta da Casa Branca - Small Luxury Hotels of the World9.4/10 · 167 reviews · 5-star
  5. Atrio9.3/10 · 131 reviews · 4-star

Best for drivers

Free parking · 33 hotels qualify

  1. Apartments Vista Oceano9.7/10 · 126 reviews · 4-star
  2. Number 15 Ocean & City View Villas9.6/10 · 115 reviews · 4-star
  3. Vila Marta9.6/10 · 141 reviews · 3-star
  4. Casas da Levada9.4/10 · 152 reviews · 4-star
  5. Aqua Natura Bay9.2/10 · 647 reviews · 4-star

Best for a pool

Swimming pool listed · 67 hotels qualify

  1. Madeira Sunset Cottage - Nature Retreat9.3/10 · 128 reviews · 4-star
  2. Solar da Bica9.2/10 · 178 reviews · 3-star
  3. Hotel Porto Santa Maria - PortoBay-Adults Only9.1/10 · 172 reviews · 4-star
  4. Colina Da Faja9.1/10 · 167 reviews · 4-star
  5. Pestana Fisherman Village9.1/10 · 135 reviews · 4-star

Madeira Island at a glance

Check-in / check-out
4:00 PM / 10:00 AM
Free parking
184 of 248 hotels (74%)
Pool
278 of 564 hotels
Climate
Subtropical
Languages
Portuguese and English
Local currency
EUR (EUR)
Local time
(GMT+0)
Ideal trip length
5–10 days
Cost level
3 of 5 · our research
Suggested area to stay
Funchal
Tap water
Generally described as safe to drink
Tipping
Optional, appreciated

History, culture and food in Madeira Island

History

95 · Outstanding

Culture

90 · Outstanding

Food

90 · Outstanding

Family 80 · Very good

Our own 0–100 ratings for this one destination. They describe a city; they are not a league table of cities.

Food to try

Espetada Bolo do Caco Poncha Black Scabbard Fish

Hotel facts in Madeira Island

Based on 564 of 602 hotels with verified data.

Hotels that listHotelsShare
Free parkingof hotels with verified parking184 of 24874%
Swimming pool278 of 56449%
24-hour front desk89 of 56416%
Facilities for disabled guests85 of 56415%
Family rooms53 of 5649%
Breakfast availablefree or paid depends on the rate7 of 5641%
Kitchen or kitchenette98 of 56417%
Airport shuttle1 free172 of 56430%

Pools and room sizes by star rating

StarsPoolStandard room
2-star8 of 4414 m²usually 12 m²–20 m² · 7 hotels
3-star42 of 15618 m²usually 16 m²–24 m² · 20 hotels
4-star199 of 32223 m²usually 20 m²–30 m² · 40 hotels
5-star15 of 1830 m²usually 29 m²–42 m² · 9 hotels

When to visit Madeira Island

How good each month is here, on this destination's own scale. It compares months within this city, never one city against another.

Best months: May, June and September Busiest: Jun-Sep
  1. Jan
    35

    Christmas and New Year Festivities

  2. Feb
    37

    Madeira Carnival

  3. Mar
    35

    Madeira Carnival

  4. Apr
    49

    Madeira Flower Festival

  5. May
    66

    Madeira Flower Festival

  6. Jun
    66

    Atlantic Festival

  7. Jul
    47

    Hot, dry

  8. Aug
    54

    Madeira Wine Festival

  9. Sep
    66

    Madeira Wine Festival

  10. Oct
    53

    Madeira Nature Festival

  11. Nov
    30

    Mild, rainier

  12. Dec
    43

    Christmas and New Year Festivities

Things to do in Madeira Island

7 places worth your time, grouped by when they are at their best.

Best in the morning

3 places

Hike a Levada Trail

Across the island 4 hours

Outdoors Good for children

Summit Pico do Arieiro

Central Mountains 2.5 hours

Outdoors Good for children

Wander Funchal Old Town

Funchal 3 hours

Outdoors Good for children

Best in the afternoon

2 places

Ride Funchal Cable Car to Monte

Funchal 3 hours

Outdoors Good for children

Go Whale & Dolphin Watching

Funchal Coast 3 hours

Outdoors Good for children

Best in the evening

1 place

Savor Poncha & Local Food

Funchal 1.5 hours

Indoors

Any time of day

1 place

Swim at Porto Moniz Pools

Porto Moniz 2 hours

Outdoors Good for children

Before you go to Madeira Island

Our own ratings and notes on eating out, signature experiences, who the city suits and planning ahead.

Eating out

Espetada 95 · Outstanding
Bolo Do Caco 87 · Outstanding
Poncha 78 · Very good
Black Scabbard Fish 70 · Good

Signature experiences

Hike A Levada Trail 95 · Outstanding
Ride Funchal Cable Car To Monte 91 · Outstanding
Summit Pico Do Arieiro 87 · Outstanding
Go Whale & Dolphin Watching 83 · Very good
Wander Funchal Old Town 78 · Very good
Swim At Porto Moniz Pools 74 · Good
Savor Poncha & Local Food 70 · Good

Who it suits

Couples 95 · Outstanding
Families 87 · Outstanding
Adventure 78 · Very good
Nature 70 · Good

Planning tips

Rent a car to explore the island's diverse landscapes. 95 · Outstanding
Pack layers; weather can change quickly, especially in the mountains. 83 · Very good
Try a traditional Poncha from a local bar. 70 · Good

Ratings and recommendations are curated from local travel data.

Near Madeira Island

Straight-line distance from the centre of Madeira Island.

Frequently asked questions about Madeira Island

How many places to stay are there in Madeira Island?

There are 600+ hotels, apartments and other places to stay in Madeira Island. They include 66 hotels and 170+ apartments.

When is the peak season in Madeira Island?

The peak season in Madeira Island is Jun-Sep.

Which area is a good base in Madeira Island?

The travel guide suggests staying in Funchal when visiting Madeira Island.

How many hotels in Madeira Island have free parking?

184 of the 248 hotels in Madeira Island with verified parking details list free parking (74%). 52 charge for parking.

What is the usual check-in time at hotels in Madeira Island?

4:00 PM at 281 of the 500 hotels with a verified check-in time. The next most common time is 3:00 PM (103 hotels).

What time is check-out at hotels in Madeira Island?

10:00 AM at 300 of 509 hotels with a verified check-out time; 12:00 PM at 101.

How many hotels in Madeira Island have a pool?

278 of 564 hotels with verified data list a swimming pool.