Madeira with a dog. 🐶 A month in Funchal with my mixed-breed dog Tesla

February 2025, the Monte cable car. Tesla is sitting next to me, nose pressed to the glass, tongue out, and the tourists are taking photos — not of the view, but of my dog. A few days later a stranger walking a border collie stops me in the street: “Is this Tesla?” I have no idea how he knows my mutt’s name, but he clearly does.

After a month of living in Funchal, my eleven-year-old Tesla had become a minor local celebrity. Staff at the cafés nearby stopped her for her daily cuddle, the dog owners in Santa Catarina Park greeted her loudly and warmly, and even the neighbourhood cats hissed more out of habit than dislike.

Sounds lovely? It is. But before you book flights for yourself and your dog, I have to be blunt: Madeira with a dog isn’t a walk in the park. There are lots of lovely moments, but also real limitations — and it’s worth knowing about them in advance so they don’t catch you out once you’re there.

In this guide I describe what a month in Madeira with a small dog looks like — from the flight and accommodation, through transport and restaurants, to trails, beaches and safety. All based on my own experience, without any sugar-coating.

1

2

3

4

1: Funchal with a dog (2025), 2: Funchal with a dog (2025), 3: Funchal with a dog (2025), 4: Banana plantations above the ocean, with the hotels of western Funchal behind, March 2025. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

Why take a dog to Madeira at all?

Tesla travels with me almost everywhere — Warsaw, Zakopane, Bornholm, Croatia, Italy. When I was planning a month-long workation in Funchal, I couldn’t imagine leaving her behind in Poland, so I packed the carrier and food for the first week and, for the first time in my life — and hers — flew with a dog.

But Madeira isn’t just levadas — it’s also Funchal, a city you can explore with your dog for a whole month and still find new corners. If you’re after a workation and slowly sinking into local life, it makes sense. If you’re planning a week of intensive trekking on the PR6 and PR9 trails — leave the dog at home. Seriously.

What to pack for your dog for Madeira

Before I get to the flight logistics — a short list, because a few things really aren’t obvious.

Flying to Madeira with a small dog

Not many airlines allow animals in the cabin, so check this before you buy your ticket — the number of places for pets on each plane is limited. In my case, the choice fell on the charter airline Enter Air.

Enter Air — dogs in the cabin

Enter Air requirements: weight, carrier, documents

Dog on a plane, photo: Ewelina Podrez-Siama – March 2025

The dog together with the carrier must weigh no more than 8 kg, and the carrier has to meet the airline’s size limits (for Enter Air a maximum of 48 × 33 × 25 cm) — it travels under the seat, by your feet, so your dog has to fit into that tight space while still being able to stand up, turn around and lie down. You need to have a muzzle with you (more of a formality with a small dog) and a bowl for water/food.

Tesla is an oddly proportioned mutt, and finding a light, soft carrier that almost met the requirements cost me a fair bit of stress — but I managed.

Getting your dog ready: the vet

When you travel with a dog within the European Union, Madeira included, the standard requirements apply: a microchip and an EU pet passport showing a valid rabies vaccination (for a first vaccination, at least 21 days before departure). On top of that, it’s worth getting a vet check and protecting your dog against parasites typical of the destination (these are recommendations, not EU legal requirements). If you’re travelling from the UK or another country outside the EU, separate rules apply, so check the requirements for your country well before you book.

I simply told my vet I was going to Madeira with my dog and got the full set:

• heartworm prevention (Dirofilaria immitis — a parasite spread by mosquitoes),
• leishmaniasis prevention (a disease spread by sandflies, which are active mainly at dawn and dusk)
• standard tick and flea protection.
• a preventive check-up and a certificate that the dog is healthy and fit to travel (issued up to 48 h before departure),

For leishmaniasis, it’s worth asking your vet about sandfly-repellent collars as an extra, although I admit I didn’t know about these collars yet when I flew to Madeira.

Check-in, security and the flight

Check-in is the usual routine with a few extra formalities: weighing the dog in its carrier, paying the extra fee and waiting for a possible check by customs, which we were spared.

At security you carry the dog through in your arms, while the carrier goes on the belt like the rest of your hand luggage — and this is where Tesla collected her first round of airport cuddles from the uniformed staff.

The flight itself — almost 5 hours — wasn’t easy for me or for her. Little space, lots of noise, and turbulence on top. What helped was our previous travel experience and getting the dog used to the carrier well in advance.

On the flight home Tesla spent a good part of the time in her open carrier on my lap, but on the first flight that wasn’t an option (it seems a lot simply depends on the cabin crew).

Flying to Madeira with a bigger dog

Dogs over 8 kg fly in a travel crate in a special compartment in the hold. I haven’t flown with a bigger dog, so I have no experience here, but this kind of transport isn’t possible with Enter Air. A good first step is to check TAP Portugal, which carries small dogs in the cabin (up to 8 kg with a carrier of max 45x30x23 cm) and bigger ones in the hold.

For breeds considered potentially dangerous (PDD), additional requirements apply.

Where to stay in Madeira with a dog

When looking for dog-friendly accommodation in Madeira, I chose central Funchal rather than a coastal resort. I didn’t regret it for a moment. A workation with a dog needs good internet, parks for walks and a connection to the city — resorts are beautiful, but often isolated.

Using the “Travelling with pets?” filter on Booking.com, I found ASPA Studiosaffiliate link — a studio with a balcony and a kitchenette, close to the centre. It was an excellent choice. Tesla had her own corner, I had a table by the window — for a month we were fully up and running.

A few photos from our stay at ASPA Studiosaffiliate link below:

1

2

3

4

5

6

1: Dog-friendly apartments in Funchal – ASPA Studios, 2: Dog-friendly apartments in Funchal – ASPA Studios, 3: Dog-friendly apartments in Funchal – ASPA Studios, 4: Dog-friendly apartments in Funchal – ASPA Studios, 5: Dog-friendly apartments in Funchal – ASPA Studios, 6: Dog-friendly apartments in Funchal – ASPA Studios. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama 2025

Dog-friendly accommodation in Madeira – search

Getting around the island with a dog

Once you land at Funchal airport, you still have to get to your hotel or apartment and choose a convenient way of getting around during your stay. You have a few options.

Hiring a car with a dog – get in touch before you arrive

Most rental companies’ terms explicitly ban carrying animals, although small local firms can be more flexible. It’s best to write directly to a few of them before you arrive — their answer will give you the certainty that no general information online can.

If your dog weighs more than 8 kg, a car of your own becomes practically the only sensible option — public transport is out, and Bolt can be hit and miss.

Taxis and Bolt with a dog – with a carrier bag, zero cancelled rides

I got around the island by Bolt and taxi a dozen or more times. My tried-and-tested tactic: I ordered the Bolt when Tesla was already in her bag. I got in, sat down and explained that I had a little dog in the bag. Sometimes a driver turned up his nose at the sight of a dog, but a closed bag settled the matter. Every now and then Tesla was allowed to sit freely on my lap and watch the scenery out of the window – it all depends on the driver.

1

2

3

4

1: Dogs and taxis in Funchal (2025), 2: Dogs and taxis in Funchal (2025), 3: A yellow taxi in central Funchal, February 2026, 4: Yellow taxis on Avenida Arriaga at night, February 2025. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

Buses with a dog – a carrier bag is compulsory

The rule on Madeira’s public transport: your dog must be in a bag. No exceptions and no negotiating. I took the bus a few times (short journeys, 20–30 minutes) with Tesla in a soft carrier on my lap. Drivers sometimes check that the dog is tucked away, but the passengers are friendly — they chat and ask about the breed.

Funchal with a dog: where to go for walks

With its charming little streets, Funchal is a dream for walks. The traffic is heavy, though, so if you’re looking for a breather, here are my tried-and-tested walking routes.

Santa Catarina Park

A large, shady park with lawns, benches and views of the port and the ocean, where locals bring their dogs in the morning and evening. After a week Tesla already had her gang — three mutts and a golden retriever — and I had coffee on a bench and 10 minutes of peace before work. A blissful routine, a short walk from the apartment.

1

2

3

4

5

6

1: Madeira with a dog (2025), 2: Madeira with a dog (2025), 3: Madeira with a dog (2025), 4: Madeira with a dog (2025), 5: Tesla by the railing in Santa Catarina Park, with the port below, March 2025, 6: Cruise ships in Funchal harbour seen from Santa Catarina Park, March 2025. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

Dog park

If your dog needs more than a walk on the lead, Funchal has a dedicated, fenced off-lead area: the Dog Park at Jardim Público da Ajuda (R. do Vale da Ajuda 76, Funchal).

The marina and the promenade

Funchal’s promenade along the harbour and the moored yachts, or the promenade from Lido to Câmara de Lobos — these were routes Tesla covered in maximum-excitement mode. She ran in circles, because seagulls, because the smell of fish along the quay, and at the end of the path, the local cats. I enjoyed the spectacular views and the fact that… nobody even asked whether the dog was allowed there.

🍦 A tip for dog owners

Ice cream for dogs in Funchal, photo: Ewelina Podrez-Siama — March 2025

Gela-Tó Artesanale serves artisan gelato for humans and separate ice cream for dogs — Tesla tested it personally and gave it a glowing review. It’s a small place with a lovely atmosphere, and it really does make some of the best ice cream in Funchal (rated 4.8/5 on Google). The perfect stop after a walk along the promenade.

📍 R. do Vale da Ajuda 40, São Martinho, Funchal 🕘 Mon–Thu, Sun: 9:00–20:00  |  Fri–Sat: 9:00–22:00 ⭐ 4.8/5 (137 Google reviews) [as of February 2026]

Opening hours may change — check Google Maps before you go.

Câmara de Lobos — a few kilometres along the coast

Speaking of the promenade – from Funchal you can walk along the coast, with views of the cliffs, all the way to the fishing village, where parks, restaurants with outdoor terraces and charming old houses were waiting for us.

Read nextCâmara de Lobos. 🎨 The fishing village (not only) Churchill fell forColourful boats, poncha by the harbour and the bay Churchill painted in 1950. Câmara de Lobos in Madeira – what to see and how to walk there along the promenade from Funchal.

Beaches for dogs

Contrary to appearances, Madeira isn’t completely beach-free for dogs. I went with Tesla to Praia de São Tiago by the historic Zona Velha (Old Town) — a pebbly cove next to the São Tiago fort, where we had no problems at all with the dog. During the bathing season the beach rules may be different, so check the signs where you go down to the beach.

Tesla kept a safe distance from the ocean and sniffed around with curiosity, but without enthusiasm. You can hardly blame her; the Atlantic waves in Madeira are not a gentle paddling pool. The spot is quiet and not touristy — definitely worth a short walk with your dog if you’re in Zona Velha.

Monte Palace Tropical Garden

Contrary to what you can read in some places online, Monte Palace does let dogs in on a lead — and Tesla and I went there many times, probably six times during our stay. 70,000 m² of tropical garden, oriental gardens with pagodas and koi ponds, peacocks strolling along the paths, flamingos. On one visit Tesla woke up the birds, much to the amusement of the other tourists.

What’s more, you can also take your dog on the Monte cable car (the cable car rules allow animals at quieter times and with the staff’s permission). Tesla was only scared at first, and after that she watched the panorama of Funchal with curiosity every time.

1

2

3

4

1: The Funchal cable car with a dog (March 2025), 2: Monte Palace with a dog (March 2025), 3: Monte Palace with a dog (March 2025), 4: Tesla by the flamingo pond at Monte Palace, March 2025. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

Read nextMonte Palace Tropical Garden. 🌺 Tickets, map and how to visitMonte Palace Madeira is 70,000 m² of tropical garden on the hill of Monte. Tickets, opening hours, getting there by cable car and bus, visiting with a dog. Tried and tested – I’ve been here 6 times.

Dog-friendly restaurants

In Funchal you’ll find plenty of dog-friendly restaurants on one condition – they need to have an outdoor terrace. Otherwise you can only take your dog inside where there’s a sticker by the door saying pets are welcome. You’ll find a few restaurants I recommend in my Funchal guide.

1

2

3

4

1: Dog-friendly restaurants in Funchal (February 2025), 2: Dog-friendly restaurants in Funchal (February 2025), 3: Dog-friendly restaurants in Funchal (February 2025), 4: Tesla under the table on a restaurant terrace in Câmara de Lobos, March 2025. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

Can you take your dog on the trails?

Some popular trails are open to hiking with a dog, but not all of them.

The top levadas — off-limits for dogs

PR6 (Levada das 25 Fontes), PR9 (Levada do Caldeirão Verde) and most popular levadas and forest trails are routes you’d better not take your dog on. They’re narrow paths beside water channels and steep drops, with tunnels, in Natura 2000 areas. IFCN doesn’t publish separate rules for dogs, but the conditions on these routes speak for themselves.

What to do instead

From Funchal itself there are trails managed directly by the city — PR3 Vereda do Burro (6.7 km) and PR3.1 Caminho Real do Monte (5.5 km) — which come down through the hills above Funchal. Both are open and looked after by Câmara Municipal do Funchal (Funchal City Council).

Tesla and I simply wandered — no trails, no GPS, just uphill from the centre, where the little streets turn into paths and suddenly you have Funchal at your feet and the ocean behind it. It’s not Instagram trekking, but this is Madeira — you get views round every bend.

1

2

3

4

1: Madeira with a dog, 2: Funchal with a dog, 3: Madeira with a dog, 4: Funchal with a dog. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama 2025

The Porto Santo ferry — what you need to know

If you’re planning a day trip to Porto Santo, you need to know that animals are not allowed in the passenger area of the ferry — that’s an official Porto Santo Line rule. Dogs up to 8 kg can travel in a carrier bag in the designated animal area. Bigger dogs go into a kennel (a cage) on the car deck (Deck 4).

Porto Santo Line — rules for animals

I didn’t go to Porto Santo with Tesla myself. With her 7.5 kilos and no car, the thought of the journey put me off. If your dog copes calmly with enclosed spaces and travel, it’s worth considering.

I’ve gathered the ferry timetable and prices, Binter flights and an idea for a day on the island in my Porto Santo guide. There I also explain how to fly with your dog on Binter and what to watch out for with a dog on the island itself (Porto Santo with a dog).

Your dog’s health in Madeira

If anything happens to your dog while you’re away – there’s round-the-clock veterinary care waiting for you in Funchal.

Vets in Funchal

Keep the details of a nearby vet to hand – hopefully you won’t need them. Below are the clinics and vets that, luckily, I never had to test (I only walked past them and kept their details saved just in case).

Pet shops in Funchal

If you run out of food or lose some of your dog’s kit, a pet shop will come in handy too; here are a few tried-and-tested addresses:

• Loropark – Rua da Levada de Santa Luzia 136, Funchal
• Snochies – Caminho do Amparo 22, Funchal
• Vetmedis in the La Vie / Plaza shopping centre (where I bought Tesla’s food) – Rua Dr. Brito Câmara 9, Funchal

You’ll also find basic dog food, treats and poo bags in bigger supermarkets such as Pingo Doce.

Safety and dog culture in Madeira

In Funchal you’ll meet dogs walking off the lead – they belong to tourists, residents and sometimes homeless people (who, by the way, take great care of their four-legged friends). The city also has plenty of free-roaming cats. All the animals I met were well socialised and non-aggressive – Tesla didn’t have a single unpleasant encounter during our whole stay, and she made some new friends along the way.

There are no exotic dangers — no venomous reptiles, no dangerous insects. Two things are real risks, though: fireworks (Carnival, New Year — Madeira is famous for its pyrotechnics) and the crowds in high season. For a noise-sensitive dog, February in Funchal can simply be stressful.

1

2

3

4

1: Dogs in Madeira, 2: Dogs in Madeira, 3: Dogs and cats in Madeira, 4: Dogs in Madeira. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama 2025

The worst and the best moments

A stay in Madeira with a dog has its ups and downs. But definitely more ups 😉

The Carnival parade

February in Funchal means Carnival, and the parade goes through the main streets — thousands of people, cruise passengers plus locals, music and fireworks. At times Tesla was very stressed, and so was I as a result – more than once, while trying to squeeze through the packed centre with a dog, I ended up picking her up and the two of us escaped into Funchal’s quieter side streets.

But Carnival in Madeira isn’t just the main, crowded parade! Tesla was in her element at the Solidarity Parade, watching the people in costume perform and saying hello to the children.

What’s more, during Carnival we met dogs that coped well with the event itself, paraded in costumes and seemed relaxed – a lot depends on the individual dog here.

1

2

3

4

2: Madeira Carnival with a dog, 3: A dog in costume during the Madeira Carnival, 4: A dog in costume during the Madeira Carnival. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama 2025

Becoming a local star…!

After a week, the Portuguese in the park greet Tesla by name. After two weeks, strangers stop me in the street and shout in English — “Hi Tesla!” — and although I don’t know them, they clearly know my dog. After three weeks I hear: “Is this the famous Tesla? I’ve heard about her.”

Portugal loves dogs, and Madeira is a small place — after a month you become “a local”. Tesla had more friends on the island than I did, and that, paradoxically, is the best argument for taking your dog. Not the trails, not the beaches — the people.

How much does it cost? A realistic budget with a dog

The biggest expense is the flight — the dog’s fee is charged each way — plus preventive vet care before you go, which can add up with the full package. A good carrier is another one-off cost that pays for itself on later trips.

On the island itself I hardly noticed any difference in costs:

• The extra charge for a dog at your accommodation is small; check when you book.
• Transport – a dozen or so Bolt rides over the month instead of buses — it adds up, but not dramatically.
• Food: I took a week’s supply and bought the rest locally, at prices comparable to those in Poland.

1

2

3

4

1: Funchal with a dog (2025), 2: Funchal with a dog (2025), 3: Funchal with a dog (2025), 4: Tesla on a sun lounger on the apartment terrace in Funchal, February 2025. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

Is it worth flying to Madeira with a dog? My honest answer

My answer after a month in Madeira with a dog: yes, it’s worth it. But go in knowing it won’t be a typical holiday with your dog — it’s a month of living in Funchal with a four-legged friend. Parks, promenades, the marina, and locals who know your dog better than they know you after a week. I didn’t regret a single moment we spent together, even if it meant making a fair few sacrifices.