DRIVING IN MADEIRA: ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR FIRST TIMERS

a parked car surrounded by green landscape

Driving in Madeira is the best way to discover this island of flowers in the Atlantic. A Madeira Road trip will take you to the most spectacular regions of the island.

Follow mountain roads to amazing viewpoints. Experience natural pools and travel to scenic beaches, all under your own speed.

We have the best travel tips for your trip, including the types of roads you’ll drive on, best parking spots, plus what to expect when driving on Madeira.

Is driving in Madeira easy?
What are Madeira driving rules?
Is driving in Madeira safe?
What is it like driving around Madeira?

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Contents Of Article:

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR DRIVING IN MADEIRA
CAN YOU VISIT MADEIRA WITHOUT A CAR?
WHERE WE RENT OUR CARS
IS IT EASY TO DRIVE IN MADEIRA?
MADEIRA MAP WITH DRIVING DISTANCES BETWEEN PLACES
MADEIRA DRIVING RULES
DRIVING CONDITIONS IN TENERIFE
TYPES OF ROADS IN MADEIRA
SPEED LIMITS WHEN DRIVING MADEIRA ROADS
DRIVING IN TOWNS AND VILLAGES
DRIVING THROUGH TUNNELS
POTENTIAL DANGERS FOR MADEIRA DRIVERS
WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A ROAD ACCIDENT
PARKING IN MADEIRA
PETROL STATIONS
RENTING A CAR IN TENERIFE
SCENIC ROADS AND ROUTES IN MADEIRA
MORE POSTS ON MADEIRA

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR DRIVING IN MADEIRA

Whether your Madeira driving route takes you on main roads, side roads or through towns, these tips will help you prepare.

CAN YOU VISIT MADEIRA WITHOUT A CAR?

If you are visiting Madeira Island for 3 or 4 days and staying in Funchal, you probably don’t need a car rental. You can visit many attractions without driving in Funchal.

However, driving on Madeira gives you greater flexibility to:

Explore popular areas such as Ponta do Garajau Madeira
Adjust your itinerary around the weather.
Easily reach all the cable cars in Madeira

Having a Madeira car rental is the best way to discover the island. It makes getting around Madeira and being able to explore all those Madeira hidden gems located in tucked away corners.

You can easily pick up your rental car from the airport in Madeira on arrival and start travelling around Madeira straight away.

HOW TO GET AROUND MADEIRA WITHOUT A CAR

It is possible to see the main attractions in Madeira either on an organized tour, or by public transport, which is very efficient.

WHERE WE RENT OUR CARS

We always compare prices on Discovercars.com, which is one of the best customer-rated comparison sites on the market.

We always find great prices and the platform is extremely user-friendly and easy to use. You can use several filters to narrow your search and we always take the “extra cover” option for peace of mind and nil excess.

Click to check out the current deals in Madeira.

If you are looking for more help renting a car in Madeira, read our tips for a worry-free experience.

IS IT EASY TO DRIVE IN MADEIRA?

Overall, driving around Madeira is safe and relatively straight forward. Locals are used to tourists visiting on a Madeira Road trip, and are patient and friendly.

Main roads are surfaced with asphalt, and in good condition, with good signage and visibility.

Some mountain roads are narrow, steep and have hairpin bends. Just slow down and take your time. Best advice is to hire a car with a powerful engine, that isn’t too big.
If you cross the path of a large vehicle such as a coach, slow down and let them pass.
Traffic is lighter outside of Funchal, where there are very narrow steep roads.

MADEIRA MAP WITH DRIVING DISTANCES BETWEEN PLACES

Below is a map of Madeira with some driving distances between popular places.

Funchal to Machico – 25 kms/25 minutes
Funchal to Ribeira Brava – 20 kms/25 minutes
Funchal to Santana – 41 kms/45 minutes
Porto Moniz to Sao Vicente – 16 kms/20 minutes
Calheta to Ribeira Brava – 20 kms/26 minutes
Calheta to Porto Moniz – 30 kms/41 minutes

MADEIRA DRIVING RULES

The following are rules and regulations you need to be aware of.

To drive in Madeira, ensure that you have a valid driver’s license.
You must be 18 years of age (check requirement of your rental company)
Carry vehicle documents, insurance details and ID with you in the vehicle.
All cars have the steering wheel on the left, and driving is on the right-hand side of the road.
Legal blood alcohol limit is 0.5g/litre.
Mandatory insurance in Madeira is third party liability, which is included in rental agreements.

DRIVING CONDITIONS IN TENERIFE

If you look at a Madeira Road map, you can see the road network goes almost all the way around the island. Given the size of Madeira, you can drive around the island in a day, as most towns are within an hour’s drive of Funchal.

However, to road trip Madeira, half the fun is driving along the regional roads and heading through the mountainous interior of the island.

TYPES OF ROADS IN MADEIRA

The majority of expressways have highly engineered tunnels due to the island’s mountainous terrain and allow you to travel around quickly. There are no tolls, and the roads are free.

Roads are numbered VR1 (Fastway) around Funchal
VE1 to VE7 (Expressway)
There are over 100 tunnels on the island.

VR1 (Southeast Expressway)

the island’s main axis, with some long bridges and tunnels.
serves Machico, Santa Cruz, Funchal, Ribeira Brava, Canico, Canical and Camara de Lobos.

VE1 (North-East Expressway)

runs from Machico to Santana (resumes Boa Ventura to Sao Vicente)

VE2 (North-Western Expressway)

Links Sao Vicente to Porto Moniz, with access to Seixal and Ribeira de Janela

VE3 (South-Western Expressway)

Access to Ribeira Brava to Ponta do Pargo. Also serves Calheta and Ponta do Sol.

VE4 (South-North Expressway)

runs across the middle of the island, linking Ribeira Brava and Sao Vicente.

VE5, VE6 AND VE7

Shorter expressways to go via tunnels to Camacha, Curral das Freitas.
VE7 links Paul do Mar to Jardim do Mar.

A secondary network of regional roads known as Estrada Regionale, allow access around the island. These roads go through the mountainous interior, so are winding, and can be steep.

They are numbered ER101 to ER220. Some of the narrowest and steepest are in Funchal, and towards miradouros, or viewpoints.

ER101 (Coastal Road)

The old coastal roads are often narrow and run close to the edge of steep cliffs. they are winding and steep, but very scenic.

TOP TIP:

Expressways are smooth and relatively flat, passing through tunnels.
Secondary roads are winding and some, particularly steep.
Drive right, drive slowly and watch your speed limit, especially on steep roads.

SPEED LIMITS WHEN DRIVING MADEIRA ROADS

Speed limit signs are circular, with a red border and a number indicating the maximum allowable speed in kilometres per hour.

Unless otherwise indicated, there is a speed limit of 80km/hour on secondary roads, and 100km/hour on the VR1.
Residential Areas – 30 to 50 km/hr
Speed limits can change between sections of the same road, so always be attentive.

DRIVING IN TOWNS AND VILLAGES

Some streets are cobbled and narrow, with cars parking on the side of the road.
Roads can be very steep.

DRIVING THROUGH TUNNELS

The tunnels allow access over Madeira’s Mountain terrain, saving you time on your journey. Highly engineered, they are modern and well lit, although some tunnels can be very long.

Watch for speed limits which can change within the tunnel.
Tunnels are 2 lanes in the same direction, or one lane in each direction.
Roads can branch off within the tunnel.

POTENTIAL DANGERS FOR MADEIRA DRIVERS

Apart from adhering to speed limits, being mindful of other cars, and slowing down when passing through villages, here are some things to be aware of:

Don’t be distracted by the wonderful scenery if you are driving.
There can be a very short run-up to joining expressways, so you will have to stop.
Animals in Madeira like to stroll in the road, especially in central plateau regions. You will commonly see sheep and cows in the road, so slow down, especially if it is foggy.
Dogs like to chill out on the road too!
Straying out of lanes – some drivers drive too fast around corners and veer across the middle white line, into part of your lane.
Tour coaches and buses take no prisoners! They are used to the winding steep roads and not intimidated by other cars. Just slow down, and if appropriate, pull over to let them pass.
To avoid getting distracted, use a GPS or Google Maps as your guide.

Others are distracted by the scenery and simply stop to take photos without checking in their rear mirror beforehand. Many tourists don’t know where they are going, are confused by road-signs, looking for a parking space or are just lost.

WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A ROAD ACCIDENT

The emergency number in the event of an accident is 112.

Make a note of the other driver’s details including vehicle license plate number, insurance and name.
Take photos of damage to all vehicles.
Don’t admit liability but contact your insurance company or rental provider.
Contact police or ambulance.

PARKING IN MADEIRA

While a road trip is a great way to explore the island, finding available parking spaces can be a time-consuming endeavour.

The parking spaces at many attractions and activities in Madeira are inadequate for the number of visitors.

We visited Madeira in September and found parking in some towns, tourist locations and close to beaches difficult, especially in the middle of the day.

Try to visit walking trails early in the morning, or late afternoon, to avoid tour coaches.
Please be considerate (unlike many visitors we encountered), and park responsibly in designated areas. Do not simply abandon your vehicle and block a lane of traffic.

Parking in Towns: Blue marked spaces are for taxis. If you are driving in Funchal, there are plenty of paid parking lots along the waterfront. Most machines take coins.

Parking at Attractions: Best solution is to visit early. Be aware that sometimes you will have to back up past parked cars to turn back. This is mostly due to people parking where they shouldn’t.

TOP TIP: Check your choice of accommodation in Madeira, includes parking onsite, before booking.

PETROL STATIONS

Fuel is relatively expensive. Unleaded is called “gasolina sem chumbo” and diesel “gasoleo”. Rental vehicles usually take unleaded petrol. You will find petrol stations in all the main towns.

If you are driving an electric car check for charging stations ahead of time.

RENTING A CAR IN TENERIFE

Car rental in Madeira is easy for any nationality and a great way to navigate the island. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Basic Car Hire Requirements:

You must be over 18 years of age, sometimes 21 to rent a vehicle.
You must show a hard copy of your valid and up-to-date driver’s license.
You need to provide insurance. Purchase at the time of booking as it will be cheaper.
A major credit card must be shown.

Driving tips for Americans or outside the EU:

For those from outside of the EU or have an international driver’s license, you are required to present both documents upon rental.
Most rental companies also require that you have at least 1 years driving experience before you can rent a car.
Most vehicles are manual, so check beforehand if the rental company has an automatic.

Type Of Vehicle To Rent:

Cars are generally manual transmission and automatic rentals are more expensive. We recommend an automatic as constantly changing gears on windy roads is a pain.
Choose a medium-sized vehicle with enough power to get you up the steep roads.
You do not need a large vehicle on the narrow and steep roads.
Book early to get the best price and choice of vehicle.
Take out the extra cover to reduce your excess to nil, for peace of mind.

Where To Rent Your Vehicle:

There are numerous car rental companies on the island. If you rent a car Madeira Airport is the most practical place to collect from.

It is cheaper to hire a car before leaving home. We have used both DiscoverCars.com and RentalCars.com and have been very happy with the service given.
The largest car rental companies include Avis, Hertz, Budget, Thrifty, and more.
Don’t be fooled into taking out extra cover when you pick up your vehicle, as it is overpriced.

General Tips For Hiring A Vehicle:

Walk around the entire vehicle and take pictures and/or video coverage, before driving away.
Read the small print!
Book your vehicle early for the best prices.
Make sure you can take your rental car on the ferry to Porto Santo. Additional fees may be charged.

To check before renting, select your choice of vehicle then click “Rental Conditions” and “Additional Conditions”. This is where you will find the geographical restrictions for your rental agreement.

CHECK PRICES WITH DISCOVERCARS.COM HERE

SCENIC ROADS AND ROUTES IN MADEIRA

There are some incredible drives in Madeira. Here is a quick overview of some really nice road trip routes.

ER 110 (Paúl da Serra): The plateau of Paúl da Serra has an average altitude of 1500 meter.
ER 228 (Serra de Agua – Encumeada): The views are fantastic.
ER 101 (Porto Moniz, Seixal, Sao Vicente, Ponta Delgada,Boaventura): Scenic roads joining many attractions.
ER107 (Curral das Freiras): Road to the “valley of the nuns” is stunning.

In summary, driving in Madeira is easy and the best way to appreciate the wonderful landscapes. So hit the road and start exploring this beautiful island on your own road trip!

Looking for some more inspiration? Check out our other destinations!