Photos: Tim Roosjen, Erik Karits, Samielle Støyl, Colin Watts
Itinerary · Portugal
Madeira Van Road Trip: 7 days on the island of flowers
Levadas, vertiginous cliffs and Pico do Arieiro
Madeira is a mountain island rising from the Atlantic, covered in UNESCO-listed primary forest and criss-crossed by 2,500 km of levadas. The roads are winding and sometimes narrow (a compact van is essential), but the viewpoints are worth the bends.
The route
Indicative route, in straight lines between the stops, in travel order.
View on Google Maps →The 5 stops
Good to know before you go
The real budget for 7 days
Allow around €700 to €1,450 for 7 days, for two. This budget covers three items only: rental, diesel and nights (one campsite night each evening). Food, restaurants and visits are extra. Prices checked in October 2026.
- Van rental: from around €80 per day for privately owned vans (Yescapa, checked 30/10/2026); €115 to €165 per day at Mad Road Trip, €135 to €165 from May to August (Mad Road Trip, checked 30/10/2026): €560 to €1,155 for 7 days.
- Diesel: €2.113 per litre, the maximum price set in Madeira from 26 October to 1 November 2026 (Funchal Notícias). For 350 km at 9 to 11 litres per 100 km (our estimate for a van): €67 to €81.
- Nights: €5 to €15 per person per night at the official campsites (Porto Moniz, Ribeiro Frio, Fanal, Ponta do Pargo, per madeira.rentals, June 2026, and its campervan guide, April 2026): €70 to €210 for two and 7 nights.
- Total: €697 to €1,446, so around €700 to €1,450.
The island has very few campsites: book them before you go. The rules for spending the night in a van outside campsites are being checked.
Updated 30 October 2026
When to go
Year-round
- Jan : Best time
- Feb : Best time
- Mar : Best time
- Apr : Best time
- May : Best time
- Jun : Best time
- Jul : Best time
- Aug : Best time
- Sep : Best time
- Oct : Best time
- Nov : Best time
- Dec : Best time
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