Sights, Portugal

Algar Seco

Lovers of great views and natural beauty will adore the Algar Seco, which boasts some of the best views and most beautiful formations in Portugal.

The area provides a stunning walk past numerous fascinating natural features, including rock formations, caves, cliffs and a blow hole. There is a fascinating rock formation known as “The Pinnacle”, and a tunnel which you can walk through to reach more stunning views of cliffs and rock formations created by the erosion of waves lapping up against them. There are also parts that are safe to swim in, so don’t worry if you feel like taking a dip to cool down.

All of the features can be enjoyed by following a long wooden boardwalk, which provides great views of the fantastic cliffs and rocks. There is also a restaurant within the Algar Seco Algrave, so you can sit back and unwind with some nice refreshments whilst taking in the stunning surroundings.

Alvor Boardwalk

Alvor Boardwalk is a must for those who love walking through areas of stunning natural beauty. It is a serene, 2-mile wooden boardwalk which stretches through multiple great sights and stunning views of beautiful natural features, including marshes, sand dunes, valleys, lagoons and salt lakes. The route is popular amongst cyclers and runners, and also provides multiple terrific spots for bird watchers.

There is an abundance of plants and animals living within the flourishing and unspoiled natural setting. Some of the wildlife which can be found in the area includes rare and beautifully unique and colourful species such as purple Limoniastrum flowers and bright Yellow Broomrape. Some of the beautiful birds that can be seen along the walk housing in the different natural habitats include Flamingos, Bluethroat birds and an array of marine birds including Caspian Tern. There are also Shellfish living within some of the waters.

The boardwalk is also nearby to multiple quality traditional restaurants, and finishes at Alvon beach.

Avenida do mar

The Avenida do Mar is a thriving seafront promenade lined with high quality local shops and restaurants with great views and an even better atmosphere.

This long, but flat promenade is the ideal way for you to start your holiday. It allows you to take a leisurely stroll to grasp the vibrant Portuguese atmosphere for the first time while seeing what the area has to offer. It stretches from the old town to the marina and passes through the harbour.

There is a wealth of different restaurants and bars where you can take a seat and absorb the atmosphere and try the high quality food, including locally sourced seafood. If seafood isn’t to your taste, then there are plenty of other options, including high quality street food, serving everything from ice cream to chestnuts.

There are multiple statues and landmarks to see while taking a slow, relaxing walk such as statues and the harbour itself, which if often filled with a variety of boats. There is a range of trips that leave from the harbour, including dolphin spotting tours.

Bica Da Cana

The Bica Da Cana presents a revitalising walk through a gloriously green forest that is a dream for lovers of natural scenery and wildlife.

Starting on the Paúl da Serra highland, the 6.5 km walk passes through the area of Pinaculo, with multiple areas of stunning natural scenery. This includes fantastic rock formations and cliff edges as well as multiple beautiful waterfalls. The walk also stretches through a fabulous green forest that is brimming with different species of wildlife. There’s also plenty of spots where you can sit down and have picnic while taking in the stunning natural beauty of the area, so remember to bring a packed lunch.

The walk also presents multiple stunning views across the valley of some of the highest peaks in Madeira and of São Vicente. It is a great place to go to unwind and revitalise yourself by getting away from the busy bustling towns and cities and surrounding yourself by pure nature.

Cabo Girao

Cabo Girao is a staggering sea cliff on the south coast of Madeira. Standing at almost 2000ft tall, it is one of the highest cliffs in Europe, with stunning views of the coast and the island.

There’s multiple ways to see the great views that are visible from the Cabo Girao. If you are feeling brave, you can walk across the Cabo Girao skywalk, which is the highest cliff skywalk in Europe. It is glass bottomed, so you can see the jaw-dropping views that lie directly beneath your feet, and get a grasp of just how high the cliff really is. There is also a cable car which travels up and down the face of the cliff, providing a terrific view of the cliff and of the Madeira below from different heights.

It is under 2km away from the centre of Camara de Lobos, and is easily reachable by car or the number 7 bus. It is a highly popular natural landmark, often attracting 1800 people in a day. There is also a café and souvenir shop on site.

Contemporary Art Museum

The Museu Colecao Berardo Contemporary art museum in Lisbon is the most visited museum in Portugal, boasting one of the best acclaimed collections of modern and contemporary art. The museum is home to two permanent high quality collections, with work by world renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon and Andy Warhol. There are also often special temporary exhibits on show as well as these, displaying some of the most significant artworks of the twentieth century.

The museum opened in 2007, and stretches over two floors which are filled with an estimated 250 pieces. The museum is open every day charging an entry fee of 5 Euros but is free all day on Saturdays. The gallery also offers guided tours, so you can get to understand the pieces in more detail. The museum is named after Joe Berardo, who created the museum to house his increasingly large collection of quality artworks.

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CR7 Museum

The CR7 museum is a museum of the Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, which is an absolute must visit attraction for any football fan.

Based in his home city of Funchal, Madeira, the museum was opened in 2013 by Ronaldo and contains all the trophies he won while playing for Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and the Portugal National Team. This includes all of his golden boots, Ballon d’Or awards, and club trophies.

The 400 square metre museum also houses a selection of the fan mail and tributes Ronaldo has received throughout his career, as well as an augmented reality camera that allows you to take a picture as if you are standing right next to Ronaldo. There is also a waxwork of Ronaldo inside the museum, and a Bronze statue of him sitting at the front of the museum.

There is an interactive timeline that allows you to see see how his career unfolded, and how he became one of the world’s best players, including footage of the most significant moments of his career and his best goals.

Lagos Marina

Lagos Marina is a popular, beautiful marina in Lagos that opened in 1994. It is a multi-award winning-marina, holding the Euromarina Anchor Award, the European Blue Flag, The Yacht Harbour Association’s 5 Gold Anchors and IMCI’s 5 Blue Star Marina status. This makes it popular with sailors and tourists alike, who are treated to a view of a harbour full of various elegant vessels.

This pretty marina has a laidback peaceful atmosphere that makes for a great leisurely stroll at any part of the day. It livens up on a night as music begins to play out from the surrounding bars. There’s plenty of high quality and reasonably priced bars and restaurants surrounding the marina, where you can sit back and enjoy a delicious meal or a refreshing drink while taking in the exquisite sights that the marina has to offer.

There’s also a market nearby to the marina, with an array of quality local shops. There is ample car parking near the marina and it also sits next to the bus terminus, so it is easy to get to.

Lava Pools

The small town of Porto Moniz, Madeira is home to natural lava swimming pools which are filled naturally with clear and pristine sea water when the high tide comes in off the sea. It is highly pleasant to swim in and is surrounded by dramatic and fascinating black volcanic rocks, which were formed when molten lava met the surface of the deep blue Atlantic Ocean. This makes for a fascinating and exciting swim.

If you are also looking for a laid back, chilled day as well as going for a swim, there are plenty of facilities nearby to keep you refreshed throughout the day. There are sun loungers for hire so you can keep comfortable throughout the day, as well as changing rooms and lockers, and first aid is on hand nearby. There is also a children’s pool and a children’s play area, making it highly family friendly. There is also car parking available in the area for ease of access.

Monte

Monte (which means mountain in English) is a small mountainous area of Madeira with multiple popular tourist attractions.

This small, pretty area is accessible by an exciting 15-minute cable car ride from the Funchal marina area, giving you spectacular views of Funchal Bay, Funchal City and the mountainous landscape that graces the area.

Once you arrive up at the picturesque and historic village of Monte, there’s multiple areas of cultural and historical interest to see, including the stunning Monte Palace Tropical Garden. This is a 70’000m2, multi-level garden filled with exotic trees, ponds and flowers that have been collected from all over the world. It is also home to multiple fascinating African sculptures and a mineral museum.

Monte is also home to a glorious chapel known as the Church of Our Lady of Monte. It was built in 1470 and hosts a moving, spiritual street festival known as the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.