Free Things to Do in Madeira
Every official viewpoint, most levadas, all beaches — Madeira is cheaper than it looks.
Selection: Entities with no entry fee: official viewpoints, free trails and public beaches.
Almost everything that makes Madeira famous is free. The official trail network has no entry fee, the cliff-top viewpoints (including the Cabo Girão skywalk) are free, and the public beaches charge only for parking. The paid attractions (cable car, toboggans, Monte Palace gardens) are optional add-ons — you can have a complete week here without buying a ticket to anything.
The list (30)
1.Levada do Caldeirão Verde
TrailsA classic laurel-forest levada walk from Queimadas to a tall waterfall in a green amphitheatre. Mostly flat with several tunnels — bring a headlamp.
13 km150 m gain~5 hmoderate2.Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço
TrailsThe arid eastern peninsula. Volcanic colours, dramatic sea cliffs, almost no shade. A complete contrast to the green interior.
8 km320 m gain~3 hmoderate3.Levada das 25 Fontes
TrailsWalk through Rabaçal's laurisilva to a lagoon fed by 25 springs. One of the most popular routes — go early.
11 km250 m gain~4 hmoderate4.Vereda do Fanal
TrailsShort walk through the otherworldly Fanal laurel forest — best in fog. Often photographed for its ancient til trees.
10.8 km200 m gain~4 heasy5.Cabo Girão Skywalk
ViewpointsGlass-floor viewing platform on one of Europe's highest sea cliffs, 580 m above the Atlantic.
580 mGlass floor6.Pico do Areeiro
ViewpointsMadeira's third-highest peak, reachable by car — the easiest place to be above the clouds at sunrise.
1818 m7.Miradouro dos Balcões
ViewpointsEasy 30-minute levada walk to a panoramic balcony over the central mountain massif.
870 m8.Eira do Serrado
ViewpointsViewpoint over the dramatic valley of Curral das Freiras.
1095 m9.Véu da Noiva
ViewpointsRoadside viewpoint on the old north road overlooking the 'Bridal Veil' waterfall.
10.Vereda do Larano
TrailsCoastal cliff walk from Porto da Cruz toward Larano with sweeping Atlantic views, narrow ledges and a long tunnel near the end.
11 km350 m gain~4 hmoderate11.Levada do Rei
TrailsQuiet laurel-forest walk from São Jorge to the spring of Ribeiro Bonito. Less crowded than 25 Fontes and equally green.
10.4 km200 m gain~4 hmoderate12.Vereda do Pico Ruivo (Achada do Teixeira)
TrailsShortest route to Madeira's highest summit (1862 m) starting from Achada do Teixeira — paved path, accessible to most fit walkers.
5.6 km290 m gain~3 heasy13.Levada do Moinho & Levada Nova
TrailsTwo-levada loop above Ribeira da Janela passing waterfalls, banana terraces and dripping tunnels.
11.5 km loop320 m gain~4 hmoderate14.Ponta de São Lourenço Extended
TrailsExtended version of PR8 including the descent to Casa do Sardinha — extra 2 km of dramatic cliff exposure.
11 km450 m gain~4 hmoderate15.Fanal Forest
ViewpointsUNESCO laurisilva plateau famous for its ancient til trees, otherworldly when fog rolls in.
1150 m16.Pico Ruivo
ViewpointsMadeira's highest peak at 1862 m. Above the trade-wind cloud layer most mornings.
1862 m17.Ponta do Rosto
ViewpointsLookout over the entire São Lourenço peninsula and Porto Santo on a clear day.
180 m18.Curral das Freiras Viewpoint
ViewpointsCliff-edge lookout over the 'Nuns' Valley', a deep volcanic crater village.
800 m19.Levada do Furado
TrailsClassic point-to-point levada from Ribeiro Frio to Portela through dense laurisilva — one of Madeira's most popular all-day walks.
11 km300 m gain~4 hmoderate20.Levada do Risco
TrailsShort, easy walk from Rabaçal to the Risco waterfall through laurel forest. Often combined with PR6 25 Fontes.
3 km80 m gain~1.5 heasy21.Vereda dos Balcões
TrailsShort, mostly flat levada walk from Ribeiro Frio to the Balcões viewpoint — panoramic balcony over the central massif.
3 km50 m gain~1.5 heasy22.Vereda das Funduras
TrailsForest loop above Machico through the Funduras protected area — quiet, easy and rarely busy.
9.4 km loop350 m gain~3.5 hmoderate23.Levada do Barreiro
TrailsQuiet high-altitude levada walk on the southern slopes of the central massif, with views over Funchal.
12 km200 m gain~4 hmoderate24.Caminho do Pináculo e Folhadal
TrailsWild north-facing levada from Encumeada through tunnels to a hidden laurel forest — one of the lushest walks on the island.
11 km250 m gain~4 hmoderate25.Levada dos Cedros
TrailsAtmospheric levada from Fanal to Curral Falso through ancient laurel forest, often shrouded in mist.
7.2 km180 m gain~3 hmoderate26.Levada Fajã do Rodrigues
TrailsShort, dramatic levada from Ginjas (São Vicente) ending at a cliff-pierced tunnel above a green ravine.
8.4 km200 m gain~3 hmoderate27.Levada da Serra do Faial
TrailsLong, gently sloping levada around the eastern flank of the central massif. Many entry points — good for half-day walks.
18 km200 m gain~5 hmoderate28.Vereda da Boca do Risco
TrailsCliff-edge coastal walk from Maroços above the north coast to Porto da Cruz — windy, panoramic, exposed.
6 km300 m gain~2.5 hmoderate29.Vereda do Chão da Ribeira
TrailsForested valley walk through Seixal's Chão da Ribeira — known for chestnut groves and the January 'Cozido nas Caldeiras' festival.
6.5 km250 m gain~2.5 hmoderate30.Vereda do Pico Castelo (Porto Santo)
TrailsForested loop up Porto Santo's iconic conical hill — easy, family-friendly, with island-wide views.
4 km loop200 m gain~1.5 heasy
Practical notes
- Buses are cheap (€2 single, day passes available) — a fraction of car rental.
- All natural pools are free except Porto Moniz (~€3) which includes facilities.
- Free roadside parking exists at most trailheads; arrive early to claim it.
- Many municipal museums have one free day per month — check the local programme.
Frequently asked
- Is Madeira expensive?
- Less than mainland Portugal averages for food, more than mainland Portugal for accommodation in Funchal. Outside Funchal, prices drop significantly. The activities themselves — hiking, swimming, viewpoints — are mostly free.
- What are the best free attractions in Madeira?
- Cabo Girão skywalk, the Pico do Areeiro–Pico Ruivo ridge, Porto Moniz natural pools (off-season), the laurisilva trails around Rabaçal and Fanal, and the Mercado dos Lavradores in Funchal.