The furthest point heading eastwards you can reach on the north coast before mammoth cliffs persuade the road to head inland, Porta da Cruz is a picturesque spot nestling at the base of some seriously steep terraced slopes. One of Madeira's last working sugar mills fills the village with a sweet scent.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
9.74 MILES
Now a museum, the Quinta das Cruzes is a quintessential old Madeiran manor house complete with gardens and a private chapel. Originally the home of João…
9.62 MILES
Once a run-down area between the Mercado dos Lavradores and the Fortaleza de Santiago, in recent years the 'Old Zone' of merchant's houses and 19th…
9.63 MILES
Built in 1940 by architect Edmundo Tavares, Funchal's art deco market is one of its top attractions as well as still serving as the island's best fresh…
9.77 MILES
Funchal's 16th-century cathedral once oversaw the world's largest diocese – all of Portugal’s overseas territories from Madeira to Brazil to Angola – and…
11.66 MILES
Anyone who says Madeira has no beaches should hop on bus 1 or 43 to the boulders and browny-black sand of this wild strand in Funchal's western suburbs…
8.56 MILES
One of the island's top tourist attractions, Madeira's famous botanical gardens are a must for most visitors. Extending over 80,000 sq metres, the gardens…
9.67 MILES
Run by the fifth generation of the D'Oliveira family, this is Funchal's most easily accessible wine experience. Anyone can enter the strongly aromatic…
8.74 MILES
Dramatically set at the bottom of a mammoth cauldron of rock, the village of Curral das Freiras is one of the most popular daytrips from Funchal. Some…
Nearby Madeira attractions
3.83 MILES
This group of A-framed cottages stands in the centre of Santana and houses the tourist office, among other things. More authentic examples in various…
3.86 MILES
An engaging place to take the kids, this Madeira-themed park has a boating lake, a maze, a Monte train, mock-ups of Santana A-Frame houses, a large…
4.28 MILES
A 1.5km easy and well-signposted climb out of the village of Ribeiro Frio brings you to one of the most spectacular viewing points on the whole of Madeira…
4.31 MILES
'Cold River' village, deep in the mountains but under the tree line, is the chilly jumping off point for some levada walks and has a couple of cosy…
4.32 MILES
Apart from being the launch pad for some great mountain walks, Ribeiro Frio's other attraction is what must be the world's most visited trout farm…
6. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição
5.24 MILES
The main church in Machico is one of the island's largest, reflecting the town's erstwhile status as Madeira's capital. The musty, ancient-feeling…
5.28 MILES
Machico has three churches but the most famous is the pretty little Miracles Chapel on the north side of the river. It was famously washed away in a flood…
5.31 MILES
When you get bored of lying on Machico beach, the climb up to Pico do Facho that rises above the town to the north is a great way to spend an afternoon…