“One volcanic island, endless landscapes and stellar skies”
Madeira is a volcanic island where rugged mountains rise above the Atlantic, ancient forests disappear into the mist, and dramatic coastlines meet some of Europe’s clearest skies. Its extraordinary variety of landscapes, light and atmosphere makes it a truly captivating destination for landscape and night photographers. Over the course of this photo tour, we’ll explore the island’s most spectacular scenery and seek out the conditions that make Madeira such a unique place to photograph.
Madeira Photography Tour Highlights
🌋 Volcanic Landscapes & Wild Coast – rugged cliffs, wild beaches & dramatic views
🌲 Laurel Forests & Waterfalls – ancient forests, lush trails & hidden waterfalls
🌅 Atlantic Sunrises & Sunsets – dramatic ocean views from scenic viewpoints
🌌 Milky Way Photography – starry skies above Madeira’s highest peaks
👥 Exclusive Small Group – maximum 6 participants for a personalized experience
📸 Professional Photography Coaching – hands-on guidance and post-processing masterclass
Wanna join?
What to Expect from This Journey?
Spend seven days exploring Madeira through carefully planned sunrise, sunset, and night sessions, with each day designed around the best light and shooting conditions. You’ll have time to work on compositions, adapt to changing conditions, and capture the island’s diverse character throughout the journey.
Stay in strategically located accommodations and travel with a small group of passionate photographers. Throughout the tour, you’ll receive hands-on field guidance, practical support, and dedicated post-processing sessions to help you get the most from your images.
Madeira Photography Tour – Itinerary (Brief)
✈️ Meeting: Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC), June 3rd by 3 PM
🛫 Departure: FNC, June 9th in the morning
🌤 Flexible Schedule: adapted to weather, light, and the best photography opportunities
📍 Day 1 – Ribeira da Janela & Fanal Forest
Atlantic sunset followed by night photography in Fanal Forest.
📍 Day 2 – Miradouro de São Cristóvão & PR9 Caldeirão Verde
Coastal sunrise, hidden waterfall hike and panoramic sunset.
📍 Day 3 – Ribeira da Janela & Fanal Forest
Coastal sunrise, post-processing and sunset in the misty forest.
📍 Day 4 – Fanal Forest & PR1 Vereda do Areeiro
Forest sunrise followed by sunset above the clouds.
📍 Day 5 – Guindaste & PR8 Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço
Ocean sunrise, rugged coast and sunset on the eastern peninsula.
📍 Day 6 – PR8 Ponta de São Lourenço & PR1.2 Vereda do Pico Ruivo
Cliff-top sunrise, sunset hike to Pico Ruivo and night photography.
📍 Day 7 – Departure
Breakfast and transfer to FNC.
📍 Day 1
🇵🇹 Arrival & Ribeira da Janela
Meet at Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC) by 3 PM before heading to our first hotel in Porto Moniz.
🌅 After a short introduction to the week ahead, we’ll head to the coast for our first sunset session at Ribeira da Janela, with its dramatic sea stacks and Atlantic scenery.
🌌 After dinner, we’ll begin our night photography adventure with a first attempt at capturing the stars above the ancient trees of Fanal Forest.
📍 Day 2
🌊 São Cristóvão & Hidden Waterfall
🌅 An early start for sunrise at a spectacular coastal viewpoint overlooking Madeira’s rugged volcanic coastline.
After breakfast, enjoy some free time to relax at the hotel or explore Porto Moniz.
🌿 In the afternoon, hike to a secluded waterfall through Madeira’s lush interior, followed by a sunset session at a panoramic viewpoint along the route back.
📍 Day 3
🌲 Ribeira da Janela & Fanal Forest
🌅 Sunrise photography at Praia da Ribeira da Janela, capturing first light among the sea stacks and colorful wildflowers.
After a relaxed morning, we’ll meet for a post-processing session, reviewing images and working through a complete editing workflow.
🌲 In the evening, return to the mystical Fanal Forest for sunset photography, followed by another night session beneath Madeira’s dark skies.
📍 Day 4
🏔️ Fanal Forest & Pico do Arieiro
🌅 An early session in Fanal Forest before breakfast and check-out, then we’ll move towards southeastern Madeira.
After some time to relax and an afternoon editing session, we’ll hike along the PR1 trail to a spectacular viewpoint near Pico do Arieiro for sunset above the clouds and across the island’s dramatic mountain landscape.
📍 Day 5
🌊 Guindaste & Ponta de São Lourenço
🌅 Sunrise at Miradouro do Guindaste, overlooking the Atlantic and Madeira’s rugged eastern coastline.
After breakfast and some time to relax, we’ll explore the spectacular Ponta de São Lourenço peninsula, photographing its volcanic cliffs, unusual rock formations and distinctive vegetation.
🌅 We’ll finish the day with a coastal sunset before enjoying dinner at a local restaurant.
📍 Day 6
🏔️ Ponta de São Lourenço & Pico Ruivo
🌅 An early hike to photograph sunrise from the dramatic cliffs of Ponta de São Lourenço.
After a relaxing break, we’ll head into the mountains for an afternoon hike towards Pico Ruivo, Madeira’s highest peak at 1,862 metres.
🌅 We’ll photograph sunset above the clouds, surrounded by colorful wildflowers and rugged mountain peaks, before staying into the evening for a Milky Way session, weather and conditions permitting.
📍 Day 7
🛫 Departure
After breakfast, transfer to Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC) for your departure, concluding our Madeira photography adventure.
Essential Information
Where You’ll Spend the Nights
🏨 Porto Moniz – 3 nights in a luxury hotel on the northwest coast.
🏨 Machico – 3 nights in a luxury hotel in southeastern Madeira.
Hiking & Photography
Most locations are reached with short walks from the van. The following are the main hiking sections of the tour:
🌿 Day 2 – PR9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde
Approximately 4 hours round trip, around 10 km (6.2 miles) with approximately 150–200 m (490–660 ft) of elevation gain.
⛰️ Day 4 – PR1 Vereda do Areeiro
Approximately 45 minutes round trip, around 1.2 km (0.75 miles) with approximately 50–70 m (165–230 ft) of elevation gain, to our first photography viewpoint.
🌊 Day 5 – PR8 Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço
Approximately 40 minutes round trip, around 1.5 km (0.9 miles) with approximately 50 m (165 ft) of elevation gain, to the coastal rock formations.
🌊 Day 6 – PR8 Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço
Approximately 40 minutes round trip, around 1.5 km (0.9 miles) with approximately 50 m (165 ft) of elevation gain, to our sunrise viewpoint.
🏔️ Day 6 – PR 1.2 Vereda do Pico Ruivo
Approximately 1.5 hours round trip, around 4 km (2.5 miles) with approximately 250 m (820 ft) of elevation gain, reaching the area below the Pico Ruivo summit.
Tour leaders
Giulio Cobianchi – Landscape & Night Photography Expert
Giulio Cobianchi is a professional landscape and night photographer with 13 years of experience, passionate about night photography and wild nature and exploration, shaped near the Dolomites, led him to Patagonia, where rugged mountains, rivers, lakes and night skies become the setting for guiding photographers and improving their field skills.
Vittorio Maria Peruccatti – Night Photography & Wild Landscape Expert
Vittorio is a professional landscape photographer specializing in night photography, with years of experience photographing some of Europe’s darkest skies. Based in Tenerife since 2017, in the Canary Islands, he has developed a deep passion for dark skies and wild volcanic landscapes. As a tour leader for GoToPhotoTour, he has explored breathtaking destinations worldwide, including Madeira, where he knows the island’s most spectacular locations.
Payment & Tour Details
💰 Total Cost: €2,990
📌 Deposit: €900 to secure your spot (remaining balance due 90 days before departure)
🛏 Accommodation: Private double rooms in top-quality hotels. Single room available for a €900 supplement.
👥 Group Size: 4–6 photographers
📊 Physical Intensity: Medium
📅 Tour Dates: June 3rd–9th, 2027
✈️ Arrival: Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC), June 3rd by 3 PM
🛫 Departure: FNC, June 9th in the morning
Included
🏨 Accommodation in top-quality hotels
🥐 All breakfasts included
🚐 Private van transportation throughout the tour
⛽ Fuel, tolls, parking fees & entrance fees for national parks and mountain areas
✈️ Airport transfers to and from FNC
🏊 Natural pools, sauna & jacuzzi at the Porto Moniz accommodation
📸 Professional Photography Guidance – landscape and night photography
💻 Post-processing & editing sessions with recorded lessons
📱 Access to a private WhatsApp support group
Not Included
✈️ International flights
🍴 Lunches, dinners & drinks
🏥 Medical / health insurance
🔒 Theft, equipment damage or travel insurance
Anything not explicitly listed in “Included”
⚠️ We highly recommend private travel insurance to cover any non-refundable fees and airline travel you may have in connection with the photographic tour.
FAQs
What You’ll Learn on This Madeira Photography Tour?
During the tour, you’ll develop practical skills in landscape and night photography through hands-on guidance in the field and dedicated post-processing sessions.
We’ll cover everything from composition and exposure to focusing, changing coastal and mountain light, Milky Way photography, and advanced shooting techniques. Our goal is to help you become more confident in the field and return home with stronger, more creative images.
Here’s what you will learn during the tour:
📷 Mastering Your Equipment – Get the most from your camera and lenses in changing light and challenging outdoor conditions.
📱 Planning Your Shots – Use photography apps and planning tools to find the best locations, light, and compositions across Madeira.
🖼️ Composition Techniques – Build stronger images using composition, perspective, foreground elements, and creative approaches.
💡 Managing Light & Exposure – Understand changing coastal, forest, and mountain light and choose the right ISO, aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation for each scene.
🎯 Focusing Techniques – Learn precise focusing, hyperfocal distance, and depth of field for sharper landscape and night images.
🌄 Advanced Landscape Techniques – Master focus stacking, exposure blending, perspective blending, and panoramic techniques for more detailed and dynamic images.
🌌 Night Sky Photography – Learn how to photograph the night sky and create sharp, well-exposed images in low-light conditions.
✨ Milky Way Photography – Learn how to plan, capture, and process Milky Way images, from field techniques to a complete editing workflow.
🖌️ Post-Processing Skills – Improve your images using Photoshop, Lightroom, masks, layers, dodge & burn, and advanced color and contrast techniques.
🔄 Workflow Optimization – Develop a more efficient workflow from planning and shooting to final image, with practical techniques you can continue using after the tour.
By the end of the workshop, you’ll have gained both the technical knowledge and creative confidence to capture powerful landscape and night photography images across Madeira.
Meeting Point & Travel Information
📍 Where and when does the tour start?
The tour begins at Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC) on June 3rd, 2027, with a meeting time no later than 3:00 PM.
📍 When does the tour end?
On June 9th, we will transfer the group back to FNC in the morning. Please schedule your departure flight accordingly.
📍 How do I get to Madeira?
Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC) is well connected to major European cities, with convenient connections from many international destinations.
📍 Can you pick me up from a hotel?
Yes! If you are staying at a hotel in Funchal, we can arrange your transfer to the meeting point before the tour begins.
✈️ Need help planning your arrival? Feel free to contact us for travel tips and hotel recommendations!
Photography Skill Level Required
This workshop is open to photographers of all levels, from beginners to advanced. Whether you are just starting out or already experienced, the itinerary and guidance are adapted to support your level.
The only requirement is an interest in landscape and night photography, along with a willingness to spend time outdoors shooting from sunrise through sunset and into the night under Madeira’s skies.
What Level of Physical Fitness Is Required for This Journey?
No particular level of physical preparation is required, but please keep these details in mind:
Every day involves short and easy walks from the van to the photography locations. On some days, longer hikes are required to reach some of Madeira’s most spectacular locations:
🌿 Hidden Waterfall: approximately 4-hour round trip on an easy, mostly flat trail.
🏔️ Pico Ruivo: approximately 1.5-hour round trip to our sunset and Milky Way location.
⛰️ Pico do Arieiro: approximately 45 minutes round trip to our sunset photography location.
🌊 Ponta de São Lourenço: approximately 40-minute round trip to a coastal viewpoint.
These hikes are manageable for most participants and are planned to give us access to Madeira’s most spectacular landscapes while keeping the experience enjoyable.
What Weather Conditions Can I Expect During This Week?
Madeira has a mild but highly variable climate, with conditions changing quickly between the coast, forests, and higher mountain areas. In June, daytime temperatures along the coast are typically around 21–23°C (70–73°F), while temperatures at higher elevations can be around 10–15°C (50–59°F), especially around sunrise and at night.
Cloud, mist, wind, and occasional rain are possible, particularly in the mountains and forests. These changing conditions are part of what makes Madeira so photogenic, so we’ll adapt the itinerary whenever necessary to make the most of the available light and weather.
What Clothing & Gear Should I Bring?
Madeira’s weather can change quickly between the coast, forests, and high mountains, so we recommend being prepared for both mild daytime temperatures and cooler, wet conditions.
We suggest:
🌡️ Base Layer: Lightweight, breathable clothing for daytime walks and hikes
🧥 Mid Layer: Warm fleece or insulated jacket for cooler mornings and evenings
🌧️ Outer Layer: Waterproof and windproof jacket for rain, mist, and changing mountain weather
🥶 Cold-Weather Layer: Warm layers for sunrise and night photography at higher elevations
🥾 Footwear: Waterproof hiking boots with good grip and non-slip soles
🧤 Accessories: Hat, gloves, and thermal socks for cooler mountain sessions
With the right clothing and footwear, you’ll stay comfortable from mild coastal days to cool and potentially wet sessions in Madeira’s forests and mountains.
Recommended Camera Gear for This Adventure
To make the most of your landscape and night photography during the tour, we recommend bringing the following gear.
Essential Equipment
📸 Digital Camera – DSLR or mirrorless with full manual controls
🏔️ Sturdy Tripod – essential for long exposures and Milky Way photography
⏱️ Remote Shutter Release – useful for maximum sharpness during long exposures
Recommended Lenses
🌄 Fast Wide-Angle Lens (f/2.8 or faster) – ideal for Milky Way photography and expansive landscapes (e.g., 14–24mm, 15–30mm)
📷 Versatile Zoom Lens (24–70mm / 24–120mm / 70–200mm) – useful for a variety of landscape compositions and details
Optional Gear
🛠️ Photo Filters – GND, ND, and polarizer filters for different lighting conditions
🔭 Star Tracker – optional for advanced astrophotography; we’ll show you how to use it in the field
🔋 Extra Batteries – especially useful during nighttime sessions
🧽 Lens Cleaning Cloths – useful for moisture, mist, and condensation in Madeira’s forests and mountains
If you have any questions about your equipment, feel free to reach out—we’ll be happy to help you choose the best gear for the adventure.
Will Post-Processing & Editing Sessions Be Included?
Yes. Post-processing, image review, and dedicated editing sessions are fully included during the week.
During the tour, we’ll review images captured in the field and work through practical editing techniques for both landscape and night photography, using software such as Photoshop and Lightroom.
We’ll cover complete workflows for Milky Way images, along with advanced landscape techniques such as focus stacking, exposure blending, and perspective blending. The goal is to help you turn your field captures into polished final images while developing a more efficient editing workflow.
These sessions will help you:
🛠️ Build a Complete Editing Workflow – From RAW file to final image
🌌 Master Milky Way Processing – From capture to final result
🏔️ Improve Landscape Images – Using focus stacking, exposure blending, and perspective blending
🎨 Enhance Image Quality – Improve detail, color, contrast, and overall impact
📚 Develop Advanced Skills – Build practical post-processing skills you can continue using after the tour
Hands-on guidance throughout the tour will help you understand not only how to edit your images, but why each technique works, giving you practical skills you can continue using long after the tour.
What Meals Can I Expect During This Trip?
🥐 Breakfasts: Included daily at the hotels
🥪 Lunch: Flexible, with quick meals or stops at local restaurants, cafés, or supermarkets depending on the day’s schedule
🍽️ Dinners: Most evenings we’ll dine at local restaurants, giving you the chance to enjoy Madeira’s traditional cuisine. On one or two nights, we’ll arrange a packed dinner to enjoy while waiting for the Milky Way to rise after sunset.
Our schedule remains flexible throughout the tour, allowing us to adapt meals around the best light, weather, and photography opportunities while also giving you time to enjoy Madeira’s local cuisine and relax.
What Should I Bring for the Different Photography Days?
Most photography locations throughout the journey are easily accessible by van, so you won’t need to carry a heavy backpack every day. The main exception is Day 2, when we’ll hike through Madeira’s lush forest to a hidden waterfall and spend several hours on the trail.
📍 Day 2 – Hidden Waterfall Hike
We’ll hike to the waterfall during the day, so bring:
📸 Camera & Lenses: Mirrorless or DSLR with a fast wide-angle lens (e.g., 14–24mm f/2.8 or 16–35mm f/2.8)
🏔️ Tripod: Recommended for waterfall photography and long exposures
⏱️ Remote Shutter Release: Recommended for maximum sharpness during long exposures
🔦 Headlamp: Recommended, as the trail includes four tunnels.
🥾 Hiking Boots: Waterproof footwear with good grip
🧥 Rain Jacket: Essential for Madeira’s changing weather and humid forest conditions
💧 Water: Bring enough water for the hike
🥪 Snacks: Sandwiches and light snacks; we’ll stop at a market beforehand
📍 Other Days – Photography Locations
On the remaining days, most locations are accessible by van with only short walks to reach the best viewpoints, so there’s no need to carry a heavy backpack or full hiking gear.
How to Manage Your Luggage During the Workshop
Each participant should bring:
🧳 A rigid hard-shell suitcase (not a soft bag)
🎒 A photography backpack
This setup ensures optimal space in the vans and makes travel between locations more comfortable and convenient throughout the workshop.
Travel Documents, Currency & Visa Information
Everything you need to know to prepare for your Madeira journey.
📄 Passport or ID Card
A valid passport or national ID card is required for travel to Madeira. Please ensure your documents are valid for the entire duration of your stay.
💱 Currency
The official currency in Madeira is the Euro (EUR). Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, shops, and most services, including Visa and MasterCard.
🏧 ATMs
Cash can be easily withdrawn in EUR from ATMs using a debit or credit card. ATMs are widely available at the airport, in Funchal, and throughout the island.
🛂 Visa Requirements
Madeira is part of Portugal and the Schengen Area. Travelers from outside the European Union or Schengen Area should check whether a visa is required for Portugal. Please verify the entry requirements for your nationality through the official Portuguese authorities before traveling.
