Do you tip at restaurants in Madeira?

Tipping in Portugal & Madeira If the food is good and the service friendly, tips are highly appreciated and appropriate. Many people may tell you that tipping is not necessary and that restaurant workers earn a healthy wage, but this is not really true.



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We tip 10% for good service that's nearly always in Madeira.

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10% or “rounding up” are seen as the norm when tipping. Tipping is usually for exceptional service, when someone went above and beyond what their job required them to do. If you're used to tipping elsewhere, don't stop just because you're in Portugal. Always tip with cash if you can.

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Most places in Madeira do take cards, but you'll need some cash for buses, and I've heard that some of the cable cars only take cash too (the cable car from the promenade in Funchal does take cards). The small shops and cafes I visited all took cards but it's best to have some money just in case.

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ELECTRICITY AND WATER The electric current in the archipelago is 220 volts. There is plenty of water in Madeira and it is all drinkable and of excellent quality.

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You will need a valid passport or national identity card during your stay in Madeira. Although not mandatory, possessing a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or equivalent health insurance coverage is recommended.

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The Portuguese have three meals a day, between 7:30 and 10 a.m. we have breakfast, consisting of drinking coffee or fruit juice with toast or a sandwich. The main meals are lunch, between 12:00 and 2:30 p.m., and dinner between 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.

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You should tip your taxi driver at least 15 to 20% of your trip fare. If you think of giving anything less than 10%, you might as well leave without tipping at all. If your fare is less than $10, leave a tip of not less than a dollar. Something like a 50-cent tip is insulting and more of a hassle to come up with.

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It's not expensive to eat out in Madeira unless you go to gourmet or Michelin-starred restaurant. You'll find bars by the road, in small villages and even the capital that have very reasonable menus of the day. Start your meal with a soup if you're trying to save the pennies.

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Unfortunately, the island's location and popularity as a dream holiday destination do mean you will be looking at a more expensive trip than you could have elsewhere in Portugal. We recommend reserving around 82 Euros ($90) per day for your trip to Madeira.

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If you're at a restaurant, the waiter will likely ask if you want to pay with cash or Multibanco. This demonstrates its high market saturation, as well as the fact that many places only accept card payments from Multibanco cards – not international ones.

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Here's a helpful hint: At a restaurant, ask for a copo d'água instead of just água and you won't have to pay for water. Yes, it's from the tap, no there's no ice in it, and yes it's free. If it comes in a bottle, send it back and say again: copo d'água.

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Walking in Madeira, especially Funchal is easy, although there are streets such as Rua de Santa Maria and others in the Zona Velha (Old Town) that are cobblestoned. We recommend comfortable walking shoes and take water with you.

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FAQs about food in Madeira Espada com banana (black scabbard fish with banana) is one of the most popular Madeira dishes and it's unique to the island. Another unique Madeira food is the bolo do caco bread.

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You can hike all year round, but here are a few things to be aware of to make your decision: In Summer, temperature can raise quite high in the afternoon – you should start hiking early morning. Most hikes have narrow pathways and can have hikers in both directions (many levada walks are return hikes, not loops).

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Vaccines and Medicines
  • Chickenpox (Varicella)
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis.
  • Flu (influenza)
  • Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
  • Polio.
  • Shingles.


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