From 18m below sea level to 1,863m above, Madeira is one of the few places in Europe with adventurous pursuits everywhere, making it the perfect destination for hybrid athletes who wish to try their hand at a range of outdoor activities. And with manta rays, sperm whales and giant groupers swimming the waters mere kilometres from cloud-parting serrated peaks, it’s also a nature lover’s dream.
In the gentle summer climate, the extreme landscapes of this exposed and remote Atlantic island are pleasantly accessible, with some of the highest summits reachable from short, often flat, paved paths with railings. Combined with preened gardens, hill-conquering cable cars and seafront restaurants around Funchal, it’s clear why Madeira is popular among older tourists during the peak summer months.
But visiting in the quiet off-season, steering away from the south coast and exploring beyond the easy trails, I found Madeira to be a paradise for a different kind of fun. Sunshine one minute and showers the next simply added extra spice to my island adventure – and it’s warm all year round, dropping to a minimum average daytime temperature of 18C in December, making it a popular spot for winter sun.
Driving from the airport, a chunky grey highway with concrete barriers takes me past Funchal and a chain of well-kept towns on the south coast packed with hotels, restaurants and shops. At Ribeira Brava, I hit the trans-mountain road slicing through the middle of the island like a corridor to the wild side. Less than half a mile down the road, my attention is caught by a supermarket with a spectacular backdrop: a 400m waterfall casually cascading down a mossy, fern-covered cliff.
Lichen-laced evergreens and spring-blooming bushes of the biodiverse Unesco World Heritage Site Laurissilva Forest claim 15,000 hectares of the island, almost entirely in the northern half of it. Settlements are few and far between in the largest surviving area of this ancient forest, which once covered southern Europe. Some, like Ilha, perch on verdant platforms rising from deep valleys into the clouds; others, hidden along inconspicuous side roads hugging the oceanfront, are battered by some of the most monstrous waves I’ve ever seen. At one point, I feel nervous simply standing on the beach at Ribeira da Janela – a huge contrast to the often flat south shores.
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Thankfully, a childhood of Mario Kart prepares me for clutch-burning uphill climbs, mountainside hairpin bends and tunnels that burrow through coastal cliffs. It’s a fun ride, and although it takes a while to get around, everything feels extra-secluded. My cheap and cheerful self-catering accommodation offers a private slice of subtropical forest. I sleep with the curtains open and wake up to floor-to-ceiling views of the Atlantic horizon and narrow, tree-covered ridges sliding down to the seafront town of São Vicente.
Branching off in every direction from the settlements in the north are some of the island’s most dramatic hiking routes, leading deeper into the mountains, to waterfalls and forests, or along the coast. Come evening, it’s always easy to find a table at one of the understated restaurants serving perfect traditional dishes in these sleepy municipalities. Most specialise in seafood or Espetada – wood-flamed kebab-style skewers served with crunchy cubes of soft in-the-middle cornmeal and sweet potato bread.
Not knowing what I’m getting until I check the weather forecast each morning adds a spark of excitement every day. Each shift in weather unlocks a different map of activities to try. As I’d be getting wet anyway, rainy days are reserved for waterfall hunting, surfing at São Vicente or canyoning in Ribeira das Cales. Cascades were flowing at full force during my visit and the forest foliage gleamed during a downpour on the 9km PR 6 Levada do Risco 25 Fontes Falls trail. Grey skies are perfect for mountain biking in Pico das Pedras – or if there’s low cloud, have a wander around Fanal Forest; the short, gnarled trees look mystical in fog.
Elsewhere, clear, calm conditions are essential for paragliding in the highlands, scuba diving or snorkelling at Garajau Beach – part of a six-mile-wide marine reserve. In the east, the Ponta de São Lourenço peninsula has a climate of its own and is almost constantly sunny during my stay. I pack my bikini, a snorkelling kit and a picnic for my walk along this semi-arid stretch, where the PR8 passes through the slanted, dusty caramel planes that lead to Sardinha Beach. After snorkelling with colourful parrotfish, ornate wrasse and Canary damsels, I rent a kayak for €5 and paddle around the coves.
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Along with the classic, beloved “PR” hiking routes, the less polished trails hidden along unassuming side roads are some of my favourites. Selecting a random track and following it to a dead end leads me to a dusty path around the sloping sides of a shallow river mouth with a secret beach. It then joins the Caminho da Entrosa trail – one of six quiet, historic Caminho routes that take you to secluded scenic spots.
I ease my aching muscles at sundown in the north shore’s natural sea pools, which bubbled into existence over 25,000 years ago when lava spilled into the Atlantic. The endlessly refreshed saltwater is an impossibly rich shade of blue in these giant, porous black rock pools that I share with no more than six other people as we gaze upon the evening tides. I swim through a colossal, petrified lava archway to reach the views from the natural pools of Poça das Lesmas, which sit alone at the base of a rocky outcrop in Seixal. On the quiet side of Moniz town, I look out to the islet of Ilheu Mole and the Cachalote natural pools. Watching the continual movement of frothy white surges painting the rocks and then dripping back down again feels meditative. I’m already counting down the days until my return.
How to do it
All major UK airline operators fly to Madeira, and this year EasyJet and Jet2 will launch new direct flights to the island from Bournemouth and Luton airports.
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