In trading the vibrant streets of Lisbon or Porto for the isolated island of Madeira, visitors to Portugal often have one goal in mind: hiking. On our trip to Europe (my first time on the continent), my friend Sebastian and I harnessed similar ambition to see all that the trails of Madeira had to offer.

Near the city center in the capital, Funchal, an extensive bus system connects visitors and locals with nearby nature reserves, hikes, and other small towns. We headed back toward the airport on a shockingly nice public bus to experience the rugged São Vicente trail and look-out point, which offered incredible Atlantic vistas and beautiful local flora. (Plus, a bar and restaurant outpost at the end of the trail offer a nice reprise from hiking and snapping pictures).

After hopping off the bus at the trailhead, hikers embark on a roughly two-hour journey along the coast, winding along rocky trails as the breeze whips and whistles. The views along the way, and of course at the end, are well worth the walk out, and we found that São Vicente worked quite well as a foray into the hiking scene on Madeira. By the end, we were enchanted by the outdoorsy island spirit — and ready for more of it.