When we booked our trip to Madeira, we crossed our fingers in hopes of good weather to get out and enjoy the island’s acclaimed hiking.
Thankfully, we got quite lucky with sunny days and were able to hit all of the major trails we hoped to visit. One, the Levada do Caldeirao Verde hike in the northeast side of the island, stood out as our very favorite.
This hike had almost everything we were looking for!
Even better? It is an easy one- insofar as you’re okay with heights, at least.
When visiting Madeira, you’ll do well to rent a car. This island is small enough that you can explore with ease, but large enough that having your own set of wheels is necessary.
As with most guides, we’re here to warn you, however, that the roads on Madeira can be quite steep (we’re not kidding). But we were pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to drive around, and wanted to share some tips and advice for driving in Madeira we had after our visit!
Madeira had been a bucket list destination for us for many years, thanks to the island being home to some world-class hikes, stellar wine, and incredible views everywhere you look.
When we finally made the trip happen, we gave ourselves as much time as possible to try and do everything the island could throw at us. Even with eight nights on the island (about seven full days), we still felt like we were just getting started.
So in this one, we thought we’d discuss how many days you need on Madeira, and give some tips and advice based on your interests in visiting. Suffice it to say, more time is always better than less- for several reasons.
Normally when we visit islands, particularly islands known for their beaches, figuring out where to stay is rather easy. We often find a property we like and can afford on the best beach and go from there.
But Zanzibar is a little bit different. On the beach side, there is no standout winner of “best beach” to us if only because every beach we visited was stunning. Likewise, you’ll be enjoying the island for far more than the beaches with options like exploring the spice farms and historical Stone Town to name a few. As this island is small enough to be explored in day trips but large enough that those trips will take the bulk of an entire day, figuring out a prime location takes on a few more layers than you would otherwise think.
In another post, we discussed how many days in Zanzibar are really needed (and whether to visit the island before or after a safari). So in this one, we wanted to take a different look and discuss the top locations for visitors outright.