Europe

When we think about Madeiran food, our first thoughts go to an abundance of seafood and an array of tropical fruits, which are common throughout Portugal. And it is true- you can get no shortage of great octopus, bananas, passionfruit, and so much more when visiting this island off the coast of Morocco.

But after diving deeper into all things Madeira, we found that there are several unique Madeiran foods you may want to try that are less common to find on the mainland.

So if you are looking for some truly unique foods in Madeira to enjoy, start with these gems!

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Madeira is a hiker’s paradise- there is no doubt about that.

This island has it all, from beautiful cliffs to mountain views, desolate landscapes, vineyard views, and everything in between. Naturally, we spent a great deal of our time on Madeira hiking, and these seven trails were some of our favorite hikes while on the island!

So pack those waterproof hiking shoes and raincoats, and get ready to hike along these stellar trails that really show off the variety of Madeira’s landscape!

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If you are planning a trip to Madeira, odds are good you will come to the realization that, while the island is not terribly large, there really is a lot to see. As such, there isn’t one easy spot to pick on where to stay.

At first, you may look at Funchal for its easy of access from the airport, city amenities, and several top wineries- most all of which can be enjoyed without a rental car. But then you may look at hiking and see that some of the best trails are to the north, but requires a car or day trips to visit. Or you may be looking for more coastal vibes and branch out to other smaller towns along the southern coast, which is also traditionally the sunnier side of the island and home to most all of the wineries you may wish to visit.

All of these, and more, are valid viewpoints to consider when planning where to stay in Madeira.

So in this one, we thought we’d talk a bit about logistics, and breakdown the best places to stay for hiking, wineries, and more. It is because of these that we came to the conclusion that some of the best areas to stay are not just in Funchal, but also near Sao Vicente in the north (for hiking) and Camara de Lobos in the south (for weather and wine)!

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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.

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