Tourist Attractions
Madeira Archipelago

Last update: August 2023

Regions of Portugal

Autonomous Region of Madeira

Tourism and Gastronomy

Paradise for your vacation - "Despite having a small area, Madeira is rich in majestic scenery and rare beauty" [Visit Portugal].


Vista do Funchal, Ilha da Madeira, Portugal © LHG/Images of Portugal
View of Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal © LHG/Images of Portugal



Autonomous Region of Portugal, the Madeira Archipelago, located a little more than 900 km from the European continent, near the coast of Morocco, is one of the destinations preferred for holidays, sports (golf, surfing), walks and weekends from visitors from all over the world.


The archipelago has a total area of almost 743 km², but the most visited part is the Island from Madeira itself, followed by Island of Porto Santo.


Madeira Archipelago

Lush nature, sea delights and pleasant climate

This is a summary of Madeira in a nutshell. A perfect place for holidays and sightseeing. Ideal for lovers of nature, adventure, beaches, sports, good food and good wines.


Madeira Archipelago

The Madeira Archipelago, an archipelago of volcanic origin, was discovered by the Portuguese João Gonçalves Zarco, Tristão Vaz Teixeira and Bartolomeu Perestrelo in 1419.

Madeira Archipelago

In addition to Madeira Island, the islands of Porto Santo, Desertas Islands are part of the archipelago. and Wild Islands.


They were the first overseas lands to be colonized by the Portuguese.
Currently, the economy of the archipelago is completely focused on tourism.


Funchal, the Capital of Madeira

The capital of the Madeira Archipelago, historic city and great center tourist destination in Portugal, is the fourth most visited city in the country.

According to the report recently published by Bloom Consulting, the fourth place, considering its variables and including the overseas archipelagos, it is the city of Funchal, on the island of Madeira, behind only Lisbon, Porto and Cascais.


Ilha do Porto Santo, Arquipélago da Madeira, Portugal © Internet, ilustração
Porto Santo Island, Madeira Archipelago, Portugal © Internet, illustration



Porto Santo

Porto Santo is an island in the Madeira Archipelago, famous for its incredible beaches and for to be, since 2020, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.

The municipality of Porto Santo occupies the entire area of this island, whose capital is city of Vila Baleira.

Porto Santo is home to some of the most incredible beaches in Europe, which is why which is why it is a great tourist destination.

Learn more: Porto Santo, Madeira


Tourist attractions

Among other tourist attractions, visitors cannot fail to visit the Sé do Funchal, which dates from the 16th century.

Find out more: Tourist attractions in Madeira


Sé do Funchal, Ilha da Madeira, Portugal © Diocesa da Madeira, ilustração
Funchal Cathedral, Madeira Island, Portugal © Diocese of Madeira, illustration



Sports: golf, surfing...

Madeira is also the ideal place to practice your favorite sport: golf, surfing, kite-surfing, sailing, diving, and many others.

Find out more: Sports in Madeira


What to do in Funchal?

There are many and varied activities to be done in Funchal:

beaches

visit the tourist attractions

rides and trails

play sports: water sports, golf

wellness tourism: saunas

wine tourism: discover the wines of Madeira



Find out more: What to do in Funchal


Holidays in Funchal

In a beautiful bay on the south coast lies the city of Funchal, the capital of the archipelago. Of indisputable beauty and pleasant climate of the Atlantic, Funchal is the gateway to the discovery of these paradise islands.


Nights in Madeira

Fun during and also during the night: several options to spend unforgettable nights in Funchal. Cafes, bars, restaurants and shows propose their offers that certainly also will wait for you.

Find out more: Madeira by Night


Madeira Wine

One of the best known wines in the world, Madeira Wine is the great ambassador of this region of Portugal.




Gastronomy

Lovers of good food will have many opportunities to taste the typical snacks and specialties of the varied and traditional cuisine of Madeira.

Find out more: Madeira Cuisine


Some distances

Madeira Island is located about 685 km from the coast of Africa (closer to Morocco), 973 km from Lisbon, 520 km from the island of Gran Canaria, and 891 km from the island of Santa Maria, the closest to the Azores archipelago.


Madeira Landscape, Portugal Guide
Madeira Island, Portugal © Images of Portugal



Nice weather

Temperatures in Madeira hover around 20°C most of the year. Including the water temperature sea is 26°C in summer (17°C in winter).





Top Cities

Greater Lisbon

In addition to the largest urban agglomeration in the country (Lisbon), Sintra, Cascais, Loures, Almada and Oeiras complete the podium of the Top 5 largest cities in Portugal.

Greater Porto

In the north of the country, in Greater Porto, other important cities are Vila Nova de Gaia, Braga, Matosinhos, Gondomar and Guimarães.

Learn more

Main cities


Guide Highlights

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