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.
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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.
Madeira has excellent walking temperatures all year round. Even in October and November, you can enjoy over 10 hours of sunshine and pleasant temperatures in the low 20s.
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.
August is the hottest month in Madeira with an average temperature of 22.5°C (73°F) and the coldest is January at 16°C (61°F) with the most daily sunshine hours at 8 in September. The wettest month is January with an average of 108mm of rain.
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. Funchal still being a favourite with most tourists because of the centrality of the capital city and the array of choice.
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 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.
Madeira's west coast is considered the sunniest part of the island. It's an area widely sought after by those who love the sea and nature, but also Madeira's century-old traditions.
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!
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's unique geographic location and mountainous terrain lend itself to its marvelously mild climate, ranging from 25°C (77°F) in the summer to 17°C (62°F) in the winter, with moderate humidity and mild average temperatures no matter the time of year.
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.
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.
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).
Portuguese is the official language in Madeira. It is worth picking up a few key phrases if you want to be polite, such as 'please', 'thank you,' etcetera, although English is widely spoken in tourist areas. People who have visited the Portuguese mainland may notice a thicker accent in Madeira.
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.
“Madeira Safe to Discover”As we mentioned above, among the main reasons Madeira was included in the European Best Destination's list of the safest 2021 travel destinations in Europe is the impressive effectiveness of the strict sanitary measures the islands has adopted.