Best Souvenirs from Madeira Island

You loved Madeira and want to take a piece of it home with you. But what’s the perfect Madeira souvenir? Here are a few ideas of what I’d take with me.

Bolo de mel

Bolo de mel is a local delicacy that keeps for many months. So, three months from now, when you’re missing Madeiran flavours, you can open it, eat a little bit, and the strong sugar cane honey with spices will bring you right back to Madeira’s warmth and cosy embrace. There are plenty of brands you can choose from, although my favourites are the one from Fábrica do Ribeiro Seco, Chábom or Fábrica de Sto. António. You can also buy smaller cakes to gift your loved ones to let them know you were thinking about them – I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like a tiny, little bolo de mel. 

Broas de mel & other cookies from Fábrica de Sto. António

If you’re not a fan of bolo the mel, then surely you’ll find something at Fábrica de Sto. António (located at Rua do Forno, 27), whose smell just oozes down the street. There are the traditional broas de mel, made with sugar cane honey; palitos de cerveja, made with beer yeast; and the butter cookies sprinkled with sugar. Besides these traditional flavours, I don’t think you’ll regret taking “beijinhos de avelã” (literally, hazelnut kisses) or broas de limão (lemon cookies, accidentally vegan!) with you. Also at Casa de Sto António, you can find rebuçados de funcho, Madeira’s sickly sweet cough drops.

Bordado Madeira from Bordal 

Madeira embroidery dates back to the 15th century and is still stitched by hand by a few bordadeiras who’re still working. There are two places where you can buy it in Funchal: Bordal, located on the first floor of number 77 at Rua Dr. Fernão Ornelas; or the handicraft shop at Rua dos Ferreiros (there’s a wicker chair on the façade, you can’t miss it). Although it’s not to everybody’s taste, the craftsmanship (or rather, craftswomanship) that goes into it is undeniable, and no two pieces are the same.

Ceramics from Lilly Ceramics

If embroidery doesn’t fit into your home’s decor, then give a shop to Lilly Ceramics, a small ceramics atelier on a second floor near Mercado dos Lavradores. All their pieces are designed and made in Madeira, featuring local motifs, and they’re both microwave and dishwasher-safe. Just be careful to wrap it up really well between several pieces of clothing, and I bet these ceramics will make you smile every time you look at the cupboard at home.

Seeds and roots from Mercado do Lavradores

Mercado dos Lavradores may be Funchal’s most notorious tourist trap, but there’s one thing that’s not overpriced: flower, fruit and vegetable seeds (or roots, or anything else that will allow you to grow the plant at home). Most of the seeds are quite small, so they can fit into the tiniest luggage. And if you’re successful growing the plant, you’ll have a lifelong souvenir from Madeira. If you’re not the best plant parent, ask the sellers for some advice. 

Apparel from Sou Madeira or Wood Madeira Creative Store

Swearshirts, t-shirts, tote bags, caps… Madeira has swag, and these two stores have the best merch available right now on the island. At Sou the Store (in the Old Town behind the market, located in Rua de Santa Maria) you can find flowery sweats, hoodies professing your love for Fanal, or a banana-loving tote bag. At Wood Creative Store, which is nearby, there are tote bags and sweatshirts with endemic flowers and birds. So support local brands!

A t-shirt by Bailha Madeira

Speaking of local brands, there is one I love, called Bailha Madeira, which sells embroidered t-shirts – every one of their t-shirts is embroidered by hand by one of the OGs, not by machines. However, they’re not sticking to traditional motifs. Instead, they decorate the t-shirts with cherimoyas, passion fruit, papayas, and stars of paradise. The final result is modern and cool but it doesn’t look like something you can get anywhere else in the world,  which is exactly what you want from a souvenir.  

Água da Madeira

Água da Madeira is an eau de parfum developed by a local company. The parfum is an attempt to awaken your senses and conjure up the island, mixing the sea breeze with the laurel forest and the flowers that emerge from the local manors. The brand has since grown to offer candles, soap and much more. You can find their products at several stores around the island, including Jacarandá and Blandy’s Wine Lodge Souvenir Shop.

Mel de Cana & Vinho Madeira

If you’re taking hold luggage and liquids are not an issue, your options expand. Among my favourite souvenirs to take would be sugar cane honey (hard to find a flavour as dark and intense as the one from Fábrica do Ribeiro Seco) or Madeira Wine. Although you can buy Madeira pretty much anywhere in the world, here you’d be supporting local producers and shops directly. Pereira D’Oliveira at Rua dos Ferreiros 107 usually offers tastings and you can pick your favourite.  

Poncha (or hardware to make it at home)

For those who can hold their liquor, there’s always bottled poncha. Bottled poncha is different from the real one made with fresh juice, so take it at your own risk. But if you want to try and make it at home, then take some Madeiran rum and a ‘caralhinho’ (the traditional wooden stick used to make it) home with you. Just be careful not to be asking around where you can buy a caralhinho, because the world has a double meaning.

Wicker products and basketware

If you really, really have a lot of space on your luggage, taking some basketware would also be a great souvenir. Madeira is known for its skilled basket weavers (even Cristiano Ronaldo’s mom worked as one when she was younger!). So buying a basket, a tray, a hat or a bag at the Handicrafts shop at Rua dos Ferreiros would definitely both support local artisans and remind you of Madeira when you get home. 

Sure, you can buy a magnet if you collect them. But how unique is it? Sugar honey cake, cookies, embroidery or basketware, now that’s Madeira!