Madeira Useful Info

Useful Information

Before planning your trip, find out about how to get to the Madeira Islands, the papers you need, customs formalities and health precautions.

Getting there by air

You can fly to Madeira and Porto Santo and there are daily flights between Lisbon and Funchal taking an hour and 25 minutes. Flights between the islands take around 15 minutes. There are two airports, Madeira International Airport and Porto Santo Airport.

Getting there by sea

Funchal and Porto Santo are frequent calling places for cruise ships. Their ports are gateways to the islands and departure points for other destinations. The trip between the islands takes about 2h30 hours by ferry, which can also carry cars.

Overland travel

Getting around the islands is very easy, thanks to the modern road network built in recent years. Practically all places of interest are easily accessible by road.

Papers

If you are visiting the islands from a European Union country belonging to the Schengen Agreement there are no restrictions on entry. Visitors from countries that don’t take part on this agreement, it is required to have an identification document, which, under Portuguese law, means a valid passport and, in some cases, a visa.

Customs formalities

Goods leaving the island are not subject to any limitations. However, if the customs officers feel that the quantity is excessive, you may be asked to prove that the articles are for your personal use.

Vaccinations and health care

You do not need any vaccinations before travelling to the archipelago. Emergency treatment at state hospitals is free of charge for European Union citizens and there are good private health care services for visitors from other countries. There are 67 health centres in Madeira and one in Porto Santo. Funchal has two public hospitals.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies are open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Each pharmacy has a sign on the door giving the names of the duty pharmacies open outside these hours.

Information technology

Information and communication technologies are highly developed in the region. The international dialling code for Madeira is +351.

Phones

There are public phones in the main streets of the larger towns. Some take only phone cards, which you can buy in cafés, tobacconist and post offices. To call abroad, dial 00 followed by the country code.

Time

In Madeira summer time is GMT. The clocks go forward one hour on the last Sunday in March and back an hour on the last Sunday in October, as in the rest of the European Union.

Water and electricity

The electric current in Madeira is 220V. Water is abundant in Madeira and is all drinkable and of excellent quality. In Porto Santo the water is desalinated and is also quite safe to drink.

Banks and shops

The banks are open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Exchange bureaus are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day except Saturdays, when they open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. At other times you can exchange money at hotels.

Police

If you need help from the police, dial 112. There is a Lost and Found Department at 28 Rua da Infância, Funchal, phone (+351) 291 208200.

Safety

The islands in this archipelago are among the safest places in the world for a holiday. Provided that you take the usual precautions dictated by common sense anywhere in the world you are not likely to have any problems here. Most hotels have safes or other places for keeping valuables

Fire brigade

In case of fire call Bombeiros Municipais do Funchal on (+351) 291 200 930 or Bombeiros Voluntários Madeirenses on (+351) 291 229 115.

Useful Contacts

Madeira Tourism

Avenida Arriaga,18 | 9004-519 Funchal
Tel.: 291 211 900 | Fax: 291 232 151
E-mail: info@madeiratourism.com

Avenida Arriaga Tourist Office

Avenida Arriaga, 16
9004-519 Funchal
Tel.: (+351) 291 211902
Open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monumental Lido Tourist Office

Monumental Lido Shopping Centre
Estrada Monumental, 284
9000-100 Funchal
Tel.: (+351) 291 775 254
Open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Airport Tourist Office

Santa Catarina de Baixo
9100 Santa Cruz
Tel.: (+351) 291 524 933
Open daily from 9 a.m. to midnight

Caniço Tourist Office

9125 Caniço de Baixo
Tel.: (+351) 291 932 919

Machico Tourist Office

Forte Nossa Senhora do Amparo
9200 Machico
Tel.: (+351) 291 962 289

Ribeira Brava Tourist Office

Forte de São Bento
9350 Ribeira Brava
Tel.: (+351) 291 951 675

Lugar de Baixo Tourist Office

Centro de Observação de Natureza
Lagoa - Lugar de Baixo
9360-119 Ponta do Sol
Tel.: (+351) 291 972 850

Câmara de Lobos Tourist Office

Casa da Cultura de Câmara de Lobos
Rua Padre Eduardo Clemente Nunes Pereira
9300-116 Câmara de Lobos
Tel.: (+351) 291 943 470

Porto Moniz Tourist Office

9270 Porto Moniz
Tel.: (+351) 291 852 555

Santana Tourist Office

Sítio do Serrado
9230 Santana
Tel.: (+351) 291 572 992

Porto Santo Tourist Office

Centro de Artesanato
Av. Manuel Gregório Pestana Júnior
9400-141 Porto Santo
Tel.: (+351) 291 285 189

Madeira Tourist Office in Lisbon

Palácio Foz
Praça dos Restauradores
1250 Lisboa
Tel.: (+351) 213 469 113

Pharmacies

Câmara de Lobos

Availability Service

Lobos Mar Pharmacy

Estrada de Santa Clara, Nº 60
Tel.: 291944463

Funchal

Backup Service

Honorato Pharmacy

Rua da Carreira, 62
Tel.: 291203880

Permanent Service

Madalena Pharmacy

Caminho de Santo António, 219
Tel.: 291756665

Machico

Availability Service

Engenho Pharmacy

Caminho do Engenho
Edif. Flor do Engenho, LJ.3/0 BL.B
Tel.: 291966633

Santa Cruz

Availability Service

Esperança Pharmacy

Rua da Praia, 3
Tel.: 291520220

Permanent Service

Caniço Pharmacy

Rua Gonçalves Zarco, 74
Tel.: 291930570

São Vicente

Availability Service

São Vicente Pharmacy

Rua Dr. Alcindo Drumond, 1
Tel.: 291846317

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