Low Budget 2-Week Car Trip Adventure in Madeira

Rent a car, buy an air mattress in Funchal's Decathlon, prepare your car, drive this two-week route (with the help of my Google Maps points), and have lots of fun!! :)

The low-budget part is to sleep in your car. Wanna know more? Well, read the long part 👇🏼

Madeira Road Trip: The Ultimate Two-Week Adventure Map

In Long: Let me talk you through it step by step.

I traveled to Madeira from 05.06 - 21.06.2023 with Maik. We saw nearly everything on this island and saved the best spots with our personal comments while traveling on Google Maps, which you can access for free here. I wasn't brave enough to share them for a long time, but I really think they are helpful and will make your planning easier.

This guide will cover what we experienced day by day, how I felt, which places I fell in love with and what I recommend to you.

Just read through our journey and take the best out for yourself :)

Our route isn't the same as the one I provided, as ours isn't that "efficient".

Day 01 - 03: Arriving in Funchal (05. - 07.06.2023)

Day 01: We arrived at the airport in Madeira (one of the most dangerous ones in the world) at 7am, after spending the night in the airport of Porto. That's why we were a bit sleepy but super excited about our upcoming journey. We slept in a hostel during that time.

The first thing we did was buy stuff from the supermarket for brunch at the ocean. Afterward, we walked 18.608 steps on the very first day to get to know the capital city. I would totally recommend that to everyone as you'll know where you can get what you need plus you'll feel arrived.

Day 02: As we hadn't planned anything yet, I used the next day to read through blogs about Madeira, and Maik watched YouTube videos to find some good spots. It was super rainy and stormy that day, and the city was getting flooded, literally flooded!! We went to our brunch spot from the day before to see the big ocean waves crashing onto the city's coast. Seeing this force of nature was amazing!! However, it got stronger and stronger, so the police needed to block the streets to keep people (like us) off the coast.

Day 03: Again, we walked around town, and I guess after this day, we really knew the city of Funchal as we did walk around a lot - even though it was raining. We explored the Monte Palace Tropical Garden on this day, which is gorgeous! There are many facets of green, small paths, and little waterfalls.

We spent there around three hours.

As you can see, we tried to slow it down for the first few days. Nothing planned, just us deciding spontaneously what to do. I recommend this as it allows you to calm down and fully arrive

Day 04: Hiking & Corpus Christi (08.06.23)

We took a bus to Pico dos Barcelos, and from there, we hiked for 12km. It was a beautiful and nice walk, as we saw many facets of Madeira. I would cut it, though, if you lack time. I don't know what this hike is called, but that's the point I marked on Google Maps for it.

We followed the levada for a long time, and sometimes, we even needed to crawl through rocks. We both felt super adventurous and a bit out of a different world. Along the way were epic views and also many, many banana trees. We literally didn't know that Madeira grows soooo many bananas themselves.

Another thing we didn’t know was how beautifully Madeira celebrates Corpus Christi!!

Throughout the city, the people of Madeira laid a long line (carpet) of beautiful flowers in many different patterns. The vibrant colors and designs seemed to transform the streets into a living work of art. Even though I’m not Catholic, I was deeply impressed by the community’s effort to make these fantastic floral carpets! I mean, look at these pics..🤩

Day 05: Rocky starts the Road Trip (09.06.23)

What a day! I woke up with a terrible feeling in my stomach. Getting out of bed was a struggle, but we had to pick up the car from the airport, so off we went. The bus situation was bizarre—we waited forever! The 25-minute ride from Funchal to the airport was a wild adventure on curvy, steep roads, with the bus driver speeding like crazy. It felt like a rollercoaster, and with my upset stomach, it was a nightmare. I ended up puking just before we arrived—gross, I know, but I’m grateful for the kind people who helped.

Pro tip: NEVER take a bus in Madeira if you’re feeling sick!

We packed the car, grabbed what we needed, said goodbye to our hostel, and started driving. Our first stop was Praia Farmose, where we took a peaceful walk. With my stomach still queasy, that was all I could manage for the day.

Day 06: Miradouros, Calhau de Lapa & ER105 (10.06.23)

Finally, with sunshine, a full car, and no health issues, our road trip was ready to kick off! 🤩

We spent the day visiting all the spots I marked on Google Maps, from Praia Formosa to Praia de Ribeira. It was thrilling to realize we were finally in Madeira, exploring this beautiful island. We love being spontaneous and letting the day lead us — it's just a pure adventure.

Our highlight of that day was definitely Calhau the Lapa! That's a point you shouldn't miss.

You have to take a staircase (marked as a point) with 636 steps. 🥵

When you get to the bottom, you’ll stumble upon the quaint fishing village of Calhau de Lapa, carved right into the rock. It’s like stepping into another world. We even had the chance to share a glass of wine with the last fisherman living there—such a kind and gentle guy!

Off to the right, there’s this gigantic waterfall. The sheer power and beauty of it is breathtaking. It’s one of those moments that makes you realize just how amazing Madeira is.

Then we drove on to Praia de Ribeira — a charming little village with free showers at the beach (:D). We headed into the island's interior in the evening and drove the ER105. It’s such a beautiful road, and some people call it the most scenic on the island. I loved how stunning everything looked, and we were thrilled to find a parking spot right in front of an epic miradouro! That’s where we had dinner and spent the night.

You might be wondering how we’re sleeping in a rented car and why we haven’t booked/planned anything. I’ll go into detail about that later so you’ll know exactly what to do. For now, this is all about what to see and do. :)

Day 07: Interior, Seixal's Black Beach & Porto Monitz (11.06.23)

Waking up with such a fantastic view has truly something. The best thing about sleeping in a car is that you get to pick a new view every day.

We drove all the way up to Seixal, stopping at every marked spot along the way. But to be honest, I wouldn’t recommend that, as it's better to head back to Praia de Ribeira and continue from there (just like I marked it in the Two-Week Adventure Map)

The first stop was a breathtaking waterfall. The mix of the greenery, rock coast, and waterfall made me absolutely amazed! But the real highlight was Seixal’s stunning black beach. Yes, it’s crowded, and parking can be tricky, but it’s worth it. There was even a little waterfall where you could shower (thanks to the crazy weather the day before). Seixal Beach was the first black beach I ever saw - more brownish, but still beautiful. Just enjoy the moment, and don’t forget sunscreen.. we learned that the hard way 🥲

By 2 PM, we reached Porto Moniz and saw the natural pools.

A quick tip: one pool is free, and the other isn’t. Guess where we went!

The rock formations are fascinating, with plenty of spots to lounge and swim. The water was a bit cold but really refreshing. After exploring all the spots I marked on the map, we headed uphill to Fanal Forest, where we spent the night.

Day 08: Fanal Forest, Waterfall do Anjos & Garganta Funda (12.06.23)

I’ve never seen so many cows all in one place with no farmer in sight. They’re incredibly friendly and sometimes just hang out right in the middle of the road - make sure to pay attention! Waking up in your car here is amazing because you can catch the sunrise just minutes before it happens, with only a few others around. We hiked up the huge hill, and the best part was that the cows followed us the whole way.

The grass looked juicy green, and when the sun started rising, the grass turned golden.

We just sat there and watched the cows and calves start their beautiful day. I cannot describe how magical this moment felt - it was one of those moments I never want to forget from our trip to Madeira.

I don't know how long we sat there, but slowly, more and more people came, so we returned to our car, had a delicious breakfast, packed our stuff, and started driving towards Ponta do Sol. As I said - our route wasn't the optimal one :D

We didn't go on a hike but held every time there was a sign for a miradouro. The Ponta do Sol bridge is nice, but nothing breathtaking.

The truly unique thing is the Waterfall of Anjos. This waterfall falls on the street. If you want to see it, you can drive to the village through the tunnel from the northwest.

Tip: Go in the afternoon or evening, then the sun will shine on the waterfall!

Downside: It will be crowded. If you want to marvel at nature, that's the wrong place for you. If you want to take a cool picture go there - bring time and be fast with the pic. Maybe you're lucky and the only person. We had lunch, drove there again & showered under the Waterfall of Anjos.

Then we drove to Ponta do Pargo, did a little "hike" to see everything, and THEN I googled waterfall, and you'll never guess what we found. I would have NEVER expected to see something like that on Madeira. This waterfall, "Garganta Funda," is enormously huge and straight out of New Zealand!! We were shocked, crazily happy, and just blown away. Do you know this feeling when you expect nothing, and then it's one of the most amazing things you would have ever expected? On top of this, there are absolutely no crowds. I think it's unknown (at least in 2023). Also, it's directly on the coast, which makes it even more epic!!

In the evening, we found our second-best sleeping spot on this whole island - a little church, some cows, a long path down to the ocean, and an epic view that is perfect for watching the sunset.

I think I don't have to say more...

What a crazy day - we saw so much, and there are so many stories to tell, thanks to our car.

Day 09: The BEST Poncha on Madeira! (13.06.23)

Again, we woke up with a perfect view had a really nice breakfast & the best part: Maik shaved his beard and used his cell phone as a mirror 🤭

I think this day wouldn’t have been as fantastic if we had planned something. We met a fantastic woman who makes the BEST Poncha on Madeira. All of this is thanks to our spontaneity.

Let me start with the steepest cable car in Europe. It sounds dangerous and looked dangerous, but it was no problem at all. We arrived at 12pm and had to wait for about 1 hour due to the opening hours - so make sure to check that. We bought a Bolo de Mel at the little shop right next to it, and oh man, were they tasty! From that day on, we bought one every day 🫣

Taking a ride on the steepest cable car is actually really nice and not that dangerous at all. Once you arrive at the bottom, you'll see plenty of old homes and a promenade where you can walk along. Cool, but not thaaat exciting. We laid down on the stones at the beach, and when we decided to head back, we saw a sign: “Want some ice-cold drinks?” Hell yes!

We wandered over and, boy, am I glad we did. We hadn’t planned a single thing for the day, which turned out to be the best decision ever. The next thing we knew, we were wrapped up in this magical place for FOUR HOURS!

The bartender there was a legend, crafting the most amazing Poncha and Sangria. I’d never been a fan of Poncha before, but her mix changed my mind — refreshing with the perfect hint of honey. She told us that citrus Poncha is the only true version and that the other versions are made for tourists, so make sure to not miss out on the traditional Poncha!

We had so much fun with her, and she even made us some delicious food (also vegan). She also gave us great tips for the upcoming days, including a bar in the middle of nowhere 😄

Keep an eye out for tiny lizards running around; they add to this place's charm. As the cable car closed at 6:30 pm, we had to leave. Afterward, we drove to Porto Moniz and later to Seixal, where we found a great spot to spend the night 🤭

PS: Always make sure you’re sober before driving!

Day 10: Heaven exists on Pico Ruive!! We saw the Milky Way! (14.06.23)

What a morning! We were the first on Seixal Beach and shot some amazing videos. It was so much fun! If you want stunning videos of yourself on black sand in an epic setting, be there early, if not you'll probably annoy many people ;)

After our beach adventure, we drove all the way to Santana, where we arrived at around 5 pm. Along the road, we made many stops (marked on the map) and just soaked in Madeira's beauty. I can't believe how beautiful this island is. I have never seen so many beautiful flowers along the road. We had the feeling that these flowers were growing like crazy on Madeira. I mean have a look at the pictures..😍

IT INSANELY BEAUTIFUL!!

This island will blow away your mind! We ate some really good food at a restaurant with a nice view, and there we also charged all our batteries (important, as you do not have electricity in your car while sleeping :)

Santana is nice but a very touristy spot. There’s a house not far from the touristy ones, and it’s the one you should visit. The man giving a "tour"

One of the family members personally leads the tours at their house. The man was really nice and tried to tell us the history of their house in English/Portuguese, plus he even gave us something to drink! Good man ☺️.

He also told us from a little waterfall we should check out, and that's what we did. It's friendly, cold water, nice for swimming, but definitely not a must-see!

As it started raining, we decided to drive uphill to the top of Pico Ruivo, figuring we wouldn’t see much of the sea and could spend the day among the trees instead (like Fanal with fog). But oh boy! Little did we know what awaited us. Pico Ruivo is so high that you actually drive through the clouds, which feels incredibly epic! It felt like something straight out of a movie. Once you break through the clouds, it’s like reaching heaven—no fog, no rain, just the clouds below us, the sun shining and warming us. It was the perfect place to be

It’s the best sleeping spot on the whole island.

We watched the sun set above the clouds, and the sky darken. Stars started to shine through, and I was blown away when I realized we had the perfect view of the stars. That’s when we decided to lie down on the ground with our decathlon mattress. We looked up at the beautiful sky, filled with countless stars. That was a moment right out of a romantic movie. 🥹

At 3 am, we set a timer because Maik thought we might see the Milky Way. I had never seen it before because of the light pollution and clouds, but at the top of Pico Ruivo, above the clouds, it was possible!! It's one of the clearest skies I've ever seen.

Just a heads-up: There was a lot of garbage everywhere. Since this spot gets busy with tourists during midday, it seems some people don’t care about nature. Please make sure to leave no traces and to keep this place as beautiful as it is! Thank you.

Day 11: Hiking from Pico Ruivo to Pico do Arierio (15.06.23)

This hike was intense! We hiked for 7 hours, covering a total distance of 16.1 km with an elevation gain of 890 m. It was one of the most beautiful and exhausting hikes I’ve ever done. You can’t imagine how many steps we had to climb to get from Pico Ruivo to Pico do Arieiro. Here’s a link to my Komoot so you know what to prepare for: Komoot Tour.

If you don’t want to do this hike, you can opt for a 2 km hike to the top of Pico Ruivo and, a few days later, drive to the top of Pico do Arieiro by car. But if you can manage this hike, you definitely should. It’s colorful, showcases so many different shades of nature, and, yes, it’s epic!

At Pico do Arieiro, we enjoyed a Radler to recharge our energy before heading back.

Make sure to apply plenty of sunscreen—we got burned again!

After our hike, we drove to a restaurant in São Jorge, where we enjoyed another beer and got to shower for free (best restaurant ever!). After such a long hike, I needed to feel refreshed. Then, we headed to Conti (Continente, our best buddy), bought some food for a BBQ, and drove over the clouds back to our sleeping spot from the night before.

Since we also washed our clothes in the shower, we hung them in our car on our homemade clothesline—it looked ridiculous! :D

Then, we had a super delicious BBQ, watched an epic sunset, stargazed, and fell asleep.

You can probably tell: I’m completely in love with this place, and I know I’ll be back.

Day 12: Sunrise, Chill Beach day & Great Poncha at Sleeping Spot (16.06.23)

What a sunrise! The day before, we couldn’t motivate ourselves to wake up early, but this time, we did, and I’m so glad we did! A tip: don’t always look directly at the sun; turn around and see what the sun is shining on. Sometimes, it’s even more beautiful to watch the mountains gradually light up.

After a good breakfast, we packed our stuff and drove to Machico, stopping at several spots along the way. We went to the beautiful city beach and enjoyed life for a few hours. I think it’s the second-best beach on the island (after Seixal) since it has no stones (though it might be man-made).

Then, we headed to Conti and made some delicious subs with our herb butter. With full stomachs, we drove to the Caniçal Viewpoint and stayed there until sunset. Not sure if he’s always there, but there was a guy selling typical Madeira food from his truck—he made great Poncha!

Day 13: Hiking on Mars and partying in a local bar (17.06.23)

The best thing about this spot is that you can enjoy both the sunset and sunrise without moving, and planes fly overhead because the airport is nearby. We woke up early to see the sun rise over the ocean, then went back to sleep. At 8:30 am, we woke up again, ate some delicious yogurt with fresh fruits, and drove to our 7.8 km hike starting point: Komoot Route.

The hiking route is pretty straightforward—there’s only one path, and it’s full of people. I think it’s the second-best hike on the island. You have to make it to the last viewpoint, even if you feel like you’re dying on the stairs! (Viewpoint Link 🥴). The way up felt like a different planet—like walking on Mars: hot, no shade, steep, red, and stony.

After the hike, we drove back to Machico for a delicious dinner and grabbed some ice-cold beer. We were on our way to the bar that was recommended by the lady with the AMAZING Poncha: Portas Vermelhas. And wow, what a night! Portugal was playing that day, and the bar was packed.

We drank a lot of Poncha and other local drinks and met some really nice people. Around 2am, a party crowd from a wedding joined the bar. I don’t remember much, but I do know I was speaking Spanish with them (thank you, 200 days of Duolingo!), and we understood each other, even though they spoke Portuguese.

Maik said they invited us to join them, but we were too tired, so we went back to our car and had a good night’s sleep.

Day 14: Being hungover in Madeira is quite nice (18.06.23)

As you can imagine, we were hungover and needed plenty of sleep and some good food. Around 1 pm, we made it to a traditional restaurant, but we wouldn’t recommend it. The food wasn’t great, especially for a vegan, and next to us was a lively group of traditional Madeiran people. For them, eating means dancing, singing, clapping, and being really loud - not ideal when you’re hungover :’). After eating, we napped again, and during that time, it rained. Our shoes, which were left outside, got completely soaked 🥲🤣.

So, somehow, our day started at 5pm—with wet shoes. We drove to Funchal, did some shopping (including new shoes), and bought some delicious food. By 7pm, we reached the top of Pico do Arieiro to watch an amazing sunset and enjoy some good food. I mean, how amazing is that? Even though we didn’t do much that day, all we had to do was to reach the top of a mountain to enjoy one of the most incredible views.

After the sun set above the clouds, we had a movie night and fell asleep on the top of Pico do Arieiro.

Day 15: Good Levada Hike! (19.06.23)

You wouldn’t believe how many cars were driving to the top at 5:30 am—it was insane! They must have all woken up at 4:30 to catch the sunrise. That’s another great reason to sleep in the car: you can wake up just before the sun rises and watch it from your bed. That’s exactly what we did, as it was super windy outside. After that, we fell asleep again, watched a movie, and had breakfast with an incredible view of the mountains. I highly recommend having breakfast on top of a mountain, above the clouds.

With no plans for the day, we thought about what to do and decided to go for a hike. We heard that the PR6 25 Fontes & Levada do Risco hike was really good, so we drove there even though it was on the other side of the island (definitely not the optimal route, but worth it!).

The hike was different from the others we had done on the island but totally worth the drive. We covered 10 km in 5 hours (super speedy :D), taking plenty of breaks to fully immerse ourselves in nature—and also to search for our drone that crashed into the trees :’)

For all the details, check out: Komoot Tour.

One of my favorite things about the hike was the variety of scenery—you get stunning viewpoints, calm levadas, waterfalls, lots of stairs, trees, and narrow passages. At times, it felt like walking through a dreamy, slightly spooky forest. It’s a great combination, and I’m so glad we decided to do this hike.

Afterwards, we drove back to Funchal, enjoyed some Thai food, and parked our car at the spot where we slept on the first night. We ended the day by watching a movie and falling asleep to the sound of ocean waves.

Day 16: Whale Watching Adventure & a Foggy Sunset (20.06.23)

We did our first and only booked tour: dolphin and whale watching in Funchal! We booked it for €30 per person and were lucky enough to see a group of eight dolphins and a mother whale with her calf. If you have the time, definitely go for it, but be sure to bring your own snorkeling gear, as they no longer provide it since COVID.

We sat in the front with our legs over the railing

It was amazing to feel the wind in my hair and getting splashed by the waves as the boat crashed through them.

After the tour, we walked around Funchal and drove to Santa Cruz and Caniço to check out some more spots. On the side of the road, we found a burger truck that made us some really delicious vegan burgers.

In the evening, we made our last trip to the top of Pico do Arieiro to watch the beautiful sunset above the clouds. We had hoped to shoot a cool drone video, but it got damaged the day before, and the weather was foggy and windy—not the clear skies we expected. Initially, we were disappointed, but after a while, we realized how epic it looked. Even though we couldn’t see the sun, the clouds would occasionally part, letting the light shine through. However, by the end, visibility was down to a meter due to the dense fog; it was cold and windy, so we had to hide under a huge blanket to keep warm.

Day 17: Whale Watching Adventure & a Foggy Sunset (21.06.23)

Here it is—our last day! There was no sunrise because it was still super foggy, so we stayed in bed and fell back asleep. I felt bad for the people who drove up early just for this. After breakfast, we headed to Machico, cleaned the car, went shopping, and bought lots of bolo de mel for family and friends (very important :D). After that, we returned the car without any problems, dropped off our luggage, and waited at the airport.

After an hour, we decided we didn’t want to wait anymore, so we walked into the city, which took about 25 minutes. We enjoyed a delicious burger, and I had my last tasty Aperol. We strolled around town and then made our way back along the ocean. I’m really glad we did this as we could easily skip the long wait at the airport.

But how to sleep in a car and how to get sleeping stuff?

No worries, here’s how we managed to sleep in the car—I’ll explain everything in detail.

We rented a 5 seater car at an agency, directly located at the airport. Then wew drove to Decathlon, bought a matress (which we also brought back to Germany with us).

As it was summer, it was hot in the car, and the blankets you get in the airport were sufficient. As pillows, we used our hoodies, which were surprisingly comfy, but if you prefer, you can bring actual pillows.

The setup was simple but effective, making it easy to get a good night’s sleep while on the go.

With just a bit of preparation, it’s entirely possible to create a cozy and comfortable sleeping arrangement in your car!

If you need more details, watch my YoutTube Vid, where I go more into detail on how to prepare and what to bring: