Damn how rich are you to even consider throwing 1200 euro in the trashcan just because of emotions lmao
Yes the most popular trails are crowded and dirty. This is true for pretty much every place in the world. Maybe avoid the most touristy areas if that’s a problem for you? That still leaves 99.9% of the island. I am in Madeira right now and even Funchal doesn’t feel touristy compared to let’s say Lisbon. Or today I did a trail that’s not viral on TikTok but still with amazing views and met someone else every 15 minutes on average.
Agree with this fully. Also in Madeira and PR1 was borderline not worth it with the garbage and crowds but the rest has been amazing and really not that touristy.
This is what I would call a first world problem.
Like every touristic place Madeira has its pros and cons. Would you feel buyers remorse if Rome replaced Madeira in your equation? Do you rely that much on social media to make your mind about stuff? Man, just go for it. If you like it you like it if you don’t it’s also fine. Definitions like “overcrowded” are very subjective. I bet you Vatican is way more crowded than every part of Madeira and still most people go there despite of what they see in social media
To me, it seems crowded AF. I prefer the acores thanks to less tourists, prices, similar beautiful nature, more fresh air etc
However, visiting different places broadens your perspective. As you seem young, I recommend do this trip but maybe change our stay so that you avoid too much crowded places.
The guy is coming here and wants the pico arieiro - pico ruivo Tour. And he wants sunset on pico arieiro. And 25 Fontes. And seixal beach but only with perfect weather. Guess he will ride the teleférico to monte with 3 cruise ships minimum in harbor. And beer in estrada Monumental is 5 eur. Everything crowded and full and Dirty and expensive. Bad Madeira grrrrr. Its a Shame this Island.
To provide a more differented point of view: I guess tourists blame other tourists in case it is too much in a given amount of time as it brings crowded places, dirt, price increases and much more with it. So, it‘s not kinda „does not make sense“ thing, it‘s a reflection about required governmental regulations though.
I hope this will not offend you, but this is why people hate North American tourists, this attitude and way of thinking.
First of all it is not dirty... probably cleaner than any of your american cities that you praise alot.
Second, the only people who behave bad in my opinion are people from the U.S. and every place that is overcrowded is from US tourists mostly and thats why places now are considered "tourist traps".
Locals are taking advantage of you to make more money and for us europeans and ppl from all over it is becoming harder to do vacation on those places.
I have met amazing people from the U.S. during my travells and I hope I didnt offend you when I generalized this but in the eyes of a european this is how we see things. Not everyone is like that but it seems like you are so I recommend for the good of the island and the tourism, book a Mississippi river cruise and everyone is happy.
Regards from Seixal beach.
"I hope this will not offend you, but" in 1/10th the time it took you to type your reply you could have clicked on OP's profile and quickly determined that they were neither American nor *North* American, but rather a fellow (to you) European.
But it's not all bad...at least you got your anti-American opinions out there! Just a shame that your aim is off-target.
To save you either clicking on my profile or mis-aiming again, I'm not American either :). I *am* North American though, and have been to Madeira, and, for the most part, agree with your comments.
We were just there end of May, i dont know how October is for Europe travel but we found the cities and bigger towns to be really clean. Much cleaner than Lisbon. Certainly busy with tourists and obvious bus/group tours but we didn’t find it to be overwhelming and it was easy to walk away from the crowds.
Wtf are you on about? Dirty? Madeira is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to. I went during peak season (summer) multiple times last year because I got married on the island and it never felt crowded. Porto & Lagos were much worse (but still beautiful).
October is a nice month, don’t stress about it, just plan your vacation with info on this sub, hikes, food and stay according to your wishes and you’ll be golden.
Just got back and it was pretty quiet tbh. Can’t speak for October though. I wasn’t there on the weekend either.
I also went to Lisbon and Porto and those were absolutely slammed. Still loved my time there, but there was a lot of planning around crowds. Eating early and hitting the things that are important to you in the morning were key. We used this strategy for the hikes as well.
I've been 5 times (once since the hype started). Yeah it gets busy, but still very clean and doesn't feel as overcrowded and full of tourists as the Canary Islands.
October is a nice month to visit - I've visited it in all 4 seasons and have never been let down. They don't call it an island of eternal spring for nothing!
Also, Funchal tends to get crowded when the cruise ships are in, so I'd recommend visiting some of the lesser known places during these times. If you research and plan thoroughly I'm sure you will enjoy it. 😀
Based on your post history you like to cry a lot. Have you considered to take it easy and enjoy things? As for your question, the hype will not die down. It just started. If that’s a problem for you - don’t come. Next time investigate better before making decisions so you don’t have to go through this.
Like every place it has super touristy and less touristy areas. We stayed in Canhas, there were no tourists there whatsoever. But when you go to Funchal, Pico Ruivo, Porto Moniz, there are going to be lots of tourists.
Find some places that aren't overrun with tourists and I'm sure you will fall in love with Madeira just like I did.
Locals won't like me saying it but Madeira is my heaven on Earth. Truly one of my favorite places in the world. Just go, I would think it's impossible to be disappointed in such a beautiful place. There are still many parts of the island where tourists do not really go.
I’ve just went on May, honestly , it’s pretty quiet especially outside Funchal, not gunna find much tourists. I loved it there , felt like being away from typical party places.
I was just in Madeira 1.5 weeks ago. Did not seem crowded to me… in fact I expected it to be more busy. I was told after that it gets “crowded” during peak cruise time which is only June - mid Sept. I think it would be silly for you to cancel your trip in a October but you do you. I don’t know what you consider “crowded”. I mean, yeah, I waited on what looked like a long line to take the cable car up to the Monte Gardens (gorgeous!) but the line moved quickly….. I’m not so entitled that a moving line would bother me.
Gonna cancel because of the words of others? Interesting.
Also I heard after sept everything really slows down. I'm headed that way sept 11th. I think it'll be just fine. I've heard from people who have gone its truly an amazing place.
It’s really a non issue, I spent a year in Madeira it varies a little, if you go to the touristy areas you’re going to see tourists, the island has so many areas, rent a car and explore, there’s so many areas you can go and be alone with incredible views
Dirty and crowded? I think you’ll be fine. It was not crowded or dirty when I went. Not sure where you’re getting your info from. Madeira is beautiful and there’s plenty to see all over the island
Thanks for all the replies. I understand that people think I'm weird. That's just how my brain works, buyer's remorse over almost everything.
Yes, I am a tourist, just like all the other ones, and no I don't assume I will have any place to myself really, but when you see overcrowded parking lots and people leaving trash everywhere, that is not something I want to contribute to (the crowding part, trash I would never leave anywhere).
I am in a lot of stress right now, and thought Madeira would be a good place to relax and enjoy nature. We are not staying in Funchal, but near Fajã da Ovelha. So it would be a good idea to make a list of all the Instagram hyped up places, and use it as a "avoid" list?
haha you will be happy when you meet people in Faja da Ovelha. its very quiet there.
Just avoid Pico Arierio and ruivo, 25 fontes and Caldeirão Verde and you will be fine.
Check the funchal webcam or [marinetraffic.com](http://marinetraffic.com) if you are planning to take the cablecar to monte. If there are ships in harbor avoid it and choose another day
Just back from Madeira and missing it...was stunning and I accept that in tourist high seasons you're gonna just get tactical with your Fanal forest shots (got some brilliant shots and met some beautiful chaffinches in mountains!), avoid the famous trails and eat beautiful food in Funchal
I was there a week ago. It's not dirty. Funchal is fairly crowded but not horribly so. I didn't care for it because I was sick while I was there, I didn't like how hot and sunny it was, the city is very hilly which makes it not very walkable if you're sick or out of shape, the traffic is very loud, and I found the locals to be rude. In particular, a woman who worked at a doctor's office I went to was just blatantly rude to me for no reason.
But if you're in good health and you like hot sunny climates, you'll probably enjoy it. The mountains and ocean and trees and flowers are quite pretty, and there are cute little lizards everywhere.
Sorry to hear that. If it makes you feel any better, the people who work in the public services, like that lady, are usually rude and have the "I don't feel like working today" attitude, and they are like that towards everyone.
As for locals in general, we tend to be welcoming. But that all depends on the circumstances, and how or when you approach the person.
Stay away from tourist spots and tourist things and I bet you avoid the tourists! But if you want to sled, swim in lava pools, lounge on a black sand beach, hike the mountains, and so on, you will be part of the tourist problem. Go. Enjoy yourself. If it’s too crowded where you are, go to a different place on the island
I'm not sure if I would class Madeira as overcrowded tbh based on my experience from only 1 week ago this year (which fell on a Madeiran public holiday). We went for a week and the towns and the roads were quiet. The trails were not dirty, we did 6 full hikes from the peaks, to coast and mostly in the mountains and forests and we had zero problem and we went hiking at what would be considered a bad time of day (starting around 11am and finishing by about 3pm every day). I would say however that some parts of the 6 hikes we did were much more narrow in sections (check google reviews and pin your hikes on google maps before you go) which meant that we did have to wait to let people pass in a passing point or straddle the edge of a rock face or barrier however this barely held us up at all (the tunnels are particularly worse only because it's pitch black in most and low ceilings but we still were fine). This does mean that someone who is very overweight would struggle in these sections to let others pass or to get past (not assuming you are but just to add clarity).
I'm definitely not trying to suggest anyone shouldn't go as i'm sure it's possible to do regardless but I noticed some who were too big that turned back (might have been because of fitness level though). Personally i'm overweight but not astronomically (very big hips) but I did fine and had no problem so I'm talking more on the extreme side. PR9 (waterfalls) and PR1 (peaks) were the busiest hikes we did too, the others we did were nowhere near as busy.
Fanal Forest is wonderful and super wide trails. It's busier but it's bound to be but you don't notice really.
Hope this helps and if you do go, enjoy it, it's the most beautiful place i've visited for hiking (clean trails and fresh air in the mountains) and i'm dying to go back. Food there is wonderful too :)
Damn how rich are you to even consider throwing 1200 euro in the trashcan just because of emotions lmao Yes the most popular trails are crowded and dirty. This is true for pretty much every place in the world. Maybe avoid the most touristy areas if that’s a problem for you? That still leaves 99.9% of the island. I am in Madeira right now and even Funchal doesn’t feel touristy compared to let’s say Lisbon. Or today I did a trail that’s not viral on TikTok but still with amazing views and met someone else every 15 minutes on average.
Agree with this fully. Also in Madeira and PR1 was borderline not worth it with the garbage and crowds but the rest has been amazing and really not that touristy.
Send trail plz haha I’ll be there in a week
This is what I would call a first world problem. Like every touristic place Madeira has its pros and cons. Would you feel buyers remorse if Rome replaced Madeira in your equation? Do you rely that much on social media to make your mind about stuff? Man, just go for it. If you like it you like it if you don’t it’s also fine. Definitions like “overcrowded” are very subjective. I bet you Vatican is way more crowded than every part of Madeira and still most people go there despite of what they see in social media
To me, it seems crowded AF. I prefer the acores thanks to less tourists, prices, similar beautiful nature, more fresh air etc However, visiting different places broadens your perspective. As you seem young, I recommend do this trip but maybe change our stay so that you avoid too much crowded places.
The one reason I have not, and never will, visit Rome. 😀
Close minded person, really
Been there and actually liked it. Of course it’s nowhere close to the pearl of Atlantic, land of the best football player of all times
Yea it's rly rly bad, cancel everything right now and never consider Madeira again, in fact, just vacation in your basement where it's least crowded
The guy is coming here and wants the pico arieiro - pico ruivo Tour. And he wants sunset on pico arieiro. And 25 Fontes. And seixal beach but only with perfect weather. Guess he will ride the teleférico to monte with 3 cruise ships minimum in harbor. And beer in estrada Monumental is 5 eur. Everything crowded and full and Dirty and expensive. Bad Madeira grrrrr. Its a Shame this Island.
Baaaaahahaha
Tourist complains that the presence of other tourists will ruin it for them.
To provide a more differented point of view: I guess tourists blame other tourists in case it is too much in a given amount of time as it brings crowded places, dirt, price increases and much more with it. So, it‘s not kinda „does not make sense“ thing, it‘s a reflection about required governmental regulations though.
I travelled to Madeira last October and it was perfectly fine. Not a single problem with crowds. Loved it.
off topc but im going this October as well, hows the weather there sound that time of year?
it's a weather transition period but in general is mild and at times, warm
I hope this will not offend you, but this is why people hate North American tourists, this attitude and way of thinking. First of all it is not dirty... probably cleaner than any of your american cities that you praise alot. Second, the only people who behave bad in my opinion are people from the U.S. and every place that is overcrowded is from US tourists mostly and thats why places now are considered "tourist traps". Locals are taking advantage of you to make more money and for us europeans and ppl from all over it is becoming harder to do vacation on those places. I have met amazing people from the U.S. during my travells and I hope I didnt offend you when I generalized this but in the eyes of a european this is how we see things. Not everyone is like that but it seems like you are so I recommend for the good of the island and the tourism, book a Mississippi river cruise and everyone is happy. Regards from Seixal beach.
I am not American... case closed
"I hope this will not offend you, but" in 1/10th the time it took you to type your reply you could have clicked on OP's profile and quickly determined that they were neither American nor *North* American, but rather a fellow (to you) European. But it's not all bad...at least you got your anti-American opinions out there! Just a shame that your aim is off-target. To save you either clicking on my profile or mis-aiming again, I'm not American either :). I *am* North American though, and have been to Madeira, and, for the most part, agree with your comments.
We were just there end of May, i dont know how October is for Europe travel but we found the cities and bigger towns to be really clean. Much cleaner than Lisbon. Certainly busy with tourists and obvious bus/group tours but we didn’t find it to be overwhelming and it was easy to walk away from the crowds.
Wtf are you on about? Dirty? Madeira is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to. I went during peak season (summer) multiple times last year because I got married on the island and it never felt crowded. Porto & Lagos were much worse (but still beautiful).
Dude I was about to make a comment like this
Yeah, this person is a moron lol
October is a nice month, don’t stress about it, just plan your vacation with info on this sub, hikes, food and stay according to your wishes and you’ll be golden.
I went there in August and it was ok.
Just got back and it was pretty quiet tbh. Can’t speak for October though. I wasn’t there on the weekend either. I also went to Lisbon and Porto and those were absolutely slammed. Still loved my time there, but there was a lot of planning around crowds. Eating early and hitting the things that are important to you in the morning were key. We used this strategy for the hikes as well.
I've been 5 times (once since the hype started). Yeah it gets busy, but still very clean and doesn't feel as overcrowded and full of tourists as the Canary Islands. October is a nice month to visit - I've visited it in all 4 seasons and have never been let down. They don't call it an island of eternal spring for nothing! Also, Funchal tends to get crowded when the cruise ships are in, so I'd recommend visiting some of the lesser known places during these times. If you research and plan thoroughly I'm sure you will enjoy it. 😀
Based on your post history you like to cry a lot. Have you considered to take it easy and enjoy things? As for your question, the hype will not die down. It just started. If that’s a problem for you - don’t come. Next time investigate better before making decisions so you don’t have to go through this.
You were going to go as a tourist right? maybe the answer is to book the island for yourself and your family only.
Omg you are sooooooo original... Like not wanting to visit places other people know.... So special...
Weird mentality.
SO WEIRD right?! 😵💫
It’s a bit weird to say because you’re a tourist lol.
Yes its really bad. The hype will never die down sadly.
And I don't believe the instagram hype will stay at the peak that it's currently at. It will eventually return to "normal" I guess?
I think you need to read the comment with a tone of sarcasm
So even October would still be overcrowded?
Like every place it has super touristy and less touristy areas. We stayed in Canhas, there were no tourists there whatsoever. But when you go to Funchal, Pico Ruivo, Porto Moniz, there are going to be lots of tourists. Find some places that aren't overrun with tourists and I'm sure you will fall in love with Madeira just like I did.
Was just there in April and it was fine. I wouldn’t expect October to be any worse.
Worst is around july/August. Everything else is fine when you dont do the "social media Things"
Locals won't like me saying it but Madeira is my heaven on Earth. Truly one of my favorite places in the world. Just go, I would think it's impossible to be disappointed in such a beautiful place. There are still many parts of the island where tourists do not really go.
I’ve just went on May, honestly , it’s pretty quiet especially outside Funchal, not gunna find much tourists. I loved it there , felt like being away from typical party places.
I was just in Madeira 1.5 weeks ago. Did not seem crowded to me… in fact I expected it to be more busy. I was told after that it gets “crowded” during peak cruise time which is only June - mid Sept. I think it would be silly for you to cancel your trip in a October but you do you. I don’t know what you consider “crowded”. I mean, yeah, I waited on what looked like a long line to take the cable car up to the Monte Gardens (gorgeous!) but the line moved quickly….. I’m not so entitled that a moving line would bother me.
You’ll love it there. It’s not crowded outside of Funchal
Gonna cancel because of the words of others? Interesting. Also I heard after sept everything really slows down. I'm headed that way sept 11th. I think it'll be just fine. I've heard from people who have gone its truly an amazing place.
It’s really a non issue, I spent a year in Madeira it varies a little, if you go to the touristy areas you’re going to see tourists, the island has so many areas, rent a car and explore, there’s so many areas you can go and be alone with incredible views
I wouldn't worry. Just avoid the tourist traps when the cruise liners arrive.
Dirty and crowded? I think you’ll be fine. It was not crowded or dirty when I went. Not sure where you’re getting your info from. Madeira is beautiful and there’s plenty to see all over the island
October generally is not peak season. Enjoy
Thanks for all the replies. I understand that people think I'm weird. That's just how my brain works, buyer's remorse over almost everything. Yes, I am a tourist, just like all the other ones, and no I don't assume I will have any place to myself really, but when you see overcrowded parking lots and people leaving trash everywhere, that is not something I want to contribute to (the crowding part, trash I would never leave anywhere). I am in a lot of stress right now, and thought Madeira would be a good place to relax and enjoy nature. We are not staying in Funchal, but near Fajã da Ovelha. So it would be a good idea to make a list of all the Instagram hyped up places, and use it as a "avoid" list?
haha you will be happy when you meet people in Faja da Ovelha. its very quiet there. Just avoid Pico Arierio and ruivo, 25 fontes and Caldeirão Verde and you will be fine. Check the funchal webcam or [marinetraffic.com](http://marinetraffic.com) if you are planning to take the cablecar to monte. If there are ships in harbor avoid it and choose another day
Just back from Madeira and missing it...was stunning and I accept that in tourist high seasons you're gonna just get tactical with your Fanal forest shots (got some brilliant shots and met some beautiful chaffinches in mountains!), avoid the famous trails and eat beautiful food in Funchal
I was there a week ago. It's not dirty. Funchal is fairly crowded but not horribly so. I didn't care for it because I was sick while I was there, I didn't like how hot and sunny it was, the city is very hilly which makes it not very walkable if you're sick or out of shape, the traffic is very loud, and I found the locals to be rude. In particular, a woman who worked at a doctor's office I went to was just blatantly rude to me for no reason. But if you're in good health and you like hot sunny climates, you'll probably enjoy it. The mountains and ocean and trees and flowers are quite pretty, and there are cute little lizards everywhere.
Sorry to hear that. If it makes you feel any better, the people who work in the public services, like that lady, are usually rude and have the "I don't feel like working today" attitude, and they are like that towards everyone. As for locals in general, we tend to be welcoming. But that all depends on the circumstances, and how or when you approach the person.
Stay away from tourist spots and tourist things and I bet you avoid the tourists! But if you want to sled, swim in lava pools, lounge on a black sand beach, hike the mountains, and so on, you will be part of the tourist problem. Go. Enjoy yourself. If it’s too crowded where you are, go to a different place on the island
I am currently thinking about rebooking to April. Or would that be much busier than October?
Are you even reading the comments? 🤦♀️
I'm not sure if I would class Madeira as overcrowded tbh based on my experience from only 1 week ago this year (which fell on a Madeiran public holiday). We went for a week and the towns and the roads were quiet. The trails were not dirty, we did 6 full hikes from the peaks, to coast and mostly in the mountains and forests and we had zero problem and we went hiking at what would be considered a bad time of day (starting around 11am and finishing by about 3pm every day). I would say however that some parts of the 6 hikes we did were much more narrow in sections (check google reviews and pin your hikes on google maps before you go) which meant that we did have to wait to let people pass in a passing point or straddle the edge of a rock face or barrier however this barely held us up at all (the tunnels are particularly worse only because it's pitch black in most and low ceilings but we still were fine). This does mean that someone who is very overweight would struggle in these sections to let others pass or to get past (not assuming you are but just to add clarity). I'm definitely not trying to suggest anyone shouldn't go as i'm sure it's possible to do regardless but I noticed some who were too big that turned back (might have been because of fitness level though). Personally i'm overweight but not astronomically (very big hips) but I did fine and had no problem so I'm talking more on the extreme side. PR9 (waterfalls) and PR1 (peaks) were the busiest hikes we did too, the others we did were nowhere near as busy. Fanal Forest is wonderful and super wide trails. It's busier but it's bound to be but you don't notice really. Hope this helps and if you do go, enjoy it, it's the most beautiful place i've visited for hiking (clean trails and fresh air in the mountains) and i'm dying to go back. Food there is wonderful too :)
Ah, the classic rich and entitled first-world problem of Tourists-on-Tourists hatred of a special snowflake ❄️