Madeira on a Budget

Madeira is one of Europe’s best-value island destinations: flights are often cheap, the hiking is spectacular and inexpensive, and you can eat well for little. Here’s how to enjoy Madeira on a budget in 2026.

Quick answer: stay in Funchal or the southwest, share a hire car or use buses and the free sights, hike the levadas with a day or multi-day trail pass (€9 a day, €22.50 for three days, €52.50 for a week, excluding PR1), swim in free lidos and natural pools, and eat espetada, bolo do caco and the prato do dia.

Hiking on a budget

• Trail fees: since 2026, official trails cost €4.50 each (€10.50 for PR1), booked on SIMplifica. Children under 12 are free.
• Passes: €9 for a day, €22.50 for three days or €52.50 for a week, covering all trails except PR1. The best value if you hike a lot.
• Do it yourself: self-guided hikes are much cheaper than tours, if you have transport.

See Madeira levada walks.

Free and cheap things to do

• Funchal: the market, the painted doors of the Zona Velha, the cathedral and the seafront. See things to do in Funchal.
• Natural pools: the free Aquário pools at Porto Moniz (the main pools are €3).
• Viewpoints: most are free; the Cabo Girão skywalk costs €5.
• Beaches: Calheta and Machico’s sandy beaches are free.
• Splurges worth it: the Monte cable car (€16 one way) and the toboggan (€30 for one, cash).

Eat and drink

• Bolo do caco: garlic flatbread, cheap and delicious.
• Espetada and scabbardfish at local restaurants.
• Poncha: the local rum, honey and lemon drink, in village bars.
• Supermarkets and the Mercado dos Lavradores for fruit and picnics (watch for tourist prices on tasting fruit).

Sleep and get around

• Guesthouses and apartments in Funchal are good value; hostels exist too.
• Car hire is good value outside peak season and makes trailheads easy.
• Buses link Funchal with the main towns, but are slow to reach trailheads.

More: the Madeira itinerary, the best hotels in Madeira and Portugal on a budget.

Prices and details change, so please double-check before you travel. Spotted something out of date? Tell us in the groups.