Portugal. The Atlantic island of Madeira is known as an evergreen island and a paradise for hikers and flower lovers. But landscape photographers also get their money's worth here: rugged coastlines, mystical laurel trees in the "fairy forest", mountain panoramas at sunrise or imposing waterfalls guarantee that the motifs will never get boring. In the following article, I will tell you about my favorite photo locations in Madeira.
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#1 Fanal - mystical Laurel Forest in the Fog
My clear favorite among the photo locations on Madeira is the laurel forest Fanal. The most impressive thing is to visit it in the midst of a foggy day. You can wander along various paths or even cross-country between ancient, gnarled laurel trees. Due to the frequent fog, the trees are covered in moss and lichen. If there are fairies and forest spirits in this world, then it's definitely here.
We visited the Fanal twice and kept discovering new motifs and perspectives. We used both the wide-angle lens and the standard zoom lens. It is helpful to have a microfiber cloth with you to wipe off the fog drops. If the weather is sunny during your trip and there is absolutely no fog, then I can also highly recommend the sunset at Fanal.
Tip: next to the parking lot there is a camp with picnic tables, toilets and cooking facilities. There are various hiking trails around the fanal that looked interesting. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time.
#2 Mountain Panoramas around Pico Arieiro and Pico Ruivo
Timing is everything... and the best time to photograph the mountain peaks and their surroundings is definitely at sunrise or sunset. Also, before the tour buses arrive from Funchal or after the groups have left. The highest peak (Pico Ruivo at 1862 m) and the third highest peak (Pico Arieiro at 1818 m) of the island's central mountain massif both offer great views. However, Pico Arieiro and the "buzzard's nest" are even more spectacular with their many steps and precipices. The advantage of Pico Arieiro is that you can drive up by car. To reach Pico Ruivo, you first have to walk up the paved PR1.2 hiking trail for about an hour. The starting point is the Achada do Teixeira parking lot. PR1.2 and PR1.3, which continue in the direction of Encumeadas, offer many great motifs along the way, such as the many trees that have died in a fire and dominate the landscape like white skeletons.
Note: The approach from Funchal to Pico Arieiro takes you along the steepest road in Madeira, Caminho da Barreira, with a gradient of up to 45%. It is easier to get there from the east via ER 207, ER 202, or from the north via ER 103.
The wind can be quite relentless up there on the peaks and can quickly make your fingers stiff. So it's best to pack gloves and a hat as well as a windproof/waterproof jacket (we were there at the turn of the year, maybe it's a bit milder in summer).
#3 Ponta de São Lourenço
The Ponta de Sao Lourenço peninsula, the easternmost tip of the island, juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. There are several spectacular and sometimes more or less dizzying viewpoints. And again, the best time to take photos is at sunrise. Unfortunately, I missed it. But I did manage to capture the evening light.
The Ponta do Rosto and Ponta de Sao Vicente viewpoints are the easiest to access, right next to one of the parking lots. If you want to go higher, follow the path to the highest point on the north side of the rocky coast, the Mirador do Abismo. The path is quite steep in places and slippery due to loose debris, especially on the descent. There are further viewpoints along the entire hiking trail, which finally ends at Pico do Furado (160 m) with a view over the protected area as far as the lighthouse.
The many lizards that were around us during a break along the way were curious. I have always found lizards to be very shy...not so these ones on the peninsula. They must have an incredibly good sense of smell and were keen on our sandwiches. Soon they were trying to climb up my leg, and at some point, one had made it over my back and onto my shoulder. It was a bit like Jurassic Park...;-)
At 7.7 kilometers, the hike is not very long. However, the many great views can quickly extend the excursion to 4 to 6 hours.
Tip: if you've got your telephoto lens with you, you can take good photos of the yellow Canary Island chickadees at the Casa do Sardinha cafeteria surrounded by date palms.
#4 Rock Needles at Ribeira da Janela
The rugged rock needles at Ribeira da Janela are one of the most famous photo locations on Madeira. They are at their best at sunrise and when the sea is rough. Then the spray splashes up on the rocks or, with the help of the ND filter, turns into a diffuse coating over the stony beach.
There is a viewpoint, a camper van site and toilets at the rock needles.
Tip: If you stay a little longer after sunrise, you can still see the sun coming out from behind the mountains (I took this photo at the beginning of January).
#5 Levadas - Madeira's Water Pipelines
If you go hiking on Madeira, you can't avoid the levadas. Levadas are irrigation channels that criss-cross the entire island in a sophisticated network. With a gentle gradient, the water is transported from the rivers in the rainy north to the cultivation areas in the dry south. Often over many kilometers. The levada hikes usually do not have any major inclines, as the canals on the mountain flanks run almost parallel to the contour lines. The maintenance paths are often very narrow and oncoming traffic can sometimes be a challenge. Many levadas also run through tunnels that have to be walked through. Sometimes with your head down and wading through large puddles. A flashlight should therefore always be taken along on a levada hike.
The levadas, with their sometimes straight, sometimes curved lines, offer great subjects for wide-angle or even slightly telephoto shots. The often dense vegetation on the mountain slopes or on the damp walls offers many opportunities for detailed shots.
Tip: Hiking trails are often closed for repair work. Check the Visit Madeira websitein advance to find out whether your desired path is open.
I have hiked the Levada do Rei, Levada das 25 Fontes and the Levada do Caldeirão Verde and can highly recommend all three. The hikes are very popular, so it's smart to set off early before hiking groups from Funchal arrive. And because the three hikes are so popular, there is a café with a toilet at the start of each one.
#6 Waterfalls - the Kings of Madeira's Photo Locations
Many levada hikes are crowned by an impressive waterfall. I found the waterfall at the end of the Levada do 25 Fontes particularly spectacular. The waterfall at the end of the Levada do Caldeirão Verde is almost as beautiful. Those who like to work with ND filters will get their money's worth here.
Fancy a refreshment? Even in January, one or two hikers didn't miss out on the fun and jumped into the pool under the waterfall at the Levada das 25 Fontes.
#7 Lava Rocks near Porto Moniz - perfect Reflection or wild Surf
With wind and swell, the surf that crashes against the north coast is so powerful that the air fills with spray. It doesn't take long before you can taste the salt on your lips. On the stretch of coast between the two natural baths in Porto Moniz, you can take impressive pictures of the forces of nature at these moments. With less wind and waves, on the other hand, you can get the perfect reflection in the natural pools between the lava rocks... but only if you get there before all the bathers.
Book Recommendations for Nature Photographers
Would you like to learn more about landscape photography? Then I can highly recommend the e-books from Fotonomaden. In the "slow & simple" photography e-books (winter, forest, water, flowers & blossoms) you will always find 40 photo ideas on the respective topic. Each inspiration is accompanied by several sample images as inspiration and simply explained, easy-to-implement tips. (only in German)
Have you ever been to Madeira and what were your favorite photo locations? If so, please write me a comment!
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Recommendations for further Reading
Would you like to read more photo tips or are you looking for new photo locations? Then take a look at my article on Wildlife Photography with Respect or my interview with the Fotonomaden on the subject of winter photography .
Liebe Mareike, vielen Dank für die unverhoffte Urlaubsstimmung am Mittwoch 🙂 War bereits auf Madeira und kenne all die atemberaubenden und mystischen Orte, ganz wunderbar eingefangen in deinen wunderbaren Fotos. Echt toll. Hab gerade nochmal überlegt, was dort am schönsten war: Pico Arieiro, die wilde Nordküste, die Hochebene, die Lorbeerwälder oder São Lourenço? Kann mich nicht entscheiden, muss ich ja auch nicht. Tipp an alle, die Madeira noch nicht kennen: Einfach alles anschauen 🙂 Liebe Grüße
Liebe Dorit, na, ich sorg doch immer wieder gerne für Fernweh und Urlaubssstimmung 🙂 Freut mich, dass dir mein Artikel und meine Bilder gefallen. Und ich muss dir völlig recht geben: Madeira hat so viel zu bieten dun jede der Fotolocations ist unglaublich schön. Liebe Grüße