Practical Information for visiting Madeira Islands

Coverage for mobile networks is good across the island with 4G and 5G in Funchal and the main towns.

Portuguese SIM cards are inexpensive, and EU roaming rules apply for visitors from within the union.

Wi-Fi is standard in accommodation and cafes, and Madeira has actively courted remote workers — the Digital Nomad Village at Ponta do Sol provides free workspace and a community, and the island now has a substantial year-round population of them.

Signal drops out in the deep ravines, in the levada tunnels and on parts of the north coast.

Power is reliable, on European standard sockets.

Madeira is very safe — crime is low and violent crime rare. Every serious risk here is terrain or weather.

• Levada and mountain paths are the main hazard: unfenced drops of hundreds of metres, wet rock, rockfall, and unlit tunnels. Several walkers die each year. Take a torch, wear grip, and check whether a route is officially open — closures after rain are frequent and are not advisory.
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• Cloud and cold on the peaks, which can arrive within minutes and drop visibility to nothing.
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• Driving: extreme gradients, hairpins and narrow lanes. Overheated brakes are a common cause of accidents.
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• The sea is deep close in with strong swell and few sandy beaches; swim at guarded pools and beaches.
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• Flash floods in the ravines after heavy rain, which have been deadly.
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• Sun at altitude.

Portugal has good healthcare and Funchal has a central hospital covering the island. EU visitors should carry a European Health Insurance Card; others need travel insurance, which should cover hiking.

No vaccinations are required beyond routine cover.

Fitness matters more here than medicine: the peak walks involve long flights of steps and sustained ascent, and people underestimate them badly. Know what you are taking on.

Tap water is safe throughout Madeira; Porto Santo’s is desalinated and also safe.

Sun is strong at altitude and on the water even when the air is mild.

Motion sickness on the winding roads and the Porto Santo ferry affects many people.

Pharmacies are widespread and can treat minor problems directly.

Greet on entering a shop, bar or restaurant, and again on leaving.

On the levadas, give way to people carrying tools — they are working. Do not enter the channels or divert water.

Closed paths are closed for safety and entering one can invalidate insurance and incur a fine.

Meal times: lunch from midday to three, dinner from seven, later than mainland habits in tourist areas.

Couvert is charged; decline it if unwanted.

Tipping is modest and not obligatory.

Beachwear stays at the beach and pool.

Fire: no open flames outside designated areas, and restrictions in summer are legally binding.

Emergency number: 112 for police, fire and ambulance, with English-speaking operators.

Medical. Dr Nelio Mendonca hospital in Funchal is the island’s main facility, with health centres in the municipalities. EU visitors use the European Health Insurance Card; others should have insurance.

Mountain rescue is well practised, but response into a ravine takes time. Tell someone your route, carry a charged phone and a torch, and note that the path markers carry reference numbers that locate you.

Path closures are published by the regional forestry service and updated after rain; check before setting out rather than at the trailhead.

Flights divert in high wind more often than at most airports; allow a spare day before onward connections.

Consular help is in Lisbon, with some honorary consuls in Funchal.