What’s up guys, my name is Abdul Raheem and I recently returned from exploring the magical island of Madeira, located in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast and part of Portugal.
From the enchanting cloud forest of Finale to the jagged peaks of Pico do Areeiro, Madeira is waiting to be experienced. In this blog, I want to share with you my Top 8 Must Visit Places in Madrid.
These are the top 8 must visit places in Madrid:
- Ponta do Sol
- Ponta de São Lourenço
- Cabo Girão
- Funchal Old Town
- Pico de Arriero
- Miradouro do Nito Damanta
- Pico du Gato
- Pico Ruivo
1. Ponta do Sol
Let’s start with my favorite beach area on Madeira, Ponta do Sol. This beautiful town reminded me of Italy’s Amalfi Coast. The beach there wasn’t sandy, instead, it had smooth rocks and the swimming was spectacular in the crystal-clear waters.
The main reason I wanted to go here was to do some cliff jumping. On the east side, there’s a pier area with a super cool arch bridge and some little cliffs to jump off. The water felt so nice and it was such an enjoyable spot to relax on the beach and enjoy the sunset.
Anaho Waterfall Just a kilometer away from Ponta do Sol is the Anaho Waterfall. What makes it unique is that it cascades onto the old coaster road, so it’s definitely worth a visit. Plus, you might get a free car wash!
Ponta do Pargo Located on the westernmost point of the island, about a 30-minute drive from Ponte do Sol, there’s this incredible lookout area and a scenic lighthouse. What I really liked about the area was its cliffs that dive straight into the ocean on both sides. It was a beautiful spot and a great place to watch the sunset.
2. Ponta de São Lourenço
Located on the easternmost side of the island, Ponta de São Lourenço is a really unique shaped peninsula with some bizarre rock formations and dramatic cliffs. During the wet season, the peninsula is covered in beautiful green vegetation, but during the summer, it gets more dry and has this brown and reddish color.
There are plenty of hiking paths you can wander on, and a really nice lookout point that you can drive to is the Miradouro Mechanical. You’ll get phenomenal views of the cliffs and rock formations in the sea. It’s also a spectacular place to visit for sunrise, as long as it’s not too cloudy.
3. Cabo Girão
Located about 20 minutes from Funchal, Cabo Girao is this Miradouro that overlooks one of the highest sea cliffs in the world that dives down 580 meters. It’s just wild how huge the cliffs are. You can stand on this glass platform and look below.
It’s free to visit, and I think during the peak season they charge like 50 cents. It’s definitely worth a visit, especially if you’re in Funchal.
4. Funchal Old Town
Funchal Old Town is a must-visit spot for anyone traveling to Madeira. This charming area is filled with colorful houses, narrow cobblestone streets, and quaint cafes. Take a stroll and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of this historic town.
Levada Walks Madeira is famous for its Levada walks, which are narrow water channels built to distribute water across the island. These walks offer breathtaking views of the island’s natural beauty and are a great way to explore the island’s flora and fauna.
5. Pico de Arriero
Now, after exploring some of the best spots on Madeira, it’s time to visit my absolute favorite place on the island – Pico de Arriero. I love this spot so much that I’ve visited it four times now. Located about a 40-minute drive from Funchal, Pico de Arriero is the third-highest point on the island with an elevation of 1818 meters, which is impressive considering how small Madeira is.
One of the things that make Pico de Arriero so special is that it’s so high up that you’ll often be in or above the clouds, creating the most epic landscape. And the best part is that you don’t need to hike to reach it, you can drive a car to the top and from there, go explore the mountains.
6. Miradouro do Nito Damanta.
I was surprised at how well-maintained the trail was. It’s a stone path with car wires for the majority of the way, which is so nice. If you hike for about 15 minutes, you’ll reach the first lookout point called the Miradouro do Nito Damanta.
The views there are just absolutely incredible. It has a phenomenal vantage point, and we went up here for sunrise and sunset, and both were amazing. I’d say sunset was my favorite because there were hardly any people up there, and we basically had the whole place to ourselves. It felt like a dream up there with the clouds and the setting sun.
7. Pico du Gato
If you like rocks and geology, you’ll be in heaven up here. Madeira was created by a massive volcano, giving it such a unique-looking landscape. Evidence of the island’s volcanic origins are all around, especially up here. I was blown away by the dramatic peaks and distinctive reddish and orange colors of the stone.
There was this one peak called Pico du Gato that was my favorite. It’s this jagged pinnacle that’s perfectly placed in between two other mountains and just made for some of the most epic scenery I’ve ever witnessed, especially with the blanket of clouds beneath it. It was just so fabulous up there.
8. Pico Ruivo
The last place from our list of 8 Must Visit Places in Madrid is Pico Ruivo. If you’re really up for an adventure, you can make the trek to Pico Ruivo, the highest point on the island with an elevation of 1861 meters.
From Pico Arriero, it’s about a 12-kilometer hike round trip, so it’s definitely a challenge. Another option is to drive up to the Achata to Tesheria parking lot and make the 5-kilometer round trip hike to Pico Ruivo.
Conclusion
So, that’s it for my Madeira Top 8 Must Visit Places. Let me know where your loving place is. We came here for sunset, and it was one of my favorite memories from the trip. We were racing up the trail to get as high as we could before it got dark.
There was a sea of clouds beneath us that just went on forever, and it was such a surreal landscape that I’ll never forget. It gave me such a rush, and it was such a good reminder of why I love traveling. I just love this island so much.