West Madeira is the island's best single day out, because it packs the most variety into one scenic loop: the glass-floored Cabo Girão skywalk, the lava pools at Porto Moniz, the black sand and waterfalls of Seixal, and the eerie, mossy Fanal forest up on the plateau. The only real decision is how to do it – a 4WD jeep tour that handles the winding roads, or a self-drive loop at your own pace. Here's the route, the stops and which approach suits you – it's one of the best days out in our Madeira travel guide.
- 01The west is about variety: a cliff skywalk, volcanic pools, a black-sand beach, waterfalls and misty forest in one day.
- 02A 4WD/jeep tour is the low-stress option – the roads are winding, and a guide adjusts the route for weather and conditions.
- 03The north coast is the surprise – Seixal's black-sand beach and the waterfalls along the old coast road steal the day.
- 04It's weather-driven: the sunny south can be cloudy on the north coast, and fog makes or breaks Fanal.
- 05Pack a swimsuit and towel even on a 'sightseeing' day – Porto Moniz is the swim stop.
Cabo Girão skywalk
The natural first stop, just west of Funchal above Câmara de Lobos: a glass-floored platform jutting out over a sea cliff that drops around 580 m straight to the Atlantic – one of the highest in Europe. It's a short stop rather than a half-day attraction (20–45 minutes), free or a small charge to step on, and best early before the late-morning coach crowds. The fishing harbour of Câmara de Lobos just below is worth a quick look too, especially if your route starts on the south coast.
Porto Moniz lava pools
This is the west-coast anchor and the day's swim. Porto Moniz sits on the wild northwest tip, where volcanic rock forms a set of natural seawater pools you can actually swim in – sheltered enough for a dip when the Atlantic itself is too rough. Entry is a few euros, and it's worth an hour or two if conditions are calm. Bring a swimsuit and towel; it's the one stop where you'll regret leaving them in the hotel. Our Porto Moniz guide covers the free vs paid pools and the swell to watch.
Seixal and the north coast
A short hop east, Seixal is the photogenic contrast: black volcanic sand, surf, and waterfalls tumbling straight down the green cliffs behind the village. It's more a scenery-and-photo stop than a long beach day (30–60 minutes), but it's one of the most striking spots on the coast. Along this stretch you'll also pass roadside viewpoints like the Véu da Noiva ("bridal veil") waterfall – quick stops that break up the drive between the bigger sights.
Fanal forest
Up on the Paúl da Serra plateau, the Fanal laurisilva forest is the day's wild card – ancient, gnarled laurel trees in open moorland, often wrapped in drifting fog. It's the most weather-sensitive stop on the route: mist can turn it into the most atmospheric, photogenic place on the island, or reduce it to near-zero visibility. Either way it's a short wander (30–60 minutes) rather than a hike, and a completely different Madeira from the coast below.
The drive back: the mountain passes
The loop home crosses Madeira's spine, and the high viewpoints – around Encumeada and the Paúl da Serra plateau – are worth the few minutes it takes to stop. They're the clearest illustration of why the island feels like several places at once: you climb out of the cloudy, green north and drop back down to the sunny south in the space of one drive.
Jeep tour or self-drive?
The west's roads are narrow, steep and slow, with hairpins and the odd tunnel, so the honest question is whether you want to drive them or look at the view. A 4WD jeep tour takes that off your plate – pickup from Funchal, a guide who reads the weather and reorders stops, and time to actually enjoy each one. The Skywalk, Porto Moniz, Seixal and Fanal tour runs the full loop in about eight hours.
Self-drive wins if you want to linger at viewpoints, pick your own lunch stop and set the pace – a normal car can do the route fine, no 4WD required, as long as you're comfortable on mountain roads.
Featured image: Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
