Madeira: Following A Hiking Recommendation
You know those surveys you receive that ask if you would recommend a company’s service to a friend? One such survey came to mind after a particularly harrowing post hike drive in Madeira.
We had found a cozy little place for lunch perched alongside an exceptionally steep mountain road. While waiting for our meal, we watched a steady stream of tourists struggle to drive up the hill. I turned to my partner and asked, “Would you recommend Madeira to a friend … or a foe?”
There was a moment of silence before we both burst out laughing.
And, then I recalled that we ended up here on someone’s recommendation..
The Recommendation
On March 1st, 2025, a group of hikers gathered to wait for a bus. We had all completed hiking Torres del Paine and were passing the time by swapping stories of past trail experiences.
A young couple sat at our picnic table. They were newlyweds from Singapore and on the tailend of their world tour. As we chatted about our travels, they told us that if we were looking for adventurous hiking, there was one place we absolutely had to go visit. It was Madeira.
They spoke with such earnestness and vigor that their recommendation was enough to bump Madeira to the top of our long list of future destinations.
Arrival
My partner was seemingly all in from that very moment. I, on the other hand, was slower to warm to this mysterious island. I couldn’t help wondering whether all the hype was justified. Would the Hawaii of the Atlantic wow me, or would it turn out to be a destination that sounded better in someone else’s travel story?
Our adventure began when our airplane touched down on September 4th, 2026.
Madeira is a volcanic island that rises dramatically from the Atlantic Ocean. Its rugged coastline and steep mountains leave very little flat land. Because of this, the airport’s runway was extended out over the ocean on a series of concrete pillars. The challenging coastal winds and turbulence created by the island’s terrain makes landing here an adventure in itself. It’s fair to say that every landing and take-off feels like an achievement. Perhaps it was a good thing that we arrived in the dark.
And, then came the drive to our Airbnb. We wound through tunnels, navigated hairpin bends and tackled pitches so steep that I began questioning what we got ourselves into. Seriously, who puts a stop sign on a 45-degree hill?
It quickly became clear that driving around Madeira would be a daily adventure in its own right, entirely separate from the hiking we had come to do.
As I fell asleep to the sound of roosters and sheep, I wondered about the hikes we booked. Were the airport and the roads foreshadows of what lay ahead?
It turned out, they were.
Water, Water Everywhere
Each morning we awoke before sunrise, and the neighbourhood roosters, to make our way to our pre-booked 8:00 am trailheads. Our early starts rewarded us with crisp mountain air and spectacular scenery. Every trail we chose revealed a different side of the island. Though there was one sparkling feature they all shared – water.
I’m convinced that water, in its many forms, lies at the heart what attracts people to Madeira, whether they come to visit or choose to call the island home.
When the Portuguese came to the island in the early 1400s, it was uninhabited. Had I been in the explorers’ place, I may have taken one look at this natural fortress and sailed on in search of a place less formidable.
Instead, the Portuguese set about to develop this land. Settlers soon began to clear forests and construct an elaborate network of stone irrigation channels, known as levadas. The levadas transported water from the mountains toward agricultural plots throughout the island.
Today, these, still functional, historic waterways are among Madeira’s biggest attractions. 3,100 kilometers of levadas wind through the lush valleys, pass behind waterfalls and disappear into tunnels carved through volcanic rock. Levadas are the foundations for many of the trails that attract a growing number of visitors each year. Conveniently, these waterways were engineered with an average slope between 0.5% to 1%., making these trails appealing to those looking for a relatively easy outing and access to landscapes that would otherwise be difficult to reach.
But there’s a catch.
A gentle gradient doesn’t necessarily mean a gentle trail. Some levada paths cling to the cliff’s edge they follow. At times, there is very little separating hikers from sheer drops. The walking may be easy on the legs, but not always on the nerves.
Chasing Waterfalls
Another major draw are the multitude of waterfalls that punctuate the island.
Many hikes lead to a cool lagoon tucked within towering volcanic walls, where a tangle of dripping foliage climb up toward the sky and a ribbon of water plunges into the blue pool below.
Of course beauty attracts people, and Madeira’s most popular waterfall destinations can become crowded. The lagoons are often ringed with tourists taking photographs and admiring the scenery. Some are even working up the courage to dive into the chilly water and embrace the bone-chilling waterfall experience.
From Mountain Trails To The Atlantic
Not every trail on Madeira passes through the island’s subtropical rainforest.
Some trails are exposed, rugged and arid, with little shelter from the sun or wind. Here, the scenery opens up, revealing dramatic volcanic ridges, towering cliffs and the Atlantic Ocean crashing against the coastline far below.
You may feel like you are defying gravity as you follow the stone path that climbs and descends the ridge lines of this open landscape.
If you have the foresight to pack a swimsuit and towel, some trails provide beach access, ideal for a mid-hike or post-hike refresher.
If swimming isn’t on the agenda, there seems to be a trail cafe waiting to serve hikers at many trailheads. There’s something particularly satisfying about sitting down to a bica (an espresso) and a sweet treat after a good hike.
Lost In The Clouds
One can’t talk about hiking Madeira without mentioning its clouds.
The island’s mountains create their own weather system. The picos can be shrouded in clouds one moment and bathed in sunshine the next. Mist ebbs and flows through the valleys and up mountainsides. It transforms the laurisilva forests, creating a supernatural world.
One forest in particular has become famous for its ethereal morning mist. Visit at the right time, and you’ll find ancient-looking trees emerging from the fog, their twisted branches creating a wonderfully surreal landscape.
If you find yourself there, you may notice there appears to be an unofficial dress code – white clothing. Apparently, wearing white within the mist has become a bit of a thing. People strive for the perfect dreamscape photograph where subjects meld into the mist. Although, the crowds of people trying to achieve the same photograph may detract from the magic.
If crowds aren’t your thing, there is good news. Clouds envelop peaks and mist swirls trails all over the island creating plenty of opportunities to get epic photographs. Rest assured there are great alternative locations to get the same otherworldly beauty, without the crowds.
Some of my favourite moments were observing the clouds lapping the mountain just below my feet.
Over The Mountain Or Through It?
By now, you may be wondering how trails and levadas navigate the steep, undulating peaks and valleys.
There are two options: go over the mountain or go through it. Depending on your point of view, either could be considered lucky or unlucky.
Trails built to climb up and over offer steep ascents, knife-edge ridges, and panoramic ocean vistas. These are ideal for those looking for a physical challenge. Alternatively, trails that go through the mountain offer a chance to don your headlamp at the opening of a carved tunnel before making your way through only to emerge within a completely different landscape. Both of these options provide their own thrill. And, many trails have both features. Exciting!
Returning To The Original Question
Now that I’m back home, would I recommend Madeira?
Well, let me ask you this. Do you enjoy a little adventure within an adventure?
If so, then yes! Absolutely.
Go have fun. Enjoy easier trails set within extraordinary landscapes. Challenge yourself on the more technical routes that reward you with even more spectacular scenery. Follow the levadas, chase those waterfalls, wander the misty forests, climb mountain ridges, explore dark tunnels and take a refreshing dip in the Atlantic.
Just be prepared to question your life choices at least a couple of times and pack your headlamp and swimsuit.
And, when you find yourself gripping the steering wheel on a ridiculously steep mountain road, wondering whether you should have listened to that couple from Singapore in the first place, remember this:
Hiking Madeira is absolutely worth recommending to a friend.
Whether you would recommend driving in Madeira to a foe is another question entirely.
Madeira: Following A Hiking Recommendation
As I fell asleep to the sound of roosters and sheep, I wondered about the hikes we booked. Were the airport and the roads foreshadows of what lay ahead?
It turned out, they were.