A week is the ideal length for Madeira: enough to see all four of its faces – Funchal, the high peaks, the levadas and both coasts – at a relaxed pace, with room for a beach day and a weather buffer. The plan that works keeps one base in Funchal and runs out from it, mixing big days with easy ones so you're not exhausted by midweek. It expands the headline stops from our things to do in Madeira guide across seven days. Here's the day-by-day.
- 01Seven days lets you do the whole island without rushing – city, peaks, levadas, west and east coasts, plus a beach or boat day and a spare day for weather.
- 02Keep one base in Funchal and run day trips out; you avoid packing up mid-trip and lose no time to check-ins.
- 03Alternate hard and easy days – a peak or levada, then a city or coast day – so the week stays relaxed rather than relentless.
- 04Hold the weather-dependent days (sunrise, boat trips) loosely and do them on your clearest mornings; the spare day is your buffer.
- 05With a week you can add a Porto Santo beach day or an overnight – the golden-sand island Madeira itself lacks.
Before you go: base, season, car
Stay in Funchal for all seven nights – it's central, walkable and where the tours pick up, so you run the week from one hotel. The best months are April to June and September to October, mild and green without the peak crowds. You can do everything below on tours and transfers, or hire a car for the rural days only – Madeira's mountain roads put many first-timers off driving the whole trip. Sort your airport transfer so day one runs smoothly.
Day 1: Funchal and Monte
Ease in with the capital. Walk the old town and the Mercado dos Lavradores, ride the cable car up to Monte and toboggan back down, and settle into the city. It's a gentle start while the jet-lag fades, with plenty to do in Funchal on foot.
Day 2: The Pico do Arieiro sunrise
The headline day. Do the Pico do Arieiro sunrise and, if the trail's open and you're fit, the PR1 ridge to Pico Ruivo – the island's roof above a sea of cloud. Save it for your clearest forecast and use a guided transfer to skip the pre-dawn parking. If day two looks cloudy, swap it with a later day.
Day 3: A levada walk
The classic Madeira walk. Do the Levada das 25 Fontes at Rabaçal, ending at a spring-fed lagoon – the signature levada. It's a moderate half- to full-day on mostly level paths, a gentler contrast to the peaks, and it works even if cloud sits on the mountains.
Day 4: The west coast
Give the west a full day. The west-coast loop takes in the Cabo Girão skywalk, the Porto Moniz lava pools, Seixal's black-sand beach and the misty Fanal forest. A 4WD tour handles the winding roads; pack a swimsuit for Porto Moniz.
Day 5: A boat day or rest
Slow the pace midweek. A gentle whale and dolphin trip from Funchal marina is an easy half-day on the water, or a sunset catamaran cruise in the evening. Use the spare time to revisit Funchal favourites, do a food tour or simply rest before the second half of the week.
Day 6: The east coast or a second levada
Head the other way. The east-coast tour covers Santana's thatched houses, the Pico do Arieiro viewpoint and the laurel forest at Ribeiro Frio, or you can swap in a second levada like the longer Caldeirão Verde. For a wild contrast, the coastal hike at Ponta de São Lourenço is a fine alternative.
Day 7: Porto Santo or a flexible finish
Finish on the beach or your buffer. With a week you can take the ferry to Porto Santo for the golden sand Madeira lacks – a long day trip, or an overnight if you'd rather not rush. If you had to shuffle the sunrise or a boat trip earlier in the week, this is where it lands; otherwise keep it relaxed and save a few favourite spots for a last, unhurried day.
Featured image: Sebastian from the EU / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
