Madeira

If Portugal is your main destination, the German Embassy in Ulaanbaatar issues the visa on Portugal's behalf — there is no need to go to Beijing. Book an appointment online with VFS Global and attend in person at the embassy premises to give fingerprints. Fee €90 (ages 6–11 €45, under 6 free) plus a 100,000₮ VFS service fee. Apply between 6 months and 4 weeks before travel; processing takes at least 15 days. Medical insurance of at least €30,000 is mandatory.

Tip: Your main destination is the country where you spend the most nights. Combining Madeira with Lisbon is no problem — both are Portugal.

Since 1 January 2026, Madeira's classified hiking trails require a time-slot booking and advance payment on the SIMplifica portal: most trails cost €4.50 per person, and the reopened PR1 (Pico do Arieiro–Pico Ruivo) €10.50; children under 12 are free but must be included in the booking. Show your QR code to the ranger at the trailhead.

Tip: Recheck that the trail is open on SIMplifica or with IFCN that morning — rain and landslides close trails at short notice.

A car is the freest way to reach the mountains, the north coast and the levada trailheads; carry an International Driving Permit along with your Mongolian licence. Mountain roads are steep, narrow and winding, so choose an automatic with a decent engine. Without a car, base yourself in Funchal and combine buses, guided tours and taxis.

The Aerobus runs from the airport to central Funchal and the hotel zone: €6.70 cash on board (child €3.30), or €5.55 with a pre-bought GIRO card. 25–40 minutes to town and about 50 minutes to the Praia Formosa terminus; every 30 minutes to 2 hours.

A taxi, Bolt or Uber to Funchal is quick and easy. With lots of luggage or children, a pre-booked transfer is easier. If you're renting a car, collecting it at the airport is simplest.

Tip: On windy days flights can be delayed or diverted to another airport — choose flexible terms for transfers and hotel bookings.

If your phone supports eSIM, buy and install a travel eSIM (Airalo, Holafly) before you leave: it works as soon as you land at your connection and in Madeira. Pick a multi-country Europe plan.

Tip: Mountain valleys and levada tunnels have no signal — download the island in Google Maps for offline use.

Buy a SIM with your passport at MEO, NOS or Vodafone stores in Funchal. An EU SIM works in other Schengen countries at no extra charge.

Yellow 'Horários do Funchal' buses serve the city; fares are cheaper with a GIRO card. Intercity buses (SAM, Rodoeste, CAM) circle the island but rarely reach mountain trailheads. The Funchal–Monte cable car costs €16 one way and €22 return.

The VR1 expressway links the south coast, with long tunnels through the mountains. Old mountain roads are very steep, narrow and can be foggy — drive slowly with headlights on. Trailhead car parks fill early. Traffic drives on the right, as in Mongolia.

The Pico do Arieiro–Pico Ruivo PR1 is a one-way route, so you need a taxi or a tour's transport between start and finish. A shuttle runs from the car park down to Rabaçal (25 Fontes): €5 one way, €8 return.

Cards and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere; carry cash for the Aerobus, the Monte toboggans, market stalls and mountain cafés. Withdraw euros from bank ATMs marked Multibanco; tourist ATMs such as Euronet charge high fees. Tipping isn't required — round up for good service.

Tip: If an ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in tugrik, decline — choose euros.

Since October 2024 Funchal charges guests aged 13 and over a €2 tourist tax per night, capped at 7 nights per stay, paid at your accommodation. Many other Madeiran municipalities charge a similar tax.

Non-EU visitors get a form by showing their passport in shops with a Tax Free sign. Validate it at the customs kiosk at the airport where you leave the EU — in Frankfurt if you connect there.

Espetada — beef skewered on bay-laurel sticks — black scabbardfish (espada) with banana and passion fruit, seared tuna, garlic-butter 'bolo do caco' flatbread and grilled limpets (lapas). For dessert: bolo de mel (molasses honey cake) and passion-fruit pudding. For adults, Madeira wine and poncha.

Tip: Bread and olives put on the table unasked (the 'couvert') are charged — send them back if you don't want them.

Walk a street or two back from the old town's tourist lanes and prices drop while quality rises. The weekday lunch 'prato do dia' (dish of the day) is cheap and good. Espetada restaurants in mountain villages suit families.

Shop at Pingo Doce, Continente and Lidl — renting an apartment is the most economical choice for families. Tap water is drinkable. Take plenty of water and snacks on levada walks — there are no shops on the trails.

Police, ambulance, fire, mountain and sea rescue are all on 112 — free, 24 hours, from any phone. The SNS 24 line gives health advice. Emergency departments are called 'Urgência'; Funchal's Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça has a paediatric unit.

Use only open, registered trails and never enter one marked closed. Levadas are narrow, unfenced and slippery in places — hold children by the hand. Mountain weather changes fast: bring warm layers, a rain jacket, a torch and water, and head back before dark.

Atlantic waves are strong — swim at lifeguarded beaches and protected natural pools, and keep off the rocks in heavy swell. Crime is rare, but don't leave belongings in the car. If you lose your passport, report it to the PSP police and contact the Mongolian embassy accredited to Portugal — check the details on consul.mn.

'Bom dia' (good morning), and 'Obrigado' (said by a man) or 'Obrigada' (said by a woman) — thank you. Portuguese people dislike being addressed in Spanish; English is better.

Levadas are working irrigation channels — don't pollute the water, leave no litter, and stay on the path rather than trampling plants. Keep away from private village plots and livestock. Cover shoulders and knees in churches.

Ask for the bill yourself — 'A conta, por favor'. Meals are unhurried — nobody rushes you. Friends greet with a kiss on both cheeks; shake hands when meeting for the first time.

Book trails on SIMplifica and keep the QR code on your phone. Horários do Funchal shows city bus timetables; Bolt and Uber work in Funchal, but cars are slow to arrive in mountain villages. Download the island in Google Maps for offline use.

Buy cable car tickets online on the official site to skip the ticket queue. Book whale-watching and boat trips with licensed operators. Google Translate's camera mode translates Portuguese menus instantly.

Take the Aerobus, a taxi or your car to the airport. Wind delays are common, so leave plenty of time before onward connections and book connecting flights on a single ticket. Domestic flights to Lisbon or Porto stay inside Schengen, so there is no passport control. Return your rental car with a full tank.

Leave Schengen within the days on your visa — the EES records your exit automatically, and overstaying harms future applications. You exit Schengen in Frankfurt or Lisbon. Keep Tax Free goods in your hand luggage.