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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Together with the islands of Porto Santo and Desertas and the Selvagens—Madeira forms an autonomous region of the country of Portugal.
It is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, in a region known as Macaronesia, just under 400 kilometres (250 mi) to the north of the Canary Islands and 520 kilometres (320 mi) west of the Kingdom of Morocco.
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.
We went in April and whilst I agree that Madeira is a stunning island particularly in the interior we found it much cooler than the Canaries at the same time of year. It depends what you want in a holiday but you only need to look at how green the island is to realise that there must be significant rainfall.
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.
It's a place to go out and explore, immerse yourself in local culture, or find solitude while hiking one of the magnificent trails that crisscross the island. If you are seeking a relaxing holiday, Madeira boasts world-class hotels, a glorious climate and a social atmosphere, while offering exceptional value for money.
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.
On the island of Madeirathere are some golden sand beaches, such as Calheta and Machico on the south coast, created artificially and now very popular recreational areas. Although uncommon, the dark sandy beaches of volcanic origin are natural to the island.
The weather site holiday-weather.com lists the average high on Madeira as 22.5C in Aug, while on Tenerife it's 24C. The average lowest temperature on Madeira is 16C in January. On Tenerife it's 16.5. Madeira's sunniest month is September, with 8 hrs of sunshine a day.
For travellers on a budgetMadeira 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.
Find the best dealsAirfare to Madeira Island (FNC) varies throughout the year based on seasonal demand. You'll see the lowest rates for roundtrips to FNC in December and in December for one-ways.
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.
In Madeira, there are fewer sandy beaches, but more beaches with pebbles or stones. To access the water, we strongly recommend water shoes. If you are interested in exploring a variety of sandy beaches, the winner is Tenerife ??.
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.
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.