The Madeira archipelago is located in the southwest of Portugal, less than 1000 km from the Portuguese coast, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Madeira is however much closer to Morocco: about 700 km to the east.
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Indeed, the Madeira Islands are closer to the African Continent than to the European Continent itself: 700 km (434 miles) west of Morocco, Africa; 850 km (528 miles) southwest of mainland Portugal and the European mainland; 1000 km (621 miles) southwest of Lisbon, Portugal.
Whilst cruising to Madeira is very popular, there aren't many reliable ferries that can take you to this stunning island, and certainly not for a day trip. The ferry (when it's running) from Portimao to Funchal takes twelve hours to reach its destination, so it's sadly unfeasible for the purposes of this blog.
Madeira has two islands, one is Madeira and the other 50Km's up north is Porto Santo. The ferry is between this two islands. From Lisbon to Madeira is around 900Km's by sea and the most nearby land is the Canarys islands 600Km's west.
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.
Utility costs in Madeira are generally lower than those in mainland Portugal. Electricity prices are up to 21.8% lower than in the Algarve, and internet costs are 11.2% less expensive. The island also has a lower VAT rate than the mainland, making certain goods and services more affordable.
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.
Funchal – Madeira Island's capitalA family of four estimated monthly costs are 1,943.8€ without rent. A single person estimated monthly costs are 542.5€ without rent. Funchal is 13.1% less expensive than Lisbon. Rent in Funchal is, on average, 32.4% lower than in Lisbon.
The fastest ferry from Madeira Islands to Portugal is from Funchal to Porto Santo, with a crossing time of approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. Porto Santo Line offer this route with 8 sailings weekly combined.
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!
Average monthly temperaturesFor 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.
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.
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).
Do I Need a Visa or Passport for Madeira? No tourist visa is required for U.S. citizens if your stay is under 90 days. But, you do need a valid passport for entry. Your passport should be valid for at least three months after your intended stay and must have two blank pages for stamps.