Is one week in Madeira enough?

A lot of people ask me if one week in Madeira is enough. The answer is yes, a week in Madeira is enough to get a feel for the island and visit different parts of it.

The island may be small, but yet there are many Madeiras. In a week, you can see many of them: the old town of Funchal, the gardens, the levadas, the agricultural areas, and the cinematic north coast.

But it’s important to say upfront: you will not see everything. You won’t cover every single corner of the island like it’s the palm of your hand. You may not get to go to everywhere you’ve seen on TikTok.

My best advice for people coming to Madeira is not to make it into a bucketlist chase. Otherwise, you’ll spend the whole week in your car, without fully appreciating nature, food, or the culture.

What to expect from one week in Madeira

While Madeira is small on a map, but it doesn’t behave like it. I remember being at a viewpoint during a hike – I could see Pico do Areeiro, Porto da Cruz, Ponta de S. Lourenço and Porto Santo from the same place. It’s never looked so small to me.

And yet, if you were to go to all of these places by car, it would take you a little while. It doesn’t feel as close. And then there’s the weather, which can change from place to place: the island has over 40 microclimates. So you need to be flexible and adjust.



Here’s what to expect from one week in Madeira, realistically:

Cover the highlights and a couple of your favourites

A week in Madeira is enough to cover the classics. I have an itinerary for one week in Madeira, which covers one day to wind down in Funchal, one day visiting gardens, another day venturing further into the island, a fourth day on the North coast, and two days for activities of your choosing.

On those two days, you can throw in a number of activities of your choosing, such a hiking levada, visiting Ponta de S. Lourenço, diving in the Atlantic, and much more. Granted, it’ll be an intense week, but it will give you a real feel for the island.

Enjoy outdoor activities at the Heart of the Island

One week in Madeira is also enough if you’re coming to the island for something very specific. If you want to hike several levadas, try canyoning, paragliding, BTT and other outdoor activities at central mountain range of the island, it’ll be a thrilling week.

However, let’s not forget you’re on holiday. Levadas, as lovely as they are, are also quite tiring. I’d recommend 4-5 active days at most, and then take 2-3 days to rest. Slot in a slow Funchal day, a dolphin watching tour or a visit to the North Coast. That’s the difference between feeling pleasantly tired and feeling like you’ve been folded into a suitcase.

Make plenty of Family-friendly Plans

Let’s be honest about group travelling. It’s great to spend time with your loved ones, but everyone has different interests. One week in Madeira is ideal, because there are plenty of family-friendly plans: boat trips, 4 x 4 tours, natural pools, interactive museums, and delicious meals.

But after a week, people will start to drift in different directions. Some will want to explore the mountains and the levadas, while others will prefer sunbathing and swimming. So one week seems to be the sweet spot to try different things every day and create lovely memories. No one will feel dragged around!

Visit Madeira as a part of a larger Portugal trip

So many people spend 3 days in Porto, 3 days in Lisbon, 3 days in the Algarve, 3 days in Madeira or in the Azores. When they come to the island, they’re already tired – and find it surprising that a couple of days is not enough to cover a lot of ground.

If that’s your case, remember that an island is not like a city. A week is enough time to rest from the previous days and the flight, as well as enjoying the island itself. You can have a slow day, enjoy a nice meal by the ocean, hike, swim, and visit different parts of the island.

Get your one week in Madeira itinerary now

Madeira tends to punish random driving and rewards smart sequencing. A good one-week plan clusters areas and uses the microclimates to your advantage. And it always includes a Plan B, because the clouds do not care about your schedule.

That’s exactly why a curated itinerary helps. If you want to make the most of a short trip, I’ve prepared a one week in Madeira plan that includes time to rest, public transport options, and recommendations for guided tours.

When is a week in Madeira NOT Enough?

Like I said, Madeira may look small on the map, but there are plenty of things to do and see. A week is not enough if you want to cover a lot of ground slowly and thoroughly. I’d recommend staying for 10 days or even 2 weeks if that’s your goal.

It’s also not enough if you want to do plus multiple big hikes. In that case, counting with a few rest days, you should also aim to stay 10 days at least. Otherwise, if staying a week, I’d recommend making 4 levadas at most.

Lastly, one week is not enough if you also intend to visit Porto Santo. Although technically possible, you won’t get to see either island really well. Porto Santo deserves more than a daytrip.

Staying for over a week will allow you to visit Madeira without sacrificing rest or turning every day into a rush. Besides, longer trips give you more flexibility to wait for the right day for the peaks or the sea.