7 Commandments for Tourists in Madeira: How to respect Locals

Madeirans are the first to promote their island. They love showing it to foreigners and dazzle them with this tiny morsel of paradise. But overtourism is also a reality.

Madeira suffers from its own success: Funchal is Portugal’s second most expensive city, there’s more traffic, lines on popular levadas, and even Fanal has been fenced off. Madeirans can’t even enjoy their quiet weekend walks, hikes, and barbecues on the hills anymore.

However, I see more and more tourists online, both on Facebook groups and on r/Madeira, asking what they can do be less obnoxious. If you’re one of those tourists, here are the 7 Commandments you should swear by to avoid annoying locals.

7 Commandments for Tourists in Madeira

1. You shall learn how to exit in roundabouts

If you live in Madeira, you can tell which cars belong to tourists just by the way they drive. Tourists often hesitate where to turn, drive slower on rural roads, or get into pickle because they trust Google Maps blindly. Yet nothing annoys locals as much as tourists on roundabouts.

You see, in Portugal, you only drive on the right lane if you’re taking the next exit. If you’re only taking the second or later exits, use the left lane. However, tourists always drive on the right, leading other drivers to believe they’re about the exit and causing accidents.

Here’s a video that explains it in detail.

2. You shall not park anywhere or “save spots”

This year, there were several news of tourists who tried to save a spot for themselves near Praia Formosa. But that, dear tourists, is not a thing. We use public parking spaces on a first come, first served basis, and you cannot put an object, such as table or a couple of chairs, on a parking spot to save it for later.

On that note, perhaps it’s a good idea to remind you that you should only park on designated parking spaces. People living near popular levadas often complain of rent-a-cars obstructing the roads or preventing them from exiting their own houses and garages.

Besides, if you came here to hike, you don’t need to park right at the beginning of the levada. Look for parking spaces further away or, better yet, use public transport, an Uber, a taxi or a organised tour that can pick up from your accommodation and take you to the levada.

3. You shall not call everything “cheap”

If you live in Portugal, be in the mainland or on the islands, you get used to tourists saying “it’s cheap”. And then there’s the odd digital nomad or repeat tourist who’ll go “it’s not as cheap as it used to be, though”. Well, we’re sorry we can’t sell things for even less.

Those comments are just tone-deaf. Although Portugal and Madeira may seem cheap to people coming for countries with a higher standard of living, Madeira is becoming unfordable for locals – and it’s not just houses, it’s cafés, restaurants, events, shops and services too.

What’s a bargain to you may be a stretch for us, even at the supermarket.

4. You shall respect the signs on the trails

As a tourist in Madeira, please, please, please respect the signs on the trails. If a trail is closed, don’t try to trespass it. If there’s a warning about landslides, take it seriously. Several tourists have had accidents or even gone missing off trail, resulting in challenging rescue missions.

Among locals, there’s the general idea that only foreigners get lost and go missing the mountains, and a recent fact-check by a leading newspaper agreed that is was mostly true. Why? That’s anyone’s guess, but I think locals have a greater respect for nature and don’t challenge its mightiness.

Foreigners, however, may be deceived by the apparent calmness and safety of the island, disregarding sudden weather changes, mudslides, landslides, low visibility, the length of some paths and how narrow they are. Therefore, always check the conditions before hiking on visitmadeira.pt.

Here’s a few more tips about how to hike safely in Madeira.

5. You shall camp only on permitted spots

Another big hit this Summer were tourists camping where they shouldn’t. Several news (with photos) came out of tourists camping in well-known viewpoints, levadas, forest areas, or sleeping in tents above their cars. If you want to be respectful, please don’t do this.

Before you camp, you need to apply for permission with IP-RAM. Permissions are only given for a few established camping sites, and there’s a limit to the amount of tents and people. If these sites are already full, you always have the campground in Porto Moniz.

6. You shall go to the bathroom before hiking

I’m sorry to bring this into the conversation, but it simply must be addressed. A lot of levadas and forest areas are dirty with toilet paper, wipes, and other hygiene products. It’s not a pleasant sight – not for tourists, and certainly not for the islanders who have to clean it up.

So, please, take into consideration that levadas may take hours to complete. It’s better to go to the bathroom before you start hiking, at the beginning of the trail. Otherwise, if nature calls, take a bag with you and clean up after yourself.

7. You shall not buy a second home

Finally, the big one. If you want to help out locals with this affordability crisis, please do not buy a second home. The island, especially in areas like Ponta do Sol and Calheta, is filled with second homes that sit empty most of the year, despite being sold for millions.

This not only inflates the price of housing, it also creates a luxury market that is completely eradicating middle-class housing. Even in Funchal, every new building that pops up is aimed at this segment. There are no new apartments for working people.

If, by some miracle, an affordable old apartment is put on sale, it is usually grabbed by investors who can pay it upfront and rent it to… you guessed it, tourists. So, if you want to enjoy Madeira, stay at a hotel. There are hundreds to choose from, regardless of your price range, and I’m sure you can come many, many times for the price of a humble dwelling.