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Caption: MADEIRA Portugal
Picture of Pico del Arieiro
Caption: It’s worth the 5 a.m. wake up call for an adventurous ride to the top of Madeira’s highest peaks for the day’s first spark of sunshine. Discovery Island leads early-morning Jeep tours, climbing nearly 6,000 feet from Funchal above the clouds to panoramic lookout points including Pico do Arieiro, São Roque do Faial, and Ponta São Lourenço for the sunrise. Learn more about this experience here. Portugal MADEIRA
Picture of Caminho Real 23
Caption: Nicknamed, “The Pearl of the Atlantic,” Madeira’s allure is endless. I spent a week on this island, exhaustively exploring its beauty from sea level to peaks, and I barely scratched the surface. See things to do in Madeira.
Picture of Madeira Cablecar
Caption: The views from here are the most striking on the island: The northern coastline is dotted with wildflowers and has the largest swells crashing onto the shore. (I know I keep going on about the views, but you will too after you come here.) To access the village, board the Achaeas Da Cruz cable car, and take a deep breath.
Picture of Natural public swimming pool
Caption: The village on the northwestern tip of the island, Porto Moniz, offers one of Madeira’s most striking gems. Seaside pools formed by volcanic lava are filled with the crystal-clear seawater from the surf break and rising tide. The pools are popular among locals and tourists alike, so arrive early to swim, explore, snorkel, and snag a spot among the rock formations while the waves crash. More about this place.
Picture of Funchal
Caption: Unlike Madeira’s wild and dramatic coastline, Funchal feels more like mainland Portugal. Centrally located off the harbor, the city is nestled in a natural amphitheater of mountains with pristinely clean streets laid out in swirling calçada Portuguesa, traditional black-and-white tiled pavements, and the perfume of warm pastéis de nata, Portuguese custard tarts, wafting along the cafes. Learn more about Funchal.
Picture of Maktub Pub
Caption: For the best mojito, sunset, and taste of the island’s surf culture, head to the pub in Calheta on the southern shore for freshly caught fish paired with a simple, no-frills yet delicious sides of locally grown sweet potatoes, rice, and beans.
Picture of Belmond Reid's Palace
Caption: A destination for timeless elegance, the iconic pink palace on Funchal’s cliffside has been welcoming guests for over 130 years, before there were accessible roads on the island. Europe’s glitterati used to be ferried on wooden schooners from the main port to the oceanside concierge.
Picture of Véu-da-noiva
Caption: Wine and waterfalls. Those were the first words that came out of my speechless mouth after returning from Madeira. More ideas on what to see and do in Madeira.
Picture of Madeira Gardens
Caption: Grab a ticket for Funchal’s cable car that takes you to the high-elevation civil parish of Monte, with views of the city’s swooping hills, farms, orange-roof homes, and deep blue sea. At the top, Monte Palace Tropical is home to an exotic plant collection from all over the world along with happy peacocks and swans that frolic in the central lake.