We absolutely love finding great things to do here in Madeira. Exploring in the car while looking for pullouts and signs for miradouros (viewpoints) is one of our favorites so we can soak up the incredible villages that are nestled into the canyons and up the sides of the mountains. It's amazing to watch people working in the terraced gardens & groves that we see in every direction. Here's some fun things we did with Kim as we headed North through the mountains.
This is a very popular hike due to it being short and easily accessible. We weren't sure we were going to do it since at the main trailhead there were lots of people and a couple of big buses so we drove a little further and decided to try the café that is right on the trail but a little further down from the start. We figured we'd grab a coffee with a view and see how crowded the trail seemed before committing in case we decided to return another day. It meant climbing up lots of stairs, past houses/chickens to get to there, but we were the only ones arriving from this direction, which made it nice and quiet. We loved the view and marveled at the location of this family run business.
As we watched the other hikers go by we decided to do the short hike to the viewpoint since it didn't seem to be too busy on the actual trail. It followed a levada (irrigation canal) and felt like Fall with the colored leaves on the trees and ground.
Then the payout came! Wow! We were surprised to see people holding out birdseed and wished we had realized we could have purchased some at the café! It was so cool to see the pretty Maderian Chaffinches (which is an endemic subspecies of the European Chaffinch that is only found in Madeira island) landing on their outstretched hands. It's clear why this is such popular hike since the panoramic views over the deep valley of Ribeira da Metade and the Parish of Faial are easy and quick to get to and stunning.
Stunning Terraces
We continued on, stopping when we saw some steep stairs along the side of the road. Climbing down we were rewarded with pretty views as we walked along and we could see people gardening.
Panoramic Viewpoints
Our favorite Miradoura of the day was here on a steep side street that took us to the top of a hill where there were houses and a beautiful little cemetery and a breathtaking view of the area.
Beautiful Food with a View
When we reached the north coast we stopped for a yummy meal (with a magnificent view) at the beautiful Restaurante Quinta do Furão before returning home. Another perfect day.
November 2022
Perfect day is right!! These pictures are so insane. It doesn't seem real.