Where to Stay in Santana, Madeira: A Guest’s Guide

When planning a trip to Madeira, almost everyone starts in Funchal. But those who want to feel the island for real — green cliffs, natural sea pools, silent levadas and the Atlantic breeze — always end up discovering the north coast. Santana is its heart.

Why Santana?

Santana is the best-known municipality of northern Madeira: this is where you will find the traditional thatched houses (palheiros), the Madeira Theme Park, the Queimadas Forest Park and the Rocha do Navio cable car. It is also one of the greenest areas of the island, with the sea always close by.

Staying in Santana is not only a matter of price — it is a matter of experience: waking up to a garden view, being a two-minute walk from the beach, and reaching the main levadas before the crowds that leave Funchal in the morning.

Faial: the seaside village

Faial is a small fishing village in the Santana municipality, nestled against the ocean. It is quieter than the town of Santana, has beaches and natural pools right next door, and is only 5 km from the thatched houses and the Theme Park.

At Paraíso Resiliente we are in Faial: Alagoa Beach is about 2.5 km away, Maiata Beach 2.8 km, and the Rocha do Navio cable car less than 4 km. Madeira International Airport is 15–16 km away — about 20–30 minutes by car.

What to look for in Santana accommodation

• Free parking — essential on the north coast, where you travel almost always by car
• Shared kitchen or cooking facilities — village restaurants close early
• Close to the beach and the levadas — save time every morning
• A garden or outdoor space — the north of Madeira is lived outdoors
• Local hosts — the best guide is someone who lives next door

At Paraíso Resiliente you will find all of this: two rooms with private bathrooms, a fully equipped shared kitchen, a garden with fruit trees, barbecue, hot tub and free private parking.