We've booked flights, hotel and car in Madeira for July 7 - 11
What are the top things to see and do? We are in our late 50s. Husband is very athletic but has an injury, and I'm not athletic, so we are not going to do the super fun things or any big hikes. Anything in particular that we can't miss?
Obrigada
This may not seem very exciting, but there is a road which hugs the coast all round the island, plus onethat goes north/south across the middle plateau. We did this in two halves.
The left hand half of the drive in particular goes through tunnels carved out of solid rock, and past some spectacular cliff/rock formations.
On the way there is a rotating restaurant with terrific views and a good menu.
https://restaurantequebramar.com/en
Others will be along to tell you about wineries and the wooden sleds, I'm sure.
I visited Madeira in October 2022. I wrote about some of the things that I did here:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/portugal/madiera-without-a-car
The walks along the levadas are flat; it's easy walking, and the views of the hillside terraces and/or the sea are great. If you aren't planning to rent via car, you can probably find a local company doing small-group tours that provides transportation from Funchal up to the levada. I don't know whether any of the levadas are accessible by public bus without an uphill walk. If you want to do this, inquire locally about appropriate levada walks if you have an issue with heights. I think some of the levadas might have segments bothersome for some folks. I think you'll find at least one levada-walk guidebook available, and it might provide all the into you need to make a choice.
The island is highly scenic. Just hopping on a public bus to one of the island towns will probably yield lovely views. I remember liking the ride to Curral das Freiras. That area can be foggy, so it would be worth trying to get a weather forecast so you can choose a sunny day.
