Best time to visit Madeira Islands?

It is almost always sunny in Porto Santo and Funchal and the Southern coast of the island of Madeira. Humidity is much more common on the hills in the centre of the island and on the North coast. As far as temperatures are concerned, the South is warmer, but overall Madeira enjoys a mild temperature all year round with temperatures between 16 and 26 degrees.

So, when to go? The vegetation is at its best in Spring and Summer, but Autumn can be very mild. The winter climate although more humid remains mild and attracts many visitors during the Christmas holiday season for the famous festival of fireworks known as one of the largest in the world. In fact, you will enjoy clement weather in the islands of Madeira at any time.

Best months to visit Madeira : all year round

Getting to Madeira

As you can imagine, you don’t get to Madeira by train. Many travellers discover Madeira during a cruise; experiencing the wonder of early explorers who first landed on Madeira is amazing but you really need more than one day to do the islands justice. There is so much to discover and learn about the people, the climate, the geography and Madeira’s history. We recommend travellers to fly to Madeira and plan to stay at least 5 to 7 days.

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Where to stay in Madeira?

Numerous hotels and accommodations that the island offers are in Funchal ,the main city of Madeira. Most of the inhabitants live along the south coast of the island; the climate on the north coast can be wetter, but it offers beautiful landscapes that should not be missed.

Staying in Funchal is therefore a good choice to discover the island, as tours and activities start from that place. If you want to spend the night in nature, you will find many rural all over the island. Often called “Quinta” these are old farms converted into tourist accommodation. One of the best hotels on the island is probably the Quinta do Furão located in Santana on the north coast of Madeira.

If you have the opportunity, a short stay in Porto Santo, the other inhabited island of the Madeira Archipelago, may be a good choice. The island is not massive, but it has a beautiful sandy beach and a golf course open all year round; the hotel Pestana Porto Santo Beach is ideally located on the beach. The island is connected daily by ferry from Funchal.

Discover our selection of the best hotels in Funchal and Madeira:

Moving around Madeira

Whether on foot, by rental car or taxi, by bike or any other means, there are many ways to discover Madeira.

Many travellers opt for the rental car, but do keep in mind that Madeira is very hilly with very winding roads; drive carefully and allow plenty of time to explore the island.

If you stay only on the south side of the island, you can do almost everything on foot, but a trip to Madeira would be incomplete without a visit to the forests of Madeira and the entire Northern part of the island. In short, either by boat (Santa Marina, Porto Santo Blue Lines) classic car (Forte S.Tiago), bus, rental car, on foot or by bike, there are a thousand possibilities to discover Madeira.

Tours and activities 

Madeira is an island rich in activities, especially for nature lovers. Whether you want to visit Funchal and its surroundings, to discover unique places such as the cliffs of Cabo Girão or the fishing village of Câmara de Lobos or  go hiking, we recommend booking your visits in advance.

Most of the tours include a pick-up service between your hotel and the activity venue. In addition to the practical aspect, you will benefit from the explanations and advice of a professional guide.

Discover our selection of tours and activities in Madeira:

Source: EuropeanBestDestinations