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.
Getting to the Azores by boatYou can travel between the islands of Pico, Faial and São Jorge by local ferry (Atlanticoline) as well as Flores and Corvo by a small boat. So if you decide to land on one of them, you can explore the neighbouring islands by boat.
Madeira Island is the largest island of the archipelago and less than 2 hours from the Azores. Madeira is a great touristic destination for you and your family, with lush countryside and stunning beauty, mild climate and constant sunshine, with a friendly population always eager to welcome visitors.
If you prefer nature, greenery, an off-the-beaten-path adventure and don't mind rain or cooler temperatures, pick the Azores. If you'd prefer sunshine, golden sands, luxury amenities and a quirky cable car/toboggan experience, consider Madeira, including the beachy island of Porto Santo.
Climate-wise, Madeira is warmer and less wet/rainy. In the Azores, you'll get every season in a single day. You probably won't like that so much. In Madeira, because of the micro-climates, it'll probably always be sunny somewhere on the island - and you can always just go above the clouds.
The Azores islands are a group of Portuguese islands located in the Atlantic Ocean between the U.S. and mainland Europe. They're a true hidden gem, but are quickly piquing North American travelers' interests—São Miguel even made our list of stunning islands in Portugal that you need to visit.
It depends where and when you travel. The quickest crossing to The Azores is Madalena - Porto Horta with Atlânticoline and takes 30 min, while the longest crossing is P. Vitoria - V. Praia with Atlânticoline and can take up to 3 hrs 30 min.
The container vessel sets sail from Lisbon each week, precisely on Saturdays, with an anticipated arrival in Caniçal, Madeira by Monday morning. The ferry trip from Lisbon to Madeira comes at a cost of €180 per person, which covers meals and a single piece of luggage weighing up to 20 kg per traveler.
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.
The southwest is the place to be for more guaranteed sun; Ribeira Brava, Ponta do Sol and Calheta boast the best climates on the island followed by Funchal, Camera de lobos and Machico.