The 3 best places to watch the sunrise in Madeira

Vacation and early rising? They don’t go together? For the part of travellers who prefer to relax, probably not. But for the more active ones who want to get the most done in a day, yes. And just watching the sunrise in a given destination shouldn’t be missing from your “todo list”. This is no different in the case of Madeira, which is also sunrise-friendly thanks to its location on the map. In fact, the average time for sunrise is not until about half past 8 in the morning. Furthermore, if you visit Madeira outside of the high season – like we did towards the end of October – then there’s no need to get up early either. This is because at this time the sun doesn’t rise until after 8am.

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You can watch the sunrise from several places on the island and each is special in its own way and location. The first on our list is Miradouro da Ponta do Rostowhich is a very accessible viewpoint, about 30 minutes drive from the capital Funchal. The sunrise from this spot is truly spectacular, as you can see the sun rising on the edge of the ocean and the rocks on the coast of this Portuguese island. In addition, you can reach several viewpoints within a few minutes from the car park, making this place a true must-see affair – for sunrise or any other time.

The second tip for watching the sunrise in Madeira is the third highest mountain on the island. Pico do Arieroand more specifically, the viewpoint named Miradouro do Juncalwhich is just a few minutes’ walk from the top of this mountain. The summit, at 1,818 metres above sea level, is easily reached by car, making it another very accessible destination for more than just watching the sunrise. If you’re lucky, this spot will also offer breathtaking views of the sunrise above the thick clouds over the surrounding valley.

Just keep in mind that this place is famous for sunrise, and you may have trouble finding a parking space 30 minutes before sunrise. We therefore recommend starting a little earlier and watching the weather forecast or even the webcams on site.

The last recommendation, from where the beauty of watching the sunrise in Madeira is the easternmost point of the island – Ponta de São Lourenço. We recommend going here not only to watch the sunrise, but especially to take the beautiful PR8 trek, which is 8 kilometres long without any tens of metres. However, the eastern location of this place determines that it is from here that the sunrise is a great spectacle – just be prepared for a challenging hike, definitely more challenging than the first 2 tips above.

Are you interested in Madeira and would you like to come here not only for the sunrise? Check out one of our itineraries, such as the best sights in Madeira, which includes the places mentioned above.