{"skill":{"slug":"madeira","displayName":"Madeira","summary":"Navigate Madeira as visitor, digital nomad, or resident with neighborhoods, levadas, costs, visas, and local insights for the Atlantic island.","description":"---\nname: Madeira\nslug: madeira\nversion: 1.0.0\nhomepage: https://clawic.com/skills/madeira\ndescription: Navigate Madeira as visitor, digital nomad, or resident with neighborhoods, levadas, costs, visas, and local insights for the Atlantic island.\nmetadata: {\"clawdbot\":{\"emoji\":\"🌴\",\"requires\":{\"bins\":[]},\"os\":[\"linux\",\"darwin\",\"win32\"]}}\n---\n\n## When to Use\n\nUser asks about Madeira for any purpose: visiting, moving, working remotely, retiring, or exploring the island. Agent provides practical guidance with current data.\n\n## Quick Reference\n\n| Topic | File |\n|-------|------|\n| **Visitors** | |\n| Attractions (must-see vs skip) | `visitor-attractions.md` |\n| Itineraries (3/5/7 days) | `visitor-itineraries.md` |\n| Where to stay | `visitor-lodging.md` |\n| Tips & day trips | `visitor-tips.md` |\n| **Zones** | |\n| Quick comparison | `zones-index.md` |\n| Funchal (center, old town, hotel zone) | `zones-funchal.md` |\n| Caniço, Santa Cruz, Machico (east) | `zones-east.md` |\n| Câmara de Lobos, Ribeira Brava (west) | `zones-west.md` |\n| Porto Moniz, São Vicente (north) | `zones-north.md` |\n| Choosing guide | `zones-choosing.md` |\n| **Food** | |\n| Overview & dining scene | `food-overview.md` |\n| Local cuisine & specialties | `food-local.md` |\n| Restaurants & recommendations | `food-restaurants.md` |\n| Wine & poncha | `food-drinks.md` |\n| Markets & groceries | `food-practical.md` |\n| **Nature** | |\n| Levadas (best walks by difficulty) | `nature-levadas.md` |\n| Mountains (Pico Ruivo, Pico Areeiro) | `nature-mountains.md` |\n| Beaches & natural pools | `nature-beaches.md` |\n| Gardens & parks | `nature-gardens.md` |\n| **Practical** | |\n| Moving & settling | `resident.md` |\n| Transport (bus, car rental, taxis) | `transport.md` |\n| Cost of living | `cost.md` |\n| Safety & healthcare | `safety.md` |\n| Weather & microclimates | `climate.md` |\n| Local services (banking, SIM) | `local.md` |\n| **Digital Nomads** | |\n| Nomad guide & community | `nomad.md` |\n| Coworking spaces | `nomad-coworking.md` |\n| Internet & connectivity | `nomad-internet.md` |\n| **Visas & Legal** | |\n| EU citizens | `visas-eu.md` |\n| Non-EU & digital nomad visa | `visas-non-eu.md` |\n| NHR tax regime | `visas-tax.md` |\n\n## Core Rules\n\n### 1. Identify User Context First\n- **Role**: Tourist, digital nomad, retiree, EU citizen, long-term resident\n- **Timeline**: Short visit, winter escape, permanent move\n- **Interests**: Hiking, beaches, remote work, retirement\n- Load relevant auxiliary file for details\n\n### 2. Island Geography\nMadeira is a small volcanic island (~740 km²) with dramatic terrain:\n- **South coast**: Sunnier, warmer, where most people live (Funchal, Caniço)\n- **North coast**: Wilder, wetter, more dramatic scenery (São Vicente, Porto Moniz)\n- **Mountains**: Central spine reaching 1,862m (Pico Ruivo) — often cloudy\n- **Driving times**: Funchal to Porto Moniz ~1.5h, Funchal to Santana ~1h\n\n### 3. Climate Reality (Eternal Spring)\n- **Year-round mild**: 17-25°C most of the year\n- **No extreme seasons**: Never too hot, rarely cold (sea level)\n- **Microclimates**: North vs south, coast vs mountains dramatically different\n- **Rain patterns**: More rain Nov-Feb, but brief showers common year-round\n- **Mountain weather**: Can be 15°C colder than coast, often foggy\nSee `climate.md` for monthly breakdown.\n\n### 4. Current Data (Feb 2026)\n\n| Item | Range |\n|------|-------|\n| 1BR rent (Funchal center) | €700-1,000/month |\n| 1BR rent (outside Funchal) | €500-750/month |\n| Remote worker salary (typical) | €2,500-5,000/month |\n| Bus monthly pass | €35 (Funchal), €45 (regional) |\n| Restaurant meal | €8-15 (local), €20-40 (upscale) |\n| Coffee + pastry | €2-3 |\n| Supermarket (monthly, single) | €200-300 |\n\n### 5. Cost Reality\nMadeira is affordable by Western European standards:\n- **Housing**: Biggest expense, prices rose 2020-2024 but stabilizing\n- **Food**: Very affordable eating local; imported goods pricier\n- **Healthcare**: Portuguese public system available to residents\n- **Car**: Useful but not essential in Funchal (good bus network)\n- **Flights**: Budget airlines connect to Lisbon, Porto, UK, Germany\n\n### 6. Transport Options\nUnlike mainland cities, Madeira has specific transport patterns:\n- **Buses (Horários do Funchal)**: Good coverage, €1.95 per ride\n- **Car rental**: Essential for exploring; €20-40/day\n- **Taxis**: Fixed rates to popular destinations\n- **No trains, no metro**: Island is small enough not to need them\n- **Airport**: 20min from Funchal; famous challenging approach\nSee `transport.md` for detailed guidance.\n\n### 7. Digital Nomad Hub\nMadeira actively courts remote workers:\n- **Digital Nomad Village** (Ponta do Sol): Purpose-built community with fast wifi\n- **Coworking**: Multiple spaces in Funchal with good internet\n- **Community**: Active nomad meetups, especially winter months\n- **Connectivity**: Fiber widely available, 4G/5G coverage good\n- **D7 Visa**: Portugal's passive income/remote work visa\nSee `nomad.md` for comprehensive guide.\n\n### 8. Zone Matching\n\n| Profile | Best Areas |\n|---------|------------|\n| Digital nomads | Ponta do Sol, Funchal center, Caniço |\n| Beach lovers | Caniço, Machico, Porto Moniz (pools) |\n| Hikers | Santana, Ribeira Brava, anywhere with levada access |\n| Nightlife/urban | Funchal old town, hotel zone |\n| Quiet/nature | North coast (São Vicente, Porto Moniz) |\n| Budget-conscious | Machico, Santa Cruz, Câmara de Lobos |\n| Families | Funchal suburbs, Caniço |\n\n## EU vs Non-EU Context\n\nCritical distinction for anyone considering Madeira:\n- **EU citizens**: Can live and work freely, just need to register after 3 months\n- **Non-EU citizens**: Need visa (D7 for passive income, Digital Nomad Visa, work visa)\n- **NHR tax regime**: 10-year special tax status for new residents (being phased out for new applicants)\n- **Golden Visa**: Investment-based residency (real estate route ended 2023)\n\nSee `visas-eu.md` and `visas-non-eu.md` for detailed requirements.\n\n## Madeira-Specific Traps\n\n- **Mountain weather** — Clear in Funchal doesn't mean clear at Pico Areeiro. Always check webcams.\n- **Levada difficulty** — \"Easy\" levadas can still have exposed sections. Vertigo = problem.\n- **Sunday closures** — Many restaurants and all supermarkets closed Sunday afternoon.\n- **Rental car insurance** — Get full coverage; narrow mountain roads cause scrapes.\n- **Flight delays** — Airport closes in high winds. Keep flexible travel dates.\n- **Summer crowds** — August is peak; book levada shuttles and restaurants.\n- **North coast swimming** — Ocean can be rough. Use natural pools, not open water.\n- **Cruise ship days** — Funchal gets crowded when ships dock (check schedule).\n- **Hairpin roads** — Driving to north coast involves hundreds of curves. Motion sickness is real.\n- **Cash still matters** — Small restaurants and rural areas often cash-only.\n\n## Cultural Context\n\nPortuguese Atlantic culture with distinct identity:\n- **Language**: Portuguese (English widely spoken in tourist areas)\n- **Pace**: Slower than mainland, Mediterranean-influenced schedule\n- **Hospitality**: Warm but reserved; not as effusive as mainland\n- **Religion**: Catholic traditions, festivals important (especially Festa da Flor)\n- **Alcohol**: Poncha (local spirit drink) and Madeira wine are traditions\n- **Tipping**: 5-10% appreciated but not mandatory\n\nSee `food-local.md` and `food-drinks.md` for culinary culture.\n\n## Best Times to Visit\n\n| Season | Weather | Crowds | Best For |\n|--------|---------|--------|----------|\n| **Dec-Feb** | Mild (17-20°C), some rain | Low (except holidays) | Nomads, budget travelers |\n| **Mar-May** | Warm (18-22°C), flowers | Medium | Hiking, Flower Festival |\n| **Jun-Aug** | Hot (22-26°C), dry | High | Beaches, festivals |\n| **Sep-Nov** | Warm (20-24°C), harvest | Medium | Wine harvest, mild crowds |\n\nYear-round destination, but each season has different character.\n\n## Related Skills\nInstall with `clawhub install <slug>` if user confirms:\n- `dubai` — Navigate Dubai as visitor, resident, or entrepreneur\n- `travel` — General travel planning and trip assistance\n- `portuguese` — Learn Portuguese for deeper Madeira integration\n- `health` — Health and wellness tracking\n\n## Feedback\n\n- If useful: `clawhub star madeira`\n- Stay updated: `clawhub sync`\n","tags":{"latest":"1.0.0"},"stats":{"comments":0,"downloads":699,"installsAllTime":26,"installsCurrent":0,"stars":0,"versions":1},"createdAt":1771774698493,"updatedAt":1778491608600},"latestVersion":{"version":"1.0.0","createdAt":1771774698493,"changelog":"Initial release","license":null},"metadata":{"setup":[],"os":["linux","darwin","win32"],"systems":null},"owner":{"handle":"ivangdavila","userId":"s178jdk12x4qj3gs2se3etxf3h83h7ft","displayName":"Iván","image":"https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/81719670?v=4"},"moderation":null}