We’re Rocky and Ninon, and Madeira Plans is the guide we wished we’d had when we started planning Madeira: clear answers to practical questions, in plain English, with a date on everything.
What you’ll find here
- Hikes and levadas, trail by trail: how to get there, how long it takes, what needs booking, and how hard it really is.
- Trip planning: when to go, where to stay depending on what you want to do, and getting around with or without a car.
- The island beyond the trails: villages, viewpoints, food and local festivals.
How we work
- Every guide shows when it was last updated. Things change often in Madeira, from trail access to closures after bad weather, so we check official sources and link to them.
- When we can’t confirm something, we say so rather than guess.
- Photos that aren’t ours are credited, with their licence.
- Some links are affiliate links, and they’re marked as such. They don’t change what we recommend: we only put forward what we’d suggest to a friend. The details are in our affiliate disclosure.
Where to start
- The free 7-day plan: a day-by-day route that keeps driving time short.
- Where to stay in Madeira: the eight bases compared.
- Tours worth booking ahead: the ones that sell out first.
- Porto Moniz and the rest of the north-west: Fanal, Seixal, Ribeira da Janela, Achadas da Cruz.
- The west coast: Ponta do Pargo, Paul do Mar and Jardim do Mar.
Get in touch
Spotted a mistake, something that changed on the ground, or just have a question? Write to us through the contact page. Notes from people who’ve just been there are what keep this site useful.