00:00The Portuguese island of Madeira lies in the Atlantic Ocean about 1,000 kilometers from mainland Portugal.
00:07Its largest city is Funchal.
00:09Almost every visitor ends up here at least once.
00:12For many, especially cruise ship passengers, it's their first introduction to the island.
00:22We are in shoulder season, but as you can see, there are already two cruise ships in the harbor carrying
00:27around 4,000 passengers.
00:30Sometimes they all arrive at once and head straight for Funchal's old town.
00:34It's easy to see why.
00:36The colorful facades and painted doors are charming.
00:40But the narrow streets can quickly feel crowded.
00:44My next stop is the Market Hall, popular with tourists, thanks in part to the beautiful tile murals at the
00:50entrance and in the courtyard.
00:52Inside, you'll find vegetables, fruit, fish and plenty steep prices targeting tourists.
00:59At times, it feels uncomfortably crowded.
01:03The terrain quickly becomes steep and hilly.
01:06If that feels like too much, you can always take the cable car, but be prepared to wait.
01:17Lucky me, no long line today.
01:21The ride up to the picturesque hilltop village of Monte takes about 15 minutes.
01:27Once you arrive, you are rewarded with a beautiful view over the Bay of Funchal.
01:33You can also visit the neighboring Monte Palace Tropical Garden, home to more than 100,000 plant species from around
01:40the world.
01:41These flamingos are very popular with tourists.
01:47Just a short walk away, another popular attraction awaits me, right on the traditional toboggans, though it's not ideal if
01:55you are tight on time.
01:58So there's one line to buy the tickets and another line to ride the toboggans, so that's going to take
02:03a while.
02:04I have to wait 30 minutes before it starts, which gives me plenty of time to wonder if I made
02:10the right decision to take this fast ride.
02:13Fortunately, I don't have to steal the slab myself.
02:15Two drivers known as Carreros take care of that.
02:19Now it's my turn and I set out at more than 40 kilometers per hour.
02:23I hope we make all the turns.
02:33The Carreros use the thick rubber soles of their shoes to break.
02:38Once we reach the bottom, my knees are still a bit shaky.
02:45But back in Funchal, it feels pretty crowded.
02:48The city has many Airbnbs and short-term accommodations.
02:54Does this lead to the same kinds of housing problems that other tourism hotspots face?
03:00I meet Eduardo Jesus, who is responsible for tourism on the island to learn more.
03:06Here in Funchal, it's not possible to get a license to a rental in the buildings where the locals are
03:15living.
03:15So this is the first step to give some calm and tranquility to the locals.
03:24And there's something else new.
03:26Visitors now have to reserve access to some hiking trails in advance and even book specific time slots.
03:32Reserving a hiking spot?
03:34First time I've heard that.
03:36I book a spot for the 25 Fontes Trail, one of the most popular routes.
03:40It costs 4,50 Euro per person.
03:44The morning time slots are already fully booked several days in advance.
03:51The next day I set off.
03:53Even finding a parking at 10 a.m. is almost impossible.
03:57And more people keep arriving.
04:04Luckily, I have a ticket, although no one checked it.
04:08Apparently, inspections only happen sporadically.
04:11The path is wide as a start.
04:14And aside from the occasional group of hikers, there's plenty of space to take in the wildlife and enjoy the
04:19view.
04:27I meet Elie Kolb from Germany who has an insider tip.
04:30She's been living on Madeira for two years and leads hikes here.
04:34We check out a trail a few minutes away that leads to the same destination as the one I just
04:39visited and has way less people.
04:48This path isn't really on Google Maps or popular on Instagram, which makes it much easier to access.
04:54And it's just as beautiful.
04:56Although I still have to make a reservation and pay the fee, I can choose any time slot I like.
05:02And we have the trail almost all to ourselves.
05:07What are your ideas to avoid the crowds of tourists?
05:11Do you know what I'm trying to phase in?
05:15I also have a new culture lately.
05:15You can find yourself on a voyage or throughout the day.
05:15Go for it, do you listen to the Palestina, and you know what I mean?
05:15I think this is some amazing
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