Madeira 2022: My Favourite Attractions

As well as various walking and hiking opportunities mentioned in my previous blog, the island caters for everyone. If the exploring in the outdoors isn't your cup of tea, then there's a whole host of other activities you can get up to. A full list of what I did in Madeira can be found in my travel summary post, but this blog will focus on a shortlist of my favourite attractions.

Porto Moniz

Porto Moniz is a small town located on the northwestern tip of Madeira. It is surrounded by the mountains and is neighbours with the dramatic Atlantic Ocean. The main attraction here is the unique lava pools, which are filled by the rising tide and provide a sheltered area from the open ocean for safe swimming.

These are black basalt pools, made from volcanic rock that was once in the form of lava. On one side you'll find the calm waters of the lava pools, and the other the Atlantic waves were battering the rocks, often splashing over into the pools. You are able to swim in these pools for a small fee, and there is space around them to sit if the water looks too chilly for you! When we went, I must admit the water was quite cold, but it was an amazing experience - providing a nice contrast from the well-kept, tidy swimming pools found in the resorts all over the island. One thing to note is that the floor of the pools is made of the basalt rock too, which is slippery and sharp, so my advice would be to not place you feet down in the deeper sections of water. There was also some aquatic life that we saw in the pool, which was cool.

If you're coming to Porto Moniz (and chances are that you'll be staying somewhere on the south of the island), I'd recommend that you pair this with another of my attraction picks - Seixal Beach.

Seixal Beach

Remember how I mentioned earlier that Madeira is a volcanic island? One of the characteristics that this brings to the north of the island is a stunning natural black sand beach - Seixal Beach. Located next to Seixal Harbour, when we visited it was surprisingly not full of tourists, making it a great place to have a picnic and relax. The beach is accompanied by the huge green cliffs in the background, and also has toilet & showering facilities nearby should you need to use them.

Parking is limited and a short walk away. Seixal Beach is very close to Porto Moniz, so whilst I was on the island we grouped all the things we wanted to do in the northwest and got them done in a single day. If you hire a car, Madeira is super easy to get around with it's well maintained road network. Speaking of 4 wheeled objects, that brings me on to my next pick of activity.

Go-Karting

Yup, I know what you're thinking. Probably you weren't expecting one of my recommendations to be a go kart track if you're visiting Madeira. But I had a great time on it! The Faial Go-kart track is 1,040m in length and is in the north of the island. It is surrounded by beautiful scenery, situated in the middle of a valley.

I had never tried go-karting before, so was keen to give it a go. It was great! This is an activity I would recommend to those who like an adrenaline rush, driving or just to have some fun. When we went, we ended up having the entire track to ourselves, and it wasn't busy at all. The price for a 15-minute session is 17 euros, comparable (if not cheaper) than the price you pay in the UK. We decided to book 2 15 minute sessions as we enjoyed it so much, and the staff were friendly and helpful during our visit.

Funchal

The capital city of Madeira has lots to see and do. Located on the south coast of the island, it is likely that where you're staying won't be too far from Funchal.

The city is nestled into a giant natural amphitheatre, with the mountains ascending inland, and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. It is a popular harbour for cruise ships, with the harbour right in the middle of the city. The waterfront is great for walks or runs and following it takes you into the heart of the city.

If you're into your football, the Cristiano Ronaldo CR7 museum is located next to the harbour, and for 5 euros you can see the medals, trophies and achievements of this iconic football player. If you're a football (or specifically CR7!) fan, I would recommend to go. There's not a whole lot to see in there beyond his trophies, so this can be done in an hour. There are also other museums in the city, but we didn't visit any on our trip.

Funchal is small enough that you can get around by foot, through the windy streets that are well built for pedestrians. Towards the older part of town, you'll find the Farmers' Market, a haven for fresh produce and souvenirs. The market is located in a building which has two floors - the fruit and veg are downstairs, and on the floor above are various bars and food places to try. It's worth a look around if you're passing by, although I've heard that the prices are often hiked up for tourists in the market as a heads up.

Funchal is also great for simply having a wander around and taking in the sights. Filled with plenty of bars, restaurants and beautiful architecture, there's something for all. During the evenings the city remains busy, with al fresco dining a popular option. When visiting Funchal also felt really safe, so we had no security issues when walking back to our hotel late at night.

I hope the above blog as provided you with the other side of the coin of Madeira, and that there's plenty of things to do alongside all the hiking! We tried to do a mix of activities, and found that was the best way to try a bit of everything the island has to offer.

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