Madeira towns & villages
From the capital Funchal to the fishing villages of the north coast — where to go beyond the resorts.
Madeira has eleven municipalities, each with a distinctive character shaped by the steep terrain that separates them. Funchal in the south is the cultural and economic centre, but the most memorable visits often happen in the smaller towns: Câmara de Lobos for fishing-village mornings, Santana for thatched A-frame houses, Porto Moniz for the natural pools and São Vicente for the deep green northern valleys.
Driving between towns is part of the experience — the VE1 motorway tunnels through the central spine, but the older coastal ER101 roads give the views. Public buses connect every settlement but can be infrequent on weekends.
Each entry below lists the municipality, population and a short orientation. Use this section to plan day trips beyond Funchal — half a day in a smaller town usually beats a third afternoon in the capital.
Featured city guides
The two towns where most visitors spend the bulk of their time — full bespoke guides.
South coast
The sunny, sheltered coast where most visitors stay — Funchal, the wine villages and the resort towns east toward the airport.
Funchal
GuideMadeira's capital and largest city. Home to the cable car to Monte, the historic Old Town and the cruise port.
Funchal105,795 pop.Câmara de Lobos
GuideColourful fishing village just west of Funchal, famously painted by Winston Churchill.
Câmara de Lobos35,666 pop.Ribeira Brava
South-coast town at the mouth of a wild river, with a pebble beach and 16th-century church.
Ribeira Brava13,375 pop.Caniço
Resort town east of Funchal close to the marine reserve and the Cristo Rei statue at Garajau.
Santa Cruz23,365 pop.Campanário
Rural parish in Ribeira Brava with the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Piedade and the Calhau da Lapa cove.
Ribeira Brava3,327 pop.Tábua
Quiet Ribeira Brava parish with terraced farms and the Levada do Norte threading through it.
Ribeira Brava1,684 pop.
South-west
Quieter, sun-trap towns along the south-western shore — Calheta's golden sand, Ponta do Sol's nomad community.
Calheta
South-west municipality with the island's main golden-sand beach and a contemporary art centre (MUDAS).
Calheta11,521 pop.Ponta do Sol
Madeira's sunniest town and a hub for the digital-nomad community.
Ponta do Sol8,862 pop.Madalena do Mar
Banana-growing village on the south-west coast — said to be where the exiled Polish king Władysław III lived in the 15th century.
Ponta do Sol1,031 pop.Jardim do Mar (Parish)
Cliffside village in Calheta with cobbled lanes, no through-traffic and an internationally known surf reef break below.
Calheta200 pop.
West coast
The far west of the island — terraced cliffs, the famous lighthouse and a much slower pace.
North-west
Volcanic-pool country, dominated by Porto Moniz and the cliffside drive in.
North coast
Dramatic, green and wet — waterfalls onto the road, black-sand coves and the wildest weather on the island.
Santana
Northern town known for its triangular thatched-roof houses (palheiros) and access to the laurisilva.
Santana7,000 pop.São Vicente
North-coast town in a deep green valley, known for the volcanic caves and historic chapel.
São Vicente5,723 pop.Porto da Cruz
North-east coastal village famous for its sugarcane rum distillery (Engenho do Norte) and surf.
Machico2,649 pop.Faial
Quiet north-coast parish below the towering Penha de Águia rock, in the Santana municipality.
Santana1,611 pop.São Jorge
North-coast parish in Santana known for its lighthouse, terraced fields and the Quinta do Arco rose garden.
Santana1,419 pop.Seixal
Dramatic north-coast village with black-sand beach, natural pools and the Véu da Noiva waterfall nearby.
Porto Moniz875 pop.Boaventura
Sparsely populated north-coast parish in São Vicente, surrounded by waterfalls and terraced farms.
São Vicente1,064 pop.Arco de São Jorge
Tiny north-coast parish best known for the Quinta do Arco rose garden, one of Europe's largest rose collections.
Santana458 pop.
East coast
Machico, the airport area and the gateway to the São Lourenço peninsula.
Machico
The first settlement on Madeira, in a wide eastern bay close to the airport.
Machico20,400 pop.Santa Cruz
Coastal municipality home to Madeira's international airport and the Aquaparque waterpark.
Santa Cruz43,005 pop.Caniçal
Fishing town on the eastern peninsula, base for São Lourenço hikes and the Whale Museum.
Machico3,923 pop.
Central
Inland villages tucked into volcanic craters and high-altitude valleys.
Porto Santo
The neighbouring island — 9 km of golden sand and a short ferry away.
Wine country
Funchal
Central east
Central south
Frequently asked
- Is one day in Funchal enough?
- For a quick overview yes — old town, market, cable car to Monte and the toboggan ride back fit into a long day. But Funchal rewards two or three days when combined with day trips along the coast.
- Which Madeira town is best to stay in (not Funchal)?
- Calheta and Ponta do Sol on the sunny south-west, Machico for east-coast access, or São Vicente for the dramatic north. Each gives a very different feel from central Funchal.
- Are the north-coast towns worth visiting?
- Yes — Porto Moniz, Seixal and São Vicente are some of the most scenic settlements on the island. The drive over the central ridge is itself part of the trip.