Madeira
Unfortunately, we had such a short time in Madeira there was so much we did not get to do everything that we wanted. If we went back we would rent a place outside of Funchal and rent a car so we had more flexibility to explore places on the island.
Although our time was so short, there were some major highlights from our quick trip.
Explore Funchal
There is so much to do and see in Funchal. Most of the major hot spots in Madeira are within walking distance of Funchal. And if they are not, it is a great central place to hop on some transportation to take you to where you want to go. I definitely recommend staying here if it is your first time visiting Madeira or you do not rent a car during your trip.
Ride the Funchal Cable Car
Walk over to the Funchal Cable Car and see the city from above. The cable car takes you almost 2 miles to the Jardim Gardens. Tickets cost 18 euros round trip to ride. When we went, there was not many people so we had the chance to ride the cable car by ourselves and enjoy the sounds, sights and views from above.
Explore Old Town
Walk through the Old Town of Funchal and experience the many restaurants and cozy alleyways it has to offer. We ended up finding a spot for dinner here and sat out in the alleyway. It is super picturesque and has the own town vibe feel. Even if you just walk through it, it is worth to have on your list.
Catch the Sunrise & Hike Pico de Arriero
This was one of the main highlights of my visit to Madeira. We arranged for a tour via Air Bnb which picked us up at our hotel, transported us to the hike location and took us home when the time was up. Unfortunately, the more popular hike Pico de Arriero was closed due to a recent landslide so we had to hike Pico Ruvio. The views were amazing and the sunrise from above the clouds were spectacular.
Spend an Afternoon at Churchill Bay
This is the infamous location on Winston Churchill’s painting of Madeira. This is also known as the fishing district of Madeira. There are some great water view restaurants to sit out and enjoy some tapas and an Aperol Spritz.
Walk Through Mercado do Lavradores
The Mercado do Lavradores is a must see destination if you are visiting Funchal. This is the farmer’s market located in the centre of Funchal. One thing we learned when visiting the market was to NOT buy the fruit.. it is super overpriced and targets tourists. We learned that the hard way when we paid 8 euros for a mango! Even though it was delicious it was not worth that much. Besides the high prices, it is worth it to walk through and see all the beautiful colors of fruit and spices that Madeira has to offer.
Check out the Viewpoint at Cabo Girão
Cabo Girão is definitely the most beautiful cliff in Madeira. We were not able to get super close to this cliff because it was far from our hotel without transportation and we were short on time.. BUT the second it’s into view its hard to look away from. The sheer size of this cliff is just breathtaking. There is a skywalk with a glass floor that you mayyy want to avoid if you don’t like heights. It is free to check out the viewpoint and the skywalk. If you are not able to get to Pico Ruvio for the sunrise, this is a second best viewpoint option in Madeira.
Swim in the Madeira Waters
Since we visited Madeira in February, the water temps were still rather chilly. If you don’t mind a little bit of polar plunge, this is a must. On our last day we walked out on the rocks to a little beach area and Sean jumped into the water for a swim. If you have the time to get to Sexial Beach or Doco Do Cavacas these are some even better options for swimming in Madeira. The only complaint about where we swam was the beach was entirely rocks so it was tricky getting in and out of the water. Wear your water shoes!
Lisbon
Eat at Timeout Market
The Timeout Market place was a nice first night introduction to visiting Lisbon. Even though this is a popular spot in the US, there were SO many Portugese specific options that looked amazing. It was hard to narrow it down to what we wanted for dinner. Appetizers, meals, desserts, drinks, endless choices. We settled on a cheese and meat board and some aperol spritz! It is also perfect for grab and go options.
Visit the Lx Factory
The Lx Factory is a major tourist hub in Lisbon. Everyone we talked to recommended us to check it out. My favorite part? The book store. Also, don’t miss the little store that sells every different type of sardine can you can imagine. It was a little pricey but I brought some home for my family to try!
Belem Tower & The Jereonimos Monistary
Both of these tourists spots were superrr busy when we went to check out so we opted out of the tour and just viewed them from the outside. The tour for sure would have been cool but it was over an hour wait and we didn’t plan that portion ahead. Ooops, oh well! If you are a history buff or just into this type of history, be sure to add it on your list ahead of time so you can book a tour.
Walk Rainbow Road
Rainbow Road is a short street with a lot of bars and restaurants. If you have googled Lisbon before you probably have seen images of umbrellas hanging up above in a street, this is on Rainbow Road. It is a popular spot for an Instagram photo!
Book a Food Tour
We ended up booking a food tour in the neighborhood of Alfarma. This was one of our favorite activities we did of the entire trip. It allowed us to explore a neighborhood we hadn’t spent any time in yet and have a little bit more information on the foods custom to the Portugese culture. It also was an opportunity to meet some new people from different parts of the world. A food tour is a must for your Lisboa visit. This is another thing I would try to book in advance.
Explore the City on Foot
One thing you will learn QUICK is how hilly and how many steps there are walking through Lisbon. It is basically guaranteed that you will break out a sweat walking anywhere in Lisbon. It is stilll definitely an accessible city on foot, just make sure you pack comfortable shoes!!
Book a Last Minute Tuk Tuk Tour
This was a perfect rainy day activity! Since we had a super rainy afternoon, we did a tuk tuk tour which still allowed us to see the city and stay dry. We booked ours through the Air Bnb app and were able to learn a lot about the history of Lisbon during the tour. This was a last minute booking so if you’re unsure about it you don’t have to book ahead of time.
& If you have more time...
Ride a tram
Take a sailing tour
Wine Tour
Day trip to Porto or Cascais
