FAQs about Best Places to Stay in Madeira

Welcome to my Frequently Asked Questions about the best places to stay in Madeira, you can see more about where to stay in Madeira in this guide 15 Best Areas to Stay in Madeira.

Where To Stay In Madeira For Hiking?

For anyone visiting Madeira with hiking as one of their primary goals, I’d have to suggest staying in Calheta. Known for featuring several the most stunning trails on the island, this will give you a range of choices, all with stunning views, so you can take a different hike every day of your stay if you wish.

The Vila Maria Quinta is an ideal choice for where to stay, as it is located in the hills near where the trails begin and features an “exceptional” 9.5/10 rating on booking.com. This makes it the perfect spot to kick off your daily hikes and then relax in a little luxury when you return for the evening.

Where To Stay In Madeira For Walking?

While some of you may think hiking and walking are pretty much the same thing, there is quite a big difference between a strenuous hike up a mountain and a leisurely stroll along a beach or nature trail.

That’s why my answer to this question is going to be different from the previous one, and I am going to recommend Machico as the best place to stay on the island for walking.

Featuring beautiful beaches and some of the best nature trails on the island, combined with its mildest temperatures, Machico is the ideal destination to enjoy a trip filled with long walks along the coast and through the country, without working up too much of a sweat.

For those who chose to stay here, I would recommend the Dom Pedro Madeira as the perfect place to do so. A 4-star hotel, with an 8.1/10 rating on booking.com, it’s an ideal place to relax in a little bit of luxury, after a long day spent walking your socks off.

Where To Stay In Madeira For Beaches?

While the beaches on Madeira are primarily known to be made of rocks and pebbles, there are a few of the more traditional sandy beaches on offer as well, the vast majority of which are man-made.

While I will give an honourable mention to Calheta, for its beautiful beach and high temperatures, I have to go with Machico as my recommendation on where to stay if beaches are your priority.

Not only does it feature one of the most popular beaches on the island, but it is also located near two of the other most highly rated choices, Prainha and Seixal. This variety just puts too much on the table for anywhere else on the island to compete with.

Similarly to my answer on “where to stay for walking” above, I will again suggest the Dom Pedro Madeira as the best choice for accommodation, as it simply stands out as the best option in town.

Where To Stay In Madeira Without A Car?

When it comes to where to stay without a car, it unquestionably has to be the capital city of Funchal. It has by far the most to offer in terms of attractions and nightlife, is located near both a beach resort and the harbour, as well as being extremely close to the airport.

This means that travelling around, whether that be at the beginning, middle or end of your trip, will always be quick and easy.

The Quinta Jardins do Lago is a stunning, 5-star hotel, with an “exceptional” 9.7/10 rating on booking.com, located in the centre of the city, that is simply perfect for maximising the ease and enjoyment of your trip even further.

Where To Stay In Madeira In January?

Travelling in January can be a strange experience, as many are still feeling the hangover of the festive season we’ve just left behind. However, on Madeira, they are keen to hold on to the spirit a little longer.

Firstly, in the capital of Funchal, there is the Cantar Os Reis. Held on the 12^th night after Christmas, musicians from around the island perform in the streets and in auditoriums, to provide that last little bit of festivity for people.

Then, in nearby Santa Cruz, the Santo Amaro festival is celebrated a week later, where families set up festively decorated stalls, containing food prepared to provide one final festive meal.

So, if you’re travelling to Madeira in January, I would recommend staying in one of these two places, in order to take in this unique experience and help you rid yourself of the post-Christmas blues.

Where To Stay In Madeira In March?

Anyone travelling to the island in March simply has to stay in Funchal during their visit, as there is just so much going on.

From the Festival Of Wine, Embroidery & Handicrafts, and the Madeira Literary Festival, to the Earth Hour Funchal Race and Madeira SUP Challenge, in addition to the abundance of attractions already in the city, there just simply isn’t another location on the island that has as much to offer at this time of year.

As I stated in the “where to stay without a car section”, the Quinta Jardins do Lago is my preferred choice of hotel, and I will recommend it again here too.

Where To Stay In Madeira In April?

By April, the weather will just be beginning to warm up, opening a much wider range of possibilities for you to enjoy on your trip. With that in mind, I would suggest visiting Ponta Do Sol.

As the warmest place on the island, you will be able to enjoy most of the activities you could in the height of summer. When you then consider this is also the time when the town holds the Regional Sugar Cane Fair, displaying the history and culture of the area and giving you the opportunity to sample some of its finest food, drinks and cakes, it really becomes a no brainer.

While there, I would also recommend staying at the Estalagem Da Ponta Do Sol. A beautiful, 4-star hotel, with a “superb” 9.2/10 rating on booking.com, it is sure to make an already great experience just that little bit better.

Where To Stay In Madeira In November?

While November is somewhat of an unusual month in which to travel, it is also the month where the Church of St Martin, in Sao Martinho, hosts its St Martins Day festival, making that an ideal place to stay on your trip.

The area surrounding the church is known for growing chestnuts and grapes, which are both harvested and prepared for the festival. Fresh wines and roasted chestnuts are then served in the church’s grounds, along with numerous other local foods, for the two days of the 10^th and 11^th of November.

This unique experience is both beautiful and culturally enriching, making your November stay a magical one to remember.

For the best way to experience the festival, the Vila Marta features an “exceptional” 9.6/10 rating on booking.com and is one of the closest properties to the church, meaning you can spend less time traveling and more time eating, drinking and making the most of this fantastic occasion.

Where To Stay In Madeira In December?

Of all the months for me to select the best place to stay in Madeira, December is undoubtedly the easiest, and the area that I would recommend is the city of Funchal.

With December being the centre of the festive season, it’s a perfect time to explore the islands traditions in that respect. For starters, Funchal hosts a stunning Christmas market, and the streets are decorated with beautiful lights and decorations.

Then, when the 31^st comes round, it rings in the new year by hosting one of the largest firework displays in not just Madeira but the entire world. These two facts make it an ideal destination to make the most of your stay.

Also, I know I’ve mentioned it twice before, but if you do plan on staying here, I would highly recommend staying at the Quinta Jardins do Lago, in order to truly get the most out of your trip.

Is Madeira Portugal Worth Visiting?

Madeira is a stunning island, featuring a beautiful combination of natural and urban beauty, traditional and modern entertainment, as well as enough history, culture and beaches to keep even the pickiest of travellers happy.

If you are looking for an island vacation, then I would say the answer to this question is a resounding yes, Madeira is absolutely worth visiting. Quite frankly, it can compete with any other island destination that comes to mind and is well worth both your time and money.

That’s my  Frequently Asked Questions about the best places to stay in Madeira. See more about Portugal travel here:

• Where To Stay in Lisbon
• Where To Stay In Algarve Portugal
• Where to Stay in Porto, Portugal