Is it worth it to go to Madeira?

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.



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In fact, Madeira was just voted Europe's “Leading Island Destination” in the World Travel Awards again (the sixth time in the last seven years). Less than four hours from London and with almost guaranteed sunshine, Madeira is an ideal winter break, or for that matter, anytime destination.

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Back in 2020, Madeira was named'Europe's Leading Island Destination 2020' at the World Travel Awards for its outdoor adventures. With this in mind, I'm not expecting a beach holiday. In fact, there aren't many beaches at all due to the mountainous topography, but the cliffs are even more impressive.

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Madeira is renowned for its landscapes, lore—and its legendary wine, which graced the tables of America's Founding Fathers.

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Back in 2020, Madeira was named'Europe's Leading Island Destination 2020' at the World Travel Awards for its outdoor adventures. With this in mind, I'm not expecting a beach holiday. In fact, there aren't many beaches at all due to the mountainous topography, but the cliffs are even more impressive.

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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.

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Average monthly temperatures For the highest temperatures the best time to visit Madeira is between August and September although the sub tropical climate offers sunshine throughout the year and winter months are equally popular with visitors.

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For travellers on a budget Madeira isn't a cheap destination overall, but savvy travellers looking for cheap deals should look at all-inclusive properties in and around Funchal and on Porto Santo that make it easy to stay within budget.

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Most of Madeira's nightlife is found in its capital, Funchal, the only city of any size on the island. Outside of Funchal, Madeira has small towns or villages that are totally unlike tourist resorts. So, if you want to go out partying, Funchal is where you need to be.

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Yes, Madeira is a popular destination and indeed some of the main tourist attractions can get quite busy. But for the biggest part, Madeira is still very quiet and undiscovered.

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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.

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The Canary Islands are probably a safer bet if your top priority is hot weather but that of course can't be guaranteed and the weather in Madeira is generally good too. Madeira is much more beautiful though with lots of things to do.

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Natural Beauty: Madeira is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes, including lush green valleys, rugged coastlines, and majestic mountains. The island's diverse scenery offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities and a high quality of life for nature enthusiasts.

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MADEIRA AND THE ETERNAL SPRING! The warm ocean currents influence the climate and mean an absence of extreme hot or cold temperatures, determining a pleasant, mild climate all year long. In general, April to September is mostly dry, whilst October to March is fairly wet.

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If you don't already know, Funchal is the capital city of a magical Portuguese island archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic known as Madeira.

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Madeira is a popular year-round resort and a great alternative to visiting the Canary Islands. The islands are known for their beaches, volcanic landscapes, flora, fauna, and pre-historic laurel forest.

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The island of Madeira is one of the best destinations in Portugal and the world for open water swimmers passionate for spectacular landscapes. The temperature, visibility and transparency of the water, as well as the immensity and variety of marine life, make this a unique place for swimming.

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True, Malta perhaps has the edge in terms of historical drama and Madeira has an altogether grander, rawer feel to its scenery, but neither of these edge-of-Europe getaways are going to leave you feeling short-changed.

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We definitely could have stayed longer, however, as there were some areas that we'd have loved to spend more time in and other areas and hikes that we would love to have seen and done. 10 days to 2 weeks is the perfect amount of time to get to know Madeira.

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For those of you just vacationing here and truly just spending seven or so days exploring Madeira, you could certainly move around the island with a couple of nights in each corner. You could go from Funchal to Ponta do Sol to São Vicente to Porto Moniz… Or you could find yourself a home base for the week!

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Average weather in Madeira
  • May. 19°C. Avg. Rain: 6mm.
  • Jun. 21°C. Avg. Rain: 0mm.
  • Jul. 23°C. Avg. Rain: 1mm.
  • Aug. 24°C. Avg. Rain: 1mm.
  • Sep. 23°C. Avg. Rain: 5mm.
  • Oct. 22°C. Avg. Rain: 31mm.
  • Nov. 20°C. Avg. Rain: 25mm.
  • Dec. 19°C. Avg. Rain: 18mm.


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The rainy season is between November and February, during which time rolling clouds and frequent rainstorms are typical. Most days during this time will have at least one rainstorm passing through. The months between May and August are the driest of the year.

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I write about travel, food, culture and fashion. This article is more than 3 years old. The Portuguese island of Madeira has traditionally attracted an older clientele than the Spanish Canary Islands partly due to its comfortable subtropical climate year round, thanks to its proximity to Northern Africa.

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