How many days in Funchal? 3, or 5+ for Madeira

People often mix up the question of Funchal with the question of Madeira. The city takes two days, and then you have seen what is in it. But hardly anyone flies about four hours from London to Madeira to stay by the harbour. So the short answer: 2 days for Funchal, 3 days with a mountain day, and 5 to 7 days if you actually want to hike. Funchal then stays your base, and you set off from here each morning.

How many days in Funchal at a glance

Day 1: the market and the painted doors

Start at the late 15th-century Cathedral with its carved and inlaid wooden ceiling. A few steps on is Blandy's Wine Lodge, in an old monastery building, where tours with tastings are best booked ahead. Late in the morning, go to the Mercado dos Lavradores, past tile pictures and fruit stalls, into the fish hall with its black scabbardfish.

Spend the afternoon in the Zona Velha. Artists have painted the doors along Rua de Santa Maria, and the yellow 17th-century Fortaleza de São Tiago stands at the far end of the old town. In the evening, walk along Avenida do Mar to the marina and watch the lights come on up the slope.

Day 2: Monte, and how you get back down

The cable car starts by the sea in the old town and rises over the roofs to Monte. An e-ticket lets you go straight to boarding. At the top, allow time for the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, a big hillside garden with ponds and old tile pictures. Charles I, the last Emperor of Austria, is buried in the white pilgrimage church of Nossa Senhora do Monte.

For the way back there are the wicker toboggans: two men in white with straw hats steer them down the steep road towards Livramento. They don't end in the centre, so allow for the rest of the way. In the evening, eat in the Zona Velha: espetada on a laurel skewer or scabbardfish, with bolo do caco. Some gardens and rides are listed as tickets and tours in Funchal^* on Tiqets.

Day 3: above the clouds, with a reservation

Pico do Areeiro is only 20 km and 32 minutes of pure driving from Funchal, and at the top you are often above the cloud layer. Sometimes, though, you are in the middle of fog while the sun shines below. Check the webcams early and keep the day flexible. Ribeiro Frio in the laurel forest is the natural next stop, followed by the short, flat path to Miradouro dos Balcões. Come back via Câmara de Lobos in the evening.

This is where something has changed that many older guides don't know about:

• Reservations since 1 January 2026: Visit Madeira says all classified PR trails must now be reserved online through the regional government's SIMplifica portal, even if you walk alone. You need an account and choose the trail, the date and a 30-minute entry slot.
• Fee: paid online when you book. Residents are exempt. Visit Madeira publishes the current amounts.
• PR1 Vereda do Areeiro: the ridge to Pico Ruivo has its own tiers. The there-and-back walk up to km 1.2 and the one-way route from Areeiro to Pico Ruivo are separate bookings, and the there-and-back ticket does not take you to Ruivo. Multi-trail passes don't cover PR1.

Walking a classified trail without a reservation can lead to a fine, says Visit Madeira. So book once your mountain day is set, and keep the booking on your phone.

Five to seven days: the island from Funchal

With more time, it is easiest to stay in Funchal and leave in the morning, because the island is small. Pure driving times:

Pure driving time from route calculation; allow about a third more, as mountain roads have many curves.

A rental car makes sense for these days, and Visit Madeira says expressways and main roads are free of tolls. You can find a rental car from Funchal^* on Economybookings. If you'd rather not drive, use taxis, Uber, Bolt or a guided tour; a mountain trip from Funchal^* (Klook) can cover it. Levadas such as PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes also need a reservation.

Where to stay

• Centre and Zona Velha: on foot from the market, cathedral and cable car, with plenty of restaurants. The right choice without a car.
• Hotel Zone (Lido): west of the centre on the coast, with a promenade and seawater pools, on foot or by bus into town.

Weather in Funchal

Averages 2015–2024 from the ERA5 reanalysis (via Open-Meteo) for Funchal, rounded.

These numbers apply to the south coast only. Visit Madeira notes that the north and the mountains are windier and wetter, so take a jacket up there even in July. The details are in the best time to visit Madeira.

From the airport into town

The airport is east of the city, 20 to 25 minutes from Funchal by Aerobus, taxi or rental car. For mobile data from outside the EU, our eSIM comparison for Portugal lists the plans. If you are visiting at the turn of the year, New Year's Eve in Madeira covers the fireworks. To combine Madeira with the mainland, see how many days in Lisbon and how many days in Porto.

How YesTrip helps

YesTrip has a ready three-day plan for Funchal and Madeira with times and a map. Copy it into the app, put the mountain day on the day with the best weather and add levadas if you stay longer. The packing list takes the weather for your travel days into account, and the offline package is handy in the mountains, where you shouldn't count on a signal. You make the trail reservations yourself on SIMplifica. YesTrip is free and books nothing for you.

Funchal trip planDay by day, with map and tips

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