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📍 Caniço: a resort town on the south-east coast of Madeira, about 10 km from Funchal Airport (FNC).
Is a Car Worth It in Caniço?
Hotels and restaurants are clustered, and buses run to Funchal. A car helps for sea cliffs, mountain trips and the north coast, especially if the hotel is up the hill.
Our advice: book for the days you leave the resort and ask the agency to deliver it to your hotel.
Drive Times from Caniço
Times are approximate and depend on traffic; use live navigation for the real figure.
| Destination | Approx. distance | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|
| Funchal Airport (FNC) | ~8–10 km | about 15 min |
| Funchal | ~12 km | about 20–30 min |
| Machico | ~13 km | about 20 min |
| Santana | ~35–40 km | about 50–65 min |
| Pico do Arieiro | ~35 km | about 1 hour |
Hills, Cliffs and Hotel Parking
Many hotels sit on steep streets above the cliffs, with limited parking and tight turns. Ask the hotel about parking before you arrive. The Via Rápida nearby has tunnels; use headlights.
- Choose a small car for steep hotel streets
- Do not park on cliff edges or dirt tracks
- Fines from cameras and parking wardens are passed to the agency, which charges you after the rental
Pick-Up and Delivery
Pick-up is usually delivered to your hotel in Caniço, or collected at Funchal Airport (FNC). Use the "Specify location" option in the search to choose, and check the car card for any fee. Do not rely on a named office unless it is written on the car card. If you arrive late, give the provider your flight number.
Documents and Age
- Valid driving licence, usually held for at least a year; minimum age is typically 21 (23 or 25 for larger or premium cars)
- Your national driving licence; licences issued in EU/EEA countries are normally accepted, while drivers from other countries may be asked for an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside the licence — requirements depend on where your licence was issued and can change, so check with the agency before you travel
- Passport and the booking voucher
- A payment method that matches the offer: many agencies block the deposit on a credit card; use the No deposit or No credit card filter if you need an alternative
Insurance and Deposit Explained
With basic insurance the excess — your share of any damage — can be large and the agency blocks a deposit. Full coverage brings the excess close to zero and, with many local agencies, means no deposit. Typical exclusions are tyres, glass, the underbody, interior damage and lost keys, and the cover is not valid off-road. Tolls, fines and parking are billed separately. Photograph the car with the agent at pick-up and return and make sure all damage is in the acceptance document.
Driving in Caniço: Roads and Habits
Use the handbrake on steep uphill junctions and watch for buses on narrow roads.
- Traffic drives on the right; overtake on the left, and at roundabouts give way to cars already circulating
- Speed limits are signed and cameras, including average-speed units, are used; as a general guide towns are 50 km/h or lower, main roads about 90 km/h and motorways up to 120 km/h
- Many mainland motorways (signed A) charge tolls, some of them electronically only, with no booth; ask the agency how the car's Via Verde transponder or other toll system works and whether a fee is added
- Strict drink-driving limits apply and police run roadside tests; the safest rule is zero alcohol. No handheld phone, and seatbelts are compulsory for everyone
- Children need a suitable child seat; ask the agency to confirm what the offer includes
- Fuel policy is usually full-to-full; return the car with the same level as at pick-up and keep the fuel receipt
- Do not take the car on unpaved tracks, beaches or levada paths: insurance is not valid off-road
- Crossing into Spain needs the agency's permission, and island rentals (Madeira, Azores) stay on their island; ferries and flights between them are not covered, so check the terms