The Pico de Baixo peak is a 209-meter, steep mountain on the east side of Porto Santo Island. It’s not an official hiking route but it is one of the best sunrise views on the island and a fun climb involving some sketchy scrambling, and some sand dune sliding. This is an adventure for those …
This is a hike on Porto Santo that I have named ‘The Three Peaks’ hike as it tours three of the top peaks on the island. The route takes you to Pico Juliana, Pico Castelo and Pico do Facho on a 9-kilometer round trip adventure. It’s a steep trail but the panoramic views from the …
PICO CASTELO, PICO DO FACHO & PICO JULIANA HIKE ON PORTO SANTO
This blog post isn’t about money or about a vertical kilometer climbed, it’s about a milestone that’s taken me almost five years to reach. It’s hard to celebrate it with anyone because very few can relate or understand what has even been involved. This week, on what began as just another little travel blog, I …
Vereda do Pesqueiro hike is an incredible coastal trail in Ponta do Pargo on the west of Madeira Island. This is a special trail because it is basically carved out of the side of the cliff and takes you down to a very remote beach where you can take a swim all alone. It’s exciting, …
The Achadas da Cruz cable car takes you down a huge cliff to an incredibly unique spot on Madeira, which is the traditional village of Fajá da Quebrada Nova. Nestled away on the north-western coast of Madeira, the small parish was once home to hundreds who tended to their livestock and agriculture. Today, many of …
ACHADAS DA CRUZ ULTIMATE GUIDE: VIEWPOINT, CABLE-CAR, VILLAGE & HIKE
The Levada dos Tornos hike in Boaventura has a great mix of waterfalls, viewpoints, and lush greenery within the UNESCO Laurisilva Forest. It’s a great hike that gives you a variety of scenery along the 13-kilometer point-to-point route through the valley in Boaventura. In this blog post, I will share with you the hiking details, …
Canyoning in Madeira was a truly epic experience. It was my first time abseiling and doing serious canyoning but by the end of the day, I had water crashing down onto me as I abseiled down an 80-meter waterfall with views of the ocean behind me. It’s a true adrenaline rush with different types of …
The Levada da Ribeira da Janela hike runs from the coast to the mountains through an enormous canyon with scenic cliff-side levada paths throughout the journey. The 11.5-kilometer journey can be done as a point-to-point hike or doubled as a mighty 23-kilometer out and back trail. In this blog post, I’ll give you all the …
Calheta Beach is one of the top sandy beaches on Madeira Island. While it isn’t as spectacular as some of the more picturesque beaches you will find on the island, it’s soft sand and ease of accessibility make it a popular choice for vacationers, tourists, and locals of the Calheta region. It’s a very family-friendly …
ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CALHETA BEACH, MADEIRA: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Vereda do Fanal is one of my favorite moderate difficulty hikes on Madeira Island because it has a bit of everything. You have viewpoints over Rabacal Valley, strenuous stair climbs, an immersive experience in the UNESCO-listed Laurisilva Forest, and a spectacular finish at the magical Fanal Forest. It ticks a lot of boxes all throughout …
The Lagos da Madeira is a circular hiking route in Rabacal that takes you to Lagoa Dona Beja waterfall and several other falls in the region. After tracking up and down the Ribeira do Lajeado the final attraction on the loop is the massive man-made reservoir. LAGOS DA MADEIRA HIKE DETAILS Hike Distance: The total distance …
The Lagoa do Vento waterfall hike is a great adventure for those looking for a big waterfall without a monstrous hike. After just 3.3 kilometers on the trail, you will get to enjoy a swim in the massive lagoon at the base of Lagoa do Vento waterfall, which is a pretty magical spot for a …