Madeira: A Slow Adventure Guide for Nature Lovers & Digital Nomads [2025]

Getting There & Around

Flight

Arriving on Madeira is pretty straightforward with numerous daily flights from major European cities.

Random fact
Weather conditions (wind, storms, heavy rain) can occasionally prevent planes from taking off or landing. Flight companies are quite generous in these cases – one acquaintance even got upgraded to a king suite for free when all other hotel rooms were booked out!

Transport on the Island

Renting a Car or Scooter (Recommended!)
For maximum flexibility, I highly recommend renting a car or scooter. My go-to sites: Carjet.com or Discovercars.com.

Buses
Rodoeste covers the whole island. It’s cheaper, takes longer and can be quite adventurous – winding through tiny mountain roads and villages you’d otherwise miss. Bus stations can be tricky to find, but I always enjoyed the slower pace of travelling and unexpected discoveries.

Taxis & Bolt
Readily available for getting around, with Bolt being the cheaper option.

Accommodation

Find the Right Location

Madeira offers diverse environments depending on what you’re seeking.

North Solitude, peace, retreat. Quieter, more local life, lush greenery.
South Community, activities, action. Where most tourists, digital nomads & expats gather. More infrastructure, coworking spaces, easier to meet people.
Center Hikes, camping, raw nature.

Colivings

The easiest way to meet people fast. I lived in two different colivings and had the time of my life adventuring with flatmates.

• Typically 600€+/month incl. utilities, wifi, sometimes coworking space

Apartments

If you want more privacy and your own space, T0/T1 apartments can be a good solution (for solo-travellers, friends & couples).

North/Remote areas 500-600€/month (I once scored 300€ but that was a lucky find)
South/Cities 600-900€+/month (Funchal, Ponta do Sol are pricier)

For groups, there are many lucative T2+ options.

Where to Find Accommodations (besides the usual platforms)

You’ll save a lot fees if you contact the landlady/landlord directly.

• Facebook Groups (look for ‘Madeira Rental’)
• Digital Nomad Whatsapp Groups

Tips for Digital Nomads

Join the Digital Nomad Community

The Digital Nomad Slack Channel and Whatsapp groups are essential.
Most of your questions will be answered there. You’ll find flatmates, hiking buddies, and will have access to all the Madeira Friends’ community events, as well as activities organised by fellow nomads.

Choose your Base: Funchal, Ponta do Sol, or Machico?

Each hub has its own personality:

Funchal Capital city. Most infrastructure, activities, culture, ‘tourist vibes’. Largest Digital Nomad community.
Ponta do Sol The original Digital Nomad village. Smaller, tight-knit community. Cozy, laid back beach town vibes. Free Coworking Space.
Machico Beach town, more local and also less crowded than Funchal. Golden sand beach, and close to amazing hikes. Smaller, growing community.

Favourite Hikes

coming soon!

Tips for Hikers

Packing List

Swimsuit You never know when you’ll find a waterfall mid-adventure.
Rain jacket Weather shifts within minutes or a few kilometers. You might start in sunshine and end in rain.
Garbage bag Take your trash with you, including toilet paper from outdoor bathroom breaks. Leave no trace.
Headlamp/torch Many levada hikes pass through dark tunnels, though phone also works fine.
Water filter Always carry enough water. A filter still might come in handy.

Favourite Camping Spots

Camping on the island has been one of my most precious memories.

There’s something magical about setting up your tent after a long hike, legs tired, heart full, devouring your provisions while the sun slowly disappears behind the horizon, enveloping the sky in the most spectacular colors. Or driving with anticipation to your camping spot, through lush greenery on narrow roads away from civilisation. Bare feet on soft earth, gazing at the dark sky full of stars.

During the night, sometimes it’s cold. You’re frustrated that the sleeping bag isn’t as warm as promised and decide to wear another layer or to warm yourself with some pushups. Sometimes, you wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of an animal near your tent, sniffing for food. Distant cow bells echo through the valley. Or there is complete silence. Pure, absolute peace. Just the whisper of wind through leaves, reminding you of nature’s aliveness.

The next day, you wake up hours before dawn, slipping out of your tent to catch sunrise from a nearby peak. Or you open your eyes to the gorgeous view already there, clouds rolling through valleys, soft shimmers of light indicating the soon-to-rise sun.

Practical Information

• Wild camping in Madeira is officially allowed on designated spots. The official Madeira Camping website offers a complete list of all camp spots and their facilities. Some are well-equipped, others don’t have water, so do your research. Get you camping permit here.

  A few in-demand spots are booked out well in advance, though no-shows are common.
  The rules exist for good reasons: mainly to protect nature.
  When crafting your experience, please always act in consideration of nature & animals.

  Leave no trace.

• Check the weather forecasts (eg. on windy.com) to avoid unexpected weather changes.

• Pack wisely: warm layers and a good sleeping bag. Temperatures can drop 10°C in the mountains compared to sea-level. Headlamp, garbage bag, extra water, toilet paper, soap. Be prepared that most campsites don’t have facilities.

1. Chao das Feiteiras

📍 location

Located deep in the inland Ribeira Frio area, Chão das Feiteiras delights with its generous grassy meadow surrounded by cedars, complete with picnic tables, a fireplace, and drinking water.
It’s the perfect stopover for catching sunrise at Pico do Arieiro (15 mins drive) or exploring the various hikes and waterfalls nearby.

I’ve camped here many times and am absolutely in love with the whole area.

2. Boca Das Voltas

📍 location

a hidden gem in the Laurissilva

Requiring a TT vehicle or walk for 45 minutes to get here, this is the least accessible camp spot. But the effort is well rewarded: a stunning, secluded view.

3. Terreiros

📍 location

4. Fanal Forest

📍 location

5. Fonte do Bispo

📍 location

Favourite Sunrise & Sunset Spots

Sunrise

• Pico do Arieiro (above the clouds!)
• Bica da Cana
• São Lourenço
• Miradouro Guindaste
• Fanal Forest

Sunsets

• Ponta do Pargo (westernmost point)
• Parque Ecológico do Funchal
• Machico
• Paul do Mar Picnic Area
• Miradouro da Ponta da Ladeira

Foods you have to try

• Bolo do Caco (garlic bread): Gato Legal has the best!
• Poncha: traditional drink - careful, it’s strong!
• Espetada: beef skewers
• Scabbard Fish with Banana: sounds weird, tastes amazing
• Queijada: sweet cheese tart
• Nikita: ice cream drink

Last Words

While hiking the mesmerising landscapes, cruising through the curves of the mountains, swimming on one of the countless beaches, or exploring the cute villages might already leave you speechless, there is even more to discover than what meets the eye.

People call the island Mama Madeira. A nourishing, loving mother. A place that feels like home from the first moment. Synchronicities seem to appear regularly. Karmic patterns resolve faster. Stories about the ancient civilisation of Atlantis circulate in the field.

There’s undoubtedly a mystical component to this island. Many people have come here and started over. Many people can’t help, but keep returning.

It’s a transformative place with endless opportunities.

Viewpoints above the clouds seem otherworldly and the natural world very alive. The volatile weather seem to mirror the inner landscape. Or the other way around.

People bump into each other. Strangers become friends. Stories are exchanged, and experiences shared. One day can feel like an eternity, weeks become years.

Energy simply flows.