Madeira has 11 municipalities and 54 civil parishes, but only 10 of those municipalities are on Madeira Island itself; the eleventh is Porto Santo. This matters more than it may first appear when you are choosing accommodation, reading bus timetables, entering a destination into a sat-nav or working out whether a hotel listing is truly near Funchal. In this updated guide: you will find the complete municipality-and-parish list, a simple way to understand Madeira’s administrative map, and practical examples to avoid the place-name mix-ups that catch out visitors.
- Madeira’s administrative map: municipalities, parishes and islands
- The complete list of Madeira’s 11 municipalities and 54 parishes
- Which municipalities make the best tourist bases?
- How parish names affect maps, hotel searches and buses
- Insider tips for using Madeira place names confidently
- Frequently asked questions
Madeira’s administrative map: municipalities, parishes and islands
In Portuguese, a municipality is a concelho, while a civil parish is a freguesia. A municipality contains one or more parishes. Think of the municipality as the larger local-authority area and the parish as the smaller district or community within it.
The Autonomous Region of Madeira is officially divided into 11 municipalities and 54 civil parishes. Madeira Island contains 10 municipalities and 53 parishes; Porto Santo, a separate inhabited island in the archipelago, is both one municipality and one parish. The regional geographic register currently records 54 parish units.
For visitors, the important point is that a hotel may advertise a parish name rather than the better-known municipality. A property described as being in São Martinho, for example, is in the municipality of Funchal. A stay in Caniço is in Santa Cruz municipality, not Funchal, even though it is part of the wider urban and visitor area east of the capital.
Do not confuse the island of Madeira with the Madeira archipelago. Porto Santo belongs to the same autonomous region but is a different island, reached by a short domestic flight or ferry. For the broader island breakdown, see our guide to how many islands are in the Madeira Archipelago and which you can visit.
The complete list of Madeira’s 11 municipalities and 54 parishes
| Municipality | Where it is | Civil parishes | What it means for visitors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calheta | South-west coast | Arco da Calheta, Calheta, Estreito da Calheta, Fajã da Ovelha, Jardim do Mar, Paul do Mar, Ponta do Pargo, Prazeres | A broad, sunny municipality for western-coast stays, beaches, surf spots and rural accommodation. |
| Câmara de Lobos | West of Funchal | Câmara de Lobos, Curral das Freiras, Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, Jardim da Serra, Quinta Grande | Includes the fishing town of Câmara de Lobos and the inland mountain village of Curral das Freiras. |
| Funchal | South coast | Imaculado Coração de Maria, Monte, Santa Luzia, Santa Maria Maior, Santo António, São Gonçalo, São Martinho, São Pedro, São Roque, Sé | The capital and the easiest base without a car; hotel listings often use Sé, São Martinho or Santa Maria Maior. |
| Machico | East coast | Água de Pena, Caniçal, Machico, Porto da Cruz, Santo António da Serra | Useful for Machico Bay, the airport side of the island, Caniçal and the dramatic north-east coast. |
| Ponta do Sol | South-west coast | Canhas, Madalena do Mar, Ponta do Sol | A compact, sunny area with a coastal village atmosphere and banana-growing slopes. |
| Porto Moniz | North-west coast | Achadas da Cruz, Porto Moniz, Ribeira da Janela, Seixal | Best known for volcanic swimming pools, rugged scenery and quieter north-coast accommodation. |
| Porto Santo | Porto Santo Island | Porto Santo | A separate island municipality, famous for its long sandy beach; it is not part of Madeira Island. |
| Ribeira Brava | South-central coast | Campanário, Ribeira Brava, Serra de Água, Tabua | A practical south-coast base with fast road access towards Funchal, the west and central mountains. |
| Santa Cruz | East and south-east coast | Camacha, Caniço, Gaula, Santa Cruz, Santo António da Serra | Contains Madeira Airport, Caniço and Santa Cruz town; convenient for early flights and eastern excursions. |
| Santana | North and north-east coast | Arco de São Jorge, Faial, Ilha, Santana, São Jorge, São Roque do Faial | A strong choice for forests, highland scenery, traditional houses and north-coast walking access. |
| São Vicente | North coast | Boaventura, Ponta Delgada, São Vicente | A lush, quieter north-coast municipality, suited to scenic drives and rural stays. |
Which municipalities make the best tourist bases?
Funchal is the most straightforward base for a first visit, especially if you will not hire a car. It has the widest choice of restaurants, accommodation, museums, excursions and urban bus connections. Within Funchal, Sé and Santa Maria Maior put you closest to the historic centre, while São Martinho covers much of the hotel zone and western seafront. Our Funchal Old Town guide is useful if you are deciding between central neighbourhoods.
Santa Cruz and Caniço work well for travellers wanting to stay nearer the airport or on the east side of Funchal. Santa Cruz town is particularly handy for a relaxed first or final night, while Caniço has many resorts and apartments. Read our practical guide to Santa Cruz, Madeira if you are considering this area.
Machico is a good alternative for a beach-oriented stay with an authentic town feel, while Ribeira Brava, Ponta do Sol and Calheta suit visitors who prefer sunnier south-west conditions and plan to drive. For dramatic nature and quieter evenings, consider São Vicente, Santana or Porto Moniz, but allow more time for journeys to Funchal and the airport.
Porto Santo is a separate holiday decision rather than a suburb of Madeira. It is ideal for beach time and a slower pace, but it does not function as a day-to-day base for exploring Madeira Island.
How parish names affect maps, hotel searches and buses
When searching for accommodation, check both the parish and municipality in the address. “Santo António” can refer to the parish in Funchal, while “Santo António da Serra” is split between the municipalities of Machico and Santa Cruz. That is a real administrative distinction, not simply a loose local label.
Similarly, “Calheta” may mean Calheta parish and town, but accommodation can be in nearby Arco da Calheta or Estreito da Calheta while still being marketed broadly as Calheta. Porto da Cruz belongs to Machico municipality even though it lies on the north coast, and Ponta Delgada belongs to São Vicente municipality, not Santana.
For bus planning, use the exact settlement or parish named on the timetable rather than assuming that every route labelled with a municipality serves every village within it. Mountain parishes can be far from the municipal centre despite appearing close on a small map. If you are driving, enter the hotel’s full address or pin rather than only the municipality name; Madeira’s steep roads and parallel valleys can make an apparently short cross-island route much slower than expected. Our guide to driving Madeira’s mountain roads explains what to expect.
Insider tips for using Madeira place names confidently
- Search with two names: enter both the parish and municipality when looking for a hotel, restaurant or bus stop.
- Do not assume “near Funchal” means Funchal: Caniço, Câmara de Lobos and parts of Santa Cruz are nearby but are separate municipalities.
- Check the coast before booking: one municipality can stretch from sea level into high mountains, so its name alone does not describe the weather or terrain.
- Use “Madeira Island” for the main island: this avoids accidentally treating Porto Santo as part of the same road network or accommodation area.
- Watch for repeated saint names: São Jorge, Santo António and Santa Cruz are common names, and the municipality is the useful extra identifier.
- Save the exact map pin: this is more reliable than a broad destination name for taxis, transfers and self-drive navigation.
Frequently asked questions
How many municipalities does Madeira have?
Madeira’s autonomous region has 11 municipalities. Ten are on Madeira Island and one is on Porto Santo Island.
How many parishes does Madeira have?
The Autonomous Region of Madeira has 54 civil parishes: 53 on Madeira Island and one parish, Porto Santo, on Porto Santo Island.
Is Funchal a municipality or a parish?
Funchal is both a municipality and the name commonly used for the capital city area. The municipality is divided into 10 civil parishes, including Sé, São Martinho, Monte and Santa Maria Maior.
Is Porto Santo part of Madeira?
Porto Santo is part of the Autonomous Region of Madeira and the Madeira archipelago, but it is a separate inhabited island and a separate municipality from Madeira Island.
Facts and prices verified in September 2026. For more practical trip planning, see our guides to Madeira in 5 days by car, taxis, Bolt and private drivers in Madeira, and accessible Madeira.
