The best time to visit Madeira
Madeira is mild all year, but each season is good for different things. When to go for walking, swimming, festivals and quiet, with the real averages for every month.
The short answer: there is no bad month. Madeira sits in the Atlantic at the latitude of Morocco, and on the south coast the average high never drops much below 20 °C. What changes through the year is rain, sea temperature, daylight and how many other people are on the island.
The quick guide
- Walking the levadas: April to June, and September to October. Long days, green valleys, mild temperatures in the mountains.
- Swimming and the sea: July to October, when the sea reaches 22 to 24 °C.
- Festivals: Carnival in February, the Flower Festival in late April and May, the Atlantic Festival in June, the Wine Festival from late August, and Christmas and New Year in December.
- Quiet and low prices: late January, February outside Carnival week, and November.
- Winter sun: December to March. Expect around 20 °C by day, with some rainy days and cooler evenings.
Season by season
Winter: December to February
Days are around 20 °C in Funchal and nights around 14 °C. This is the wettest part of the year, with seven to nine rainy days a month, but rain usually comes in spells and the sun returns quickly. The mountains are cold, sometimes with frost on Pico do Arieiro, and walks can close after storms.
December is the busiest month of winter because of Christmas and the New Year fireworks. January and February are calm and good value, apart from Carnival week.
Spring: March to May
The island is at its greenest. Temperatures climb from 20 to 22 °C, rain falls less often, and the days get long. It is the classic walking season, and the Flower Festival fills Funchal with colour from late April through May. Easter is busy.
Summer: June to August
Dry and warm, with highs of 24 to 27 °C and almost no rain on the south coast. The sea warms up, the lidos and natural pools are at their best, and the evenings are long. July and August are the most expensive months, with many visitors from mainland Portugal and the rest of Europe.
Now and then a hot, dry wind from Africa, the leste, pushes temperatures above 30 °C for a few days. It brings dust and raises the risk of wildfires, so check the weather warnings before a walk.
Autumn: September to November
September and early October feel like summer, with the warmest sea of the year and fewer crowds. From mid-October the first autumn storms arrive, and November is changeable: warm sunny days and heavy showers in the same week. It is one of the best times for value.
Month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sea | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20 °C | 14 °C | 19 °C | 6 |
| February | 20 °C | 14 °C | 18 °C | 6 |
| March | 21 °C | 14 °C | 18 °C | 6 |
| April | 21 °C | 15 °C | 18 °C | 5 |
| May | 22 °C | 16 °C | 19 °C | 3 |
| June | 24 °C | 18 °C | 21 °C | 1 |
| July | 25 °C | 20 °C | 22 °C | under 1 |
| August | 27 °C | 21 °C | 23 °C | under 1 |
| September | 27 °C | 20 °C | 24 °C | 3 |
| October | 25 °C | 19 °C | 23 °C | 7 |
| November | 23 °C | 17 °C | 22 °C | 7 |
| December | 21 °C | 16 °C | 20 °C | 9 |
Averages for Funchal, 1991 to 2020, from IPMA. Sea temperatures are typical values, rounded.
Three things the averages don’t tell you
- The island has several climates. The north coast is greener and wetter than the south, and the mountains can be 10 °C colder than Funchal. If it is cloudy where you are, it is often sunny somewhere else. Our live webcams show every coast.
- Wind matters for flights. Strong winds can make landing at Madeira airport difficult, most often in winter. Read how airport wind works before you book a tight connection.
- Holidays fill the island. Christmas and New Year, Easter, the Flower Festival weekends and August book up months ahead. If you want those dates, book early.