I want to propose in Madeira but don’t know where
Every week I get the same message: “I want to propose in Madeira, but I don’t know where.” And I understand why. There are so many viewpoints, beaches, forests and cliffs around this island that it becomes genuinely hard to choose. Even though Madeira is only 50 km long and 25 km wide, the weather differs from one corner to another, and a spot that looks perfect on Instagram may be packed with a hundred people at the moment you arrive.
My name is Andriy. I have been shooting marriage proposals in Madeira for more than 10 years, most of them secretly – your partner doesn’t know I’m there until the ring is out. That is exactly why I know which places are quiet, at what time, and in what weather. Below, I’d like to sort out the options you may be looking for.
Public places for a proposal in Madeira
There are many viewpoints around Madeira that look very beautiful on Instagram but are not suitable for a marriage proposal – because of the crowds, the narrow space, an ugly fence behind you, or a long hike to and from the spot. Some places, like Ninho da Manta, have become unusable for proposals because of crowds from morning till night, non-stop, all year round. Another one is Seixal beach during the day and evening: hundreds of visitors sunbathing, swimming, taking photos and walking around make it unrealistic to be alone there. Unless you’d like to propose surrounded by dozens of people, like on a public bus in rush hour.
The list of packed places goes like this: Juncal / Pico do Arieiro (at sunrise), Ninho da Manta (all day long), Seixal beach (afternoon and evening), Ribeira da Janela (daytime), Bica da Cana (sunrise and sunset), Boa Morte (sunset), Fanal forest (during the day), and many more.
On the other hand, there are still many spots off the beaten track that offer the same backgrounds and privacy for your proposal. After years of shooting proposals in Madeira, I have found a few gems. Even at Pico do Arieiro / Juncal you can be alone nowadays if you know where to go and when. The Ponta de São Lourenço cliffs offer plenty of room for privacy and a scenic background at the same time, at specific moments of the day. The Bica da Cana viewpoint can be empty for hours, and there is a spot just 10 minutes away from it, without a fence, with the same view of the tallest mountains in Madeira. Fanal forest is unpredictable in terms of weather, but it is almost empty in the morning – the same place that is full of tour buses at noon.
My favourite places to propose in Madeira
I won’t give you exact pins here – the moment a quiet spot appears on a map, it stops being quiet. But here is how I usually match a couple to a place:
If you want cliffs and the ocean, Ponta de São Lourenço is my first choice. Early morning or the last hour before sunset, the cliffs empty out and there is enough room to stay far from other walkers. It’s dry and warm even when the mountains are covered in clouds.
If you dream about the mountains above the clouds, Pico do Arieiro is still worth it, but not at the main viewpoint and not at sunrise on a summer weekend. There are places a short walk from the road with the same view and nobody around. Bring a jacket – it’s cold up there even in August.
If you want something mysterious, Fanal forest in the morning fog is unlike anything else in Europe. The catch: you can’t plan it. Some days it’s fog, some days it’s blue sky, some days it’s horizontal rain. I always keep a plan B on the coast for Fanal days.
If you want golden light and a warm evening, the east, south or west coast around Funchal, Ponta do Sol, Ponta do Pargo gives you sunset over the ocean without a hike.
If you want a beach, we choose the day by the tide, not by the calendar. Low tide on the right beach means a hundred metres of empty sand; high tide means fighting for a towel-sized spot.
Private places for a marriage proposal
If you need total privacy for your marriage proposal in Madeira, there are many options: a wine tasting at a vineyard, parts of hotels with views that are separated from the other guests, private villas, and so on. And there is one more option people rarely think about – the sea. A sailboat or a small yacht with just the two of you, the skipper and me on board is probably the most private place on the whole island, with Madeira’s cliffs as a background. These are not cheap options, but at least you don’t need to invent a story for your partner about why she or he needs to dress up.
Geography matters
Madeira has a warm coastline all year round, but the high mountain areas are windy, rainy and cold from October to May, and high-altitude spots like Fanal forest or Bica da Cana can be cold, cloudy and rainy for weeks at any time of the year. There is no chance you will handle a sunrise or sunset in the mountains in an evening dress during the winter – two minutes, and you’ll be shaking from the cold wind. From time to time, the police block access to the high mountains because of snow and slippery roads.
The northern side of Madeira is cloudier than the southern one. This is great for shooting during the day (no harsh shadows under the eyes and nose), but if you are looking for golden light, then the southern coastline and the east and west ends of the island are better options.
For a beach proposal, one of the most important things to consider is the tide. When the tide is high, there is less room to be alone on any beach. The tide changes roughly every 6 hours, and the best time for a proposal is the low tide phase, or about an hour before or after the lowest point.
Sunrise or sunset?
Sunrise is harder to predict in terms of the light and weather. Also, almost nobody wants to get up at 5 or 6 a.m. on holiday, so it is difficult to convince your partner to get up early, epecially without additional suspicions. The price is the early alarm and, in the mountains, the cold. Sunset is warmer, easier to combine with dinner afterwards, and easier to explain to your partner (“let’s go watch the sunset and have a dinner afterwards” raises no suspicion at all). But sunset is when everybody else goes to the viewpoints too, so the choice of the spot matters much more.
Best time for a proposal
It all depends on the specific spot you like. As I mentioned above, every place has its own conditions: privacy, weather, altitude, high or low tide on the coast and beaches. If you’re not sure, here is how I’d narrow it down: coast or mountains? sunrise or sunset? evening dress or hiking shoes? a specific date or a flexible one? Answer these four questions and the list of places shrinks from twenty to three.
Two questions I always get about the place
Can I propose in the mountains in winter?
Yes, but be ready for a plan B. From October to May the peaks can be closed because of snow, and even when they are open, an evening dress and 5°C with wind don’t go together. I always keep a coastal spot ready for the same day.
What if it rains?
On Madeira it almost never rains on the whole island at the same time. If the north is grey, the south is usually sunny. We move, that’s all. I check the weather the evening before and again in the morning.
Everything else – how far in advance to book, whether your partner will notice me, what happens after the proposal – is answered in my FAQ page.
Still not sure where?
Send me your dates and a few words about your partner – mountains or beach, dress or sneakers, early bird or sunset person – and I’ll suggest two or three places that fit, with the right time of day for each, and help you with planning of your marriage proposal. That’s usually enough to decide in one message.
WhatsApp: +351932086434
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