I’m Lara. I am a fine art travel photographer living in Slovakia. I am spending a lot of time traveling.
I’ve visited more than 53 countries and 300+ cities. My life is a constant movement. I am inspired by new places in their beauty, features, and uniqueness.
My great passion is to share my vision with the others, to showcase the variety of the world, full of color, depth and emotions. It’s not only the nature, but also unique human creations from antiquity to modern times. You can learn more at larairis.com
Madeira was love at first sight for me. I have traveled a lot and seen many places, but this island amazed me and continued to impress me every day with its landscapes.
This is not a destination for beach vacations or museum visits. This island is for connecting with nature, for active hikes, and for watching sunrises and sunsets.
I had only five days, but I believe I managed to visit almost all the most famous and beautiful places on the island. Though I know for sure there is still much I haven’t seen. For example, I didn’t get to explore the south and southwest of the island. That will have to wait for next time.
I traveled to Madeira alone during the last week of May. After arriving in Funchal, I picked up a small rental car at the airport, which I had booked in advance, and headed to Porto Moniz.
Porto Moniz is known for its natural lava pools. There are free pools where anyone can swim. They have entry points, but no changing rooms or other amenities. There is also a paid option with all the necessary facilities for a comfortable visit. I didn’t swim myself, as the ocean water in May is too cold for me, but people were splashing around until sunset.
I chose a hotel in this location for a reason. It is a convenient starting point for visiting other natural attractions. The closest one is the striking lava rock formations sculpted by nature and surrounded by the crashing waves of the ocean – Ribeira da Janela. They are stunning at any time of the day but look especially epic at sunrise or sunset. This place strongly reminded me of Iceland and its famous black sand beach with similar rock formations in the water.
The next famous attraction of Madeira is the laurel Fanal Forest, located about a 45-minute drive from Porto Moniz. However, to truly understand what makes this forest special, you need to catch the moment when it is covered in fog; otherwise, it may not leave much of an impression.
Considering the fact that Madeira’s weather is completely unpredictable and almost no forecast ever comes true, the challenge becomes even greater. I even downloaded and paid for a special local app to predict the best time to visit, but unfortunately, it didn’t help either.
I returned to this place four times at different times on different days. But I was lucky only on the last visit—and for just 10 minutes. However, that was enough to witness the forest in all its mystical beauty and capture a few shots.
Thanks to the twisted trunks of the laurel trees, sometimes bent at the most unusual angles, it feels as if the forest is alive and the trees are communicating with each other. For a moment, I felt like I had stepped into the Ent forest from “The Lord of the Rings,” where the trees walk and talk—just so slowly that the human eye cannot perceive it. In short, I experienced complete immersion in a fairy-tale world created by someone’s imagination.
When visiting Madeira, it is impossible not to set aside time for its famous levadas. These are traditional local irrigation channels designed to redirect water from the northern parts of the island to the south. Sounds rather unexciting, right? But Madeira’s levadas offer some of the most scenic hiking trails, featuring breathtaking views, waterfalls, dense forests, and the island’s unique flora and fauna.
There are many trails to choose from, and I picked one of the most famous – Levada das 25 Fontes. It is not particularly long and leads to the beautiful Risco Waterfall.
The route starts at Centro do Rabaçal, where you can also grab a bite at a café. However, private vehicles are not allowed to drive all the way there. In Rabaçal, there is a large parking lot where I had to leave my car and take a paid shuttle bus. Several shuttles run back-to-back on a regular schedule. Of course, you can walk, but I decided to conserve energy, as the path is about 2 km long, going up and down a paved road.
I booked my next two nights in another hotel in the town of Santana, as it was the best starting point for exploring another part of the island according to my plan.
On my way to Santana, I couldn’t resist making multiple stops along the northern coastline. Words aren’t enough to describe the beauty I witnessed, so I’ll just share some photos. There are plenty of scenic viewpoints with parking spots. I highly recommend stopping by Bridal Veil Waterfall and Miradouro de São Cristovão, where I enjoyed an excellent tuna meal.
I arrived in Santana. This town is a must-visit for many tourists exploring Madeira, thanks to its authentic traditional houses. These bright and cheerful triangular-shaped homes, made of wood and straw, have become one of the island’s symbols. Everything is beautifully restored, but most of them now house souvenir shops. Only a few still showcase the traditional rural life of Madeira’s inhabitants.
One of my main goals in this part of the island was to visit Pico Arieiro and Pico Ruivo. Unfortunately, they also turned out to be my biggest disappointments in Madeira. The reason, as always, was the island’s unpredictable weather. Less than half an hour after leaving Santana for the first peak, I was hit by a torrential downpour so intense that visibility was reduced to just a meter from the car. That’s how it is in Madeira—weather can differ significantly between nearby towns and change drastically in an instant.
The second peak was slightly luckier. I managed to get out of the car and walk a bit along the trail. However, after some time, I had to turn back because the path was so wet and slippery that even with trekking poles, it was too risky to continue.
By the way, there are no entrance fees here, unlike in the Dolomites. There is plenty of space for everyone.
Feeling disappointed that my hike didn’t work out, I decided to visit Miradouro do Guindaste. This stunning spot offers breathtaking views of the ocean and dramatic cliffs. Here, the elements took pity on me and granted a few decent sunset shots.
The entire next day, I devoted to the stunningly beautiful tropical mountain park in Funchal – Jardim Tropical Monte Palace. There is also a botanical garden nearby, which I didn’t visit, though it’s highly praised as well.
I have visited many parks, but this one took my breath away. The designer of this park was a true artist, creating a space where nature and human craftsmanship speak the same language.
It’s the perfect blend of man-made structures and the wild beauty of the tropical forest. Absolute harmony in every detail—Japanese arches, bridges, waterfalls, bamboo paths, grottos, numerous ponds with vibrant fish, and even flamingos. 10 out of 10.
The park is vast, and for a leisurely walk with a lunch break, you’ll need at least half a day, if not more.
The last place I want to talk about is São Lourenço Peninsula. It’s easy to reach by car, with plenty of free parking. If you just want to admire the cliffs and landscapes, you don’t need to walk far—viewpoints are right next to the parking areas.
But for people like me, who always want something more thrilling, there are hiking trails leading to the very edge of the peninsula, including a steep climb up a massive hill with no path. When I first saw it, I immediately wanted to give up and turn back. But my burning desire and excitement to see the entire beauty of the peninsula from above made me push forward.
Thankfully, I was rewarded with fantastic views. But I couldn’t find the strength to climb up again for the sunrise, even though I had planned to. Instead, I settled for a viewpoint, joining other crazy photographers who couldn’t sleep.
Madeira’s roads are great, though full of winding serpentines. But they’re not particularly difficult to drive on. I zipped back and forth at dawn and dusk. And a big plus—all roads, tunnels, and highways are completely free.
Photos: www.larairis.com
