Mountains that rose from the ocean
Madeira is a Portuguese volcanic island just under 1,000 km from Lisbon, closer to Africa than to mainland Europe. It is small (about 57 × 22 km) but very steep: the highest peak is over 1,800 metres. So within an hour’s drive you go from banana plantations by the sea to mist above the clouds.
Four things worth knowing in advance
1. It is hard without a car
Buses (Horários do Funchal in town, SAM and Rodoeste around the island) go to the main towns, but mostly not to trailheads (one exception is a line to Pico do Arieiro; check whether it runs), and some lines run only 2–3 times a day. For an active couple the best option is a small rental car. The new expressways with tunnels are excellent; the old mountain roads are narrow and steep.
2. The weather depends on the side of the island
The south around Funchal is usually sunny, the north greener and wetter, and the mountains are often wrapped in cloud. When one side is in fog, the other may be in sunshine. Check the webcams in the morning and choose where to go accordingly.
3. Hikes are booked and paid for
Since 2026 the official trails (marked PR) need an online booking with an arrival time slot, plus a fee. Without a ticket you risk a fine. Details in the chapter Hikes and levadas.
4. Two bases are enough
The island is small; you can drive almost anywhere in an hour and a half. I recommend 4 nights in or near Funchal (south, east, mountains) and 4 nights in the north or west (Porto Moniz, Seixal, São Vicente, Fanal, 25 Fontes).
From the airport
Aerobus to central Funchal about €5 and 30 minutes, taxi €25–35 Check. You can pick up a car right at the airport.
Flights from Prague
Smartwings flies direct from Prague to Madeira only in some periods (about 4.5 hours). Otherwise with a connection, typically in Lisbon (since 10/2026 Smartwings flies direct Prague–Lisbon, so far in the winter schedule) Check for April 2027.
Wind at the airport
Funchal airport is known for strong crosswinds, which sometimes delay or divert flights. Do not plan anything fixed on your departure day.
Hikes and levadas
Madeira is one of the best places in Europe for hiking. Levadas are irrigation channels that follow the contour lines, so walking beside them is almost flat, often through forest, past waterfalls and through tunnels. The mountain trails are harder and offer views above the clouds.
How to book
On the SIMplifica portal you choose a trail, a day and a 30-minute arrival slot, pay by card and get a QR code. Save it on your phone; there is often no signal in the mountains.
What it costs
A standard trail is €4.50 per person, the PR1 ridge hike €10.50. A 1-day pass €9, 3 days €22.50, 7 days €52.50 (excluding PR1). Children up to and including 12 go free, but they also need a booked slot in SIMplifica Verified: IFCN, visitmadeira.com, 11/2026.
What to bring
Sturdy shoes, layers and a rain jacket (around 5–10 °C in the mountains), a head torch for tunnels, water and food. On many hikes there is nowhere to refill.
PR1: Pico do Arieiro → Pico Ruivo
The island’s most famous ridge hike. After a fire in 2024 it was closed for almost two years and reopened at the end of April 2026, now one way only , ending at Achada do Teixeira (about 9.4 km, 3–5 h). You need to arrange a pickup at the end.
PR1.2: up Pico Ruivo from Achada do Teixeira
A shorter route to the highest peak, about 5.8 km there and back and 2–4 hours. A good option if you do not want to arrange a pickup.
PR6: Levada das 25 Fontes
From Rabaçal along a levada to a pool fed by countless little springs. One of the most popular hikes, so set off early.
PR9: Levada do Caldeirão Verde
From Queimadas through forest, tunnels and past steep gorges to a waterfall in a cirque. The most beautiful levada in the north.
PR8: Ponta de São Lourenço
A completely different Madeira: a dry, red-brown peninsula in the east with cliffs above the ocean. No shade, so bring a hat and water. Since 30 September 2026 the trail has been restricted for renovation for about 9 months; in April 2027 expect closed sections Check before you go.
Check Trail conditions change (landslides, fires). The day before, check the official IFCNwebsite for current closures.
Spring, but with a jacket in your backpack
April is one of the best months for hiking: the island is in bloom, it is not yet hot and the trails are not crowded. But Madeira has many microclimates, and it can be cold and foggy in the mountains even when it is 20 °C in Funchal.
Coast (Funchal)
Around 20 °C by day, around 14 °C at night. Roughly 5 rainy days a month. The sea is around 18 °C, swimming for the hardy.
Mountains (1,500–1,800 m)
Much colder, as low as 5 °C in the morning, often windy. Fog comes mainly in the afternoon, so set off early.
North
Greener and rainier than the south. The levadas are lushest here, and the waterfalls have plenty of water in April.
Estimate These are long-term averages (Current Results), not a forecast. Before you go, follow the forecast and webcams.
Where to stay and how to find flights
You wanted to move at most once, so there are two bases: Funchal in the south and the north coast. For each, three real places at different price levels. Each link opens Booking with the dates (2 adults; the 4 + 4 night split is a suggestion).
Funchal · 4 nights 10 Apr – 14 Apr
The Old Town (Zona Velha) or the centre: restaurants, the market and the cable car on foot, buses and taxis to the trailheads.
109 Funchal Hostel
centre
€budget Estimate
Hostel that also has private rooms.
Prices and availability 10 Apr – 14 Apr →Hotel do Carmo
centre
€€mid-range Estimate
Classic hotel with a rooftop pool.
Prices and availability 10 Apr – 14 Apr →The Vine Hotel
centre
€€€upscale Estimate
Design hotel with a spa and harbour views.
Prices and availability 10 Apr – 14 Apr →North: Seixal and Porto Moniz · 4 nights 14 Apr – 18 Apr
The green north with natural pools and a black-sand beach, close to Fanal and the 25 Fontes levada. Getting around without a car is harder here.
Casa das Videiras
Seixal
Small guesthouse in the village of Seixal.
Prices and availability 14 Apr – 18 Apr →The Jolie – Apartments by the Ocean
Porto Moniz
€€mid-range Estimate
Apartments by the sea, with a kitchenette.
Prices and availability 14 Apr – 18 Apr →Aqua Natura Madeira
Porto Moniz, by the natural pools
€€€upscale Estimate
Hotel right above the lava pools.
Prices and availability 14 Apr – 18 Apr →Search for flights
The links open a search with the dates from the itinerary. Compare, then buy directly from the airline.
Also compare departures from Vienna or Munich. Rent a car for the north at the airport or in Funchal.
Check Selected 6 Nov 2026. You book everything yourself, directly with the hotel or airline or through a search site. The links only open a search with your dates. Places are chosen for location and reviews, and nobody pays to be listed. Prices and availability change: read recent reviews and cancellation terms before you book.
Map of places with photos
Every place in the guide on one map. Click a photo on the map or a card in the list; use the filter to choose an area.
Locations are approximate. The switch at the top right shows a satellite view.
What to look forward to after a hike
Madeiran cooking is rustic and hearty. You eat best in small village restaurants where locals go.
- Espetada – beef on a bay-laurel skewer, grilled over fire.
- Bolo do caco – flatbread with garlic butter, served with everything.
- Espada preta – black scabbardfish from the deep sea, traditionally with banana and passion fruit.
- Lapas – grilled limpets with butter and garlic.
- Poncha – the local drink of sugar-cane spirit, honey and lemon. Stronger than it seems.
- Madeira wine – the famous dessert wine; tastings in Funchal.
Go to the Mercado dos Lavradores market in Funchal in the morning: fruit, flowers and fish. Fruit prices for tourists can be high, so ask first.
A few words of Portuguese
Before you go
Documents
Portugal is in the EU and Schengen: EU citizens need only a valid ID card or passport. To rent a car, a driving licence and a credit card for the deposit.
Health
EU travellers should bring their European Health Insurance Card, plus travel insurance that also covers mountain hiking and rescue.
Car
A small car copes better with the narrow roads. Zero-excess insurance is worth it. Parking in Funchal is hard; garages cost about €5–10 a day. Fill up before heading into the mountains.
Money
Euro; cards are accepted almost everywhere. Prices are similar to Central Europe, a little lower in mountain restaurants.
Safety
The island is very safe. The main risks are on the trails: slippery stones, landslides, sudden fog. Do not walk closed sections, and after rain choose lower levadas.
In an emergency
Emergency number 112. The Czech Republic has an embassy in Lisbon and an honorary consulate in Funchal (Avenida Arriaga 45A, by appointment, tel. +351 965 774 973). Czech Foreign Ministry 24/7 line: +420 222 420 222. Other nationalities: check your own embassy.
Where to read more
Photo credits
All photos come from Wikimedia Commons and are used under the free licences stated.