With golden, coppery or black sand, natural or imported, the sand beaches of Madeira are ideal places to relax and dive into the warm Atlantic waters. Discover their charms.
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While the archipelago's longest stretch of golden sand is found on the neighboring isle of Porto Santo, the beaches of Madeira promise a little bit of everything, from dark black pebble bays framed by verdant cliffs and tumbling waterfalls to golden coves and rocky natural swimming pools.
Praia de Machico is a pretty golden sand beach located in Machico. If you are dying to swim as soon as you arrive at Funchal airport, take a taxi and in 5 minutes you arrive in Machico, the ancient capital of Madeira Island. One of the most beautiful sandy beaches in Madeira awaits you there.
I highly recommend going if you love nature, if you enjoy great food, a warm culture and breathtaking views at every turn. I stayed in the main Funchal, away from the tourist area. I didn't go to Madeira to be surrounded by other tourists taking photos of this or that.
The average standard of living tends to be a bit lower than in mainland Portugal, and the local autonomous government gives generous subsidies coming from the tourist industry revenues and from the Portuguese national budget. Go where the locals go and everything will be cheap.
Amazing and stable weather denotes April through November as the best time to visit Madeira. April to mid-June is known for price cuts and moderate crowds. This period can offer you unforgettable hiking among lush green vegetation, and you can join famous Madeira Flower Festival.
The water temperature remains very pleasant all year round, ranging between 19°C/66°F (winter) and 24°C/75°F (summer). The best month to swim in the sea is in September, when the average sea temperature is 24°C (75°F).
Madeira is a super easy island to get around – with or without a car! There are buses that can take you almost everywhere and anywhere on the island. There are also lots of awesome tours to all the Levada hikes that pick you up and drop you off at your accommodation (especially if you're staying in Funchal).
So you can swim all year round in Madeira if you are not cold. If you want to sunbathe and swim, the months of May to September are obviously the best. The island of Porto Santo and its 7 km long beach should interest you, even if the influence of tourists is impressive in high season!
Water: There is plenty of water of an excellent drinking standard. The tap water in Madeira conforms with all EU regulations and it is safe to drink. The water is treated with Chlorine and therefore may taste a little different.
If you plan to soak up some sun on the beach and play in the surf, you are going to need at least one swimsuit or swim trunks. Some guys wear board shorts. Whatever you feel most comfortable wearing on the beach that covers your body (no nude sunbathing allowed!).
Visiting MadeiraFind available car hire companies here. However, there are other means of transport available such as buses, taxis, tuk-tuks, bicycles and scooters. It is also worth mentioning the importance of the cable cars, which connect to some of the archipelago's most iconic points of interest.
If you're heading to Madeira to sunbathe, swim and explore the island in the sunshine, August is the best month to visit. On average, August tends to be the hottest month of the year, with average temperatures of around 23°C.
The graph below shows the range of monthly Madeira Beach water temperature derived from many years of historical sea surface temperature data. The warmest water temperature is in August with an average around 86.7°F / 30.4°C. The coldest month is January with an average water temperature of 63.9°F / 17.7°C.
Madeira is a pretty small island, and so luckily you don't need very long to see all of the incredible things that this destination has to offer. If you're looking to experience the must-dos then a short four-day break would be fine. However, a week is the perfect amount of time to really make the most of the island.
Famous for it's year-round warmth and sunshine – choosing the best time to visit Madeira all depends on the type of holiday you're looking for… Let's start at the beginning of the year – January through to March is the coolest time of the year, but it's also the quietest and the cheapest.