Our Last Day Trip in Madeira - From Arieiro to Santana

Hello friends. On the last day of our modern holiday in Madeira, we began our trip not at the highest point, but the second highest Arieiro Peak. The highest point Pico Ruivo, is visible from here. The elevation at Arieiro is 1810 meters, offering stunning views, especially toward Pico Ruivo. It's easily accessible by car and many hiking trails start here. We saw plenty of hikers with backpacks and sturdy boots, making their way along the paths. The local cafés were bustling and the traffic made driving nearly impossible. Luckily the views from Arieiro are impressive. 😊 You can see almost every corner of Madeira, including the easternmost cape, Porto Santo island and both the southern and northern coasts. The climate here is vastly different from the lower elevations. Locals told me the day before that Madeira has over 200 microclimates and you can genuinely feel the shifts as you ascend, transitioning from tropical zones to taiga, like forests and finally to a simpler vegetation area.

Interestingly there's a center here for the restoration of the Madeira Storm Petrel population. This bird species was nearly extinct in the 1960s, but thanks to biologists' efforts, their numbers have increased. There's also an impressive tower that functions as an air traffic control station. However, airplanes start descending far below where we were, so you can still catch glimpses of them from this spot.

Our next stop was a village near Santana, home to a scientific, tourist and entertainment park. Here we got a glimpse of popular elements of modern Madeira. The village features a craft center showcasing traditional skills like ceramics, basket weaving, embroidery and lacework, all of which Madeira is famous for. The iconic triangular Madeira houses, specific to Santana were especially striking. These houses come in varying sizes, some small, others full-sized. From what I understood, families often used multiple houses: one as a bedroom, another as a kitchen and wealthier families might have additional houses. There’s also a small farm with goats and other animals and even a pond where you can take boat rides. The site features two types of mills powered by water and wind.

Near the water mill, we discovered a beautiful hiking trail lined with hydrangeas that follows a levada. Levada is the name for the small water channels in Madeira. These are popular among hikers as the paths often run alongside them. Levadas historically carried water from the wetter northern regions to the drier south, acting as irrigation channels. Walking along these levadas is a delightful experience, but even if you're not up for a hike, simply enjoying the view is worthwhile. Honestly this is a semi-touristic activity, but it all depends on personal interests. Some locals told us that two weeks are ideal for fully exploring Madeira. For us however, two and a half days were just enough to see the most fascinating parts. The traditional architecture in this park was particularly intriguing, as it combines elements of both design and cultural heritage.

We ended our day with a culinary experience, visiting a restaurant we really liked. It's even been awarded by the Red guide. The name of the restaurant is Ide. And as the name suggests, they serve whatever fresh catch comes from the ocean that day. The secret to success at fish restaurants lies in two things: sourcing the freshest ingredients and cooking them well without overcomplicating, usually on a grill. Here they have their own special mix of flavors that, I must say, reminded me of something you'd find only in Southeast Asia. That’s why this fish restaurant deserves the second spot on my list of favorites. The prices were also quite reasonable, the fish was excellent and the passion fruit cheesecake was surprisingly delightful. On a side note Winston Churchill himself stayed in Madeira and reportedly enjoyed his time here as well. I mentioned this in one of my earlier posts.

We wrapped up our short last-day trip once again above the clouds. Here the temperature is about 7 degrees cooler than at the coast, showcasing Madeira's remarkable climate diversity and natural richness. The island features numerous microclimates and natural zones, including an original forest filled with daisies, trees and vibrant greenery. Hydrangeas are also a highlight of the flora. I hope you enjoyed hearing about my Madeira trip. I especially recommend this destination to nature lovers, as it offers plenty of hiking trails and mountaineering opportunities. And there's much to admire in terms of architecture and design. And for food enthusiasts Madeira provides satisfying options with its delicious cuisine. 🤗