Day 2 on the map
Day one by taxi to the island's viewpoints, day two on foot and by cable car in Funchal and Monte — the whole top 5, the Botanical Garden, and honest 2026 prices.
Everything the top 5 asks for, without rushing: on day one a taxi loop to the Eira do Serrado viewpoint and Curral das Freiras, the Cabo Girão skywalk and Câmara de Lobos; on day two Funchal on foot — the Mercado and the Old Town — then the cable car to Monte, the Monte Palace garden and the Botanical Garden. It is the two plans of our one-day guide done properly, one per day.
A taxi loop of about 56 km, roughly 6 hours door to door. Agree the price for this exact round trip when you book (drivers quoted us about €160 for a 6-hour day in October 2026 — indicative, not a tariff): Táxis Madeira +351 291 764 476 (taxismadeira.pt) or AITRAM +351 291 765 760.
| Time | Stop |
|---|---|
| 09:00 | Taxi pickup in Funchal |
| 09:30 | Eira do Serrado viewpoint over the Curral das Freiras valley |
| 10:15 | Curral das Freiras town (2.6 km below the viewpoint) |
| 11:15 | Drive across to the south coast (about 35 min) |
| 12:00 | Cabo Girão skywalk — 20–30 minutes (€5 over-12s, open 08:00–20:00) |
| 12:45 | Câmara de Lobos: lunch, then the old town and the pier |
| 14:45 | Back to Funchal (about 15 min) |
| 15:15 | Mercado dos Lavradores (weekdays to 19:00) |
On a Saturday see the Mercado first thing — it closes at 14:00; on a Sunday it is closed, so move it to day two. Road distances from OpenStreetMap; these are mountain roads, so times are without traffic.
On foot and by cable car — no taxi needed. The Botanical Garden leg costs €19 per adult with the combo ticket (cable car one way + garden entry, sold as one), so skip it if gardens aren't your thing and take the toboggans instead (below).
| Time | Stop |
|---|---|
| 09:00 | Old Town stroll — and the Mercado, if day one was a weekend |
| 10:00 | Cable car up to Monte (08:45–17:45; €16 one way, €22 return) |
| 10:30 | Monte church |
| 11:00 | Monte Palace garden, about 2 hours (€18, up to 14 free; to 18:00 in winter, 19:00 April–September) |
| 13:00 | Light lunch |
| 14:00 | Monte–Botanical Garden cable car (09:00–17:00; €19 one way with garden entry) across the valley |
| 14:15 | Botanical Garden (€10 over-12s, €3 ages 6–12, under-6 free; open to 17:30) |
| 16:30 | Taxi down to town — they wait at the garden's exits, about €12 to the cable-car station — or the bus |
The alternative without the Botanical Garden: after Monte Palace, start the descent on the Carreiros do Monte wicker toboggans (Monday–Saturday 09:00–18:00), which end at Livramento, 2 km down: from there it is about half an hour on foot to the cathedral, or bus 19 to the seafront (getting back from Livramento).
On foot instead: from the garden's lower gate you can walk down to the CAM Meio Papagaios D bus stop (line 310A) and wait for the bus — fine with time to spare, not worth the hassle if you are on the clock.
For the island's classic sights, yes: the two days above cover the whole top 5 and the Botanical Garden without rushing. They are not enough for the levadas — a proper levada walk takes a half-day or more and needs its own SIMplifica booking. If walking is why you came, add a day per trail and start with the best levada walks.
Per adult, at 2026 prices: day one is the taxi loop — about €160 for the car for 6 hours (indicative; split it between everyone in the taxi) plus €5 for Cabo Girão. Day two: €16 cable car up to Monte, €18 Monte Palace, then either the Botanical Garden leg — €19 for the combo ticket (cable one way + entry), plus about €12 for the taxi down to the cable-car station (they wait at the garden's exits), or €24 for the combo with the garden cable there and back or the toboggan ride instead (€30 a sled for one, €40 for two, €60 for three). The Mercado, the Old Town, the viewpoints and both towns on day one cost nothing beyond the taxi.
For these two days, no. Parking is limited at most of the day-one stops, and day two is entirely on foot and cable car — the car would sit in a paid Funchal garage all day. Rent a car only if you are adding a third day of your own route.
Yes — the short mountain taste that fits this plan is the out-and-back from Pico do Areeiro to the Pedra Rija viewpoint on PR1 (1.2 km each way, €4.50, booked online on SIMplifica — see how to book). Put it at the start of day one and shift the loop an hour later, and check the summit first: Pico do Areeiro weather and webcams.
Two port days, or an overnight call, split exactly this way: the taxi loop on the first day, Funchal and Monte on the second. Agree each return time with the driver when you book and keep at least an hour's margin before all-aboard. What's open in town today — events, lidos, last buses — is on Funchal today.
Portaria 48/2026 (JORAM) · Portaria 591/2025 (JORAM) · Visit Madeira · Teleférico do Funchal · Teleférico do Jardim Botânico · Monte Palace · Carreiros do Monte · Mercado dos Lavradores · OpenStreetMap