Madeira

Best months by our weather score: July, August, September. Daytime highs, rain and sunshine are 2016–2025 averages at Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (Open-Meteo historical weather archive); sea temperatures are 2022–2025 averages for the nearest sea area (Open-Meteo marine archive).

Gateway airport

Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC)

US nonstops

EWR

Distance

5,579 mi from Los Angeles, 3,151 mi from New York

Passport

Needed for US citizens

Hotel, one night

$75 on Jan 13, 2027 · $97 on Jul 14, 2027 (Funchal)

Visitors a year

2,500,000 overnight visitors (2025), plus 728,200 cruise passengers

Bringing a dog

Easy: Standard EU pet entry, no quarantine: ISO microchip, rabies vaccine at least 21 days before travel, a USDA-endorsed EU health certificate within 10 days of arrival, and written notice to Portuguese authorities at least 48 hours before arrival.

Hotel prices: Cheapest 3-star-or-better property located in Funchal per Kayak's location label (Jan: Muthu Raga Madeira Hotel, 4 stars, São Martinho; Jul: Alojamento Central 2, Kayak class 3, São Pedro), 1 night, 2 adults, Kayak 'Stay total - including all taxes + fees', Class 3+ filter, sorted by price, checked 2026-10-20. Cheaper results in Caniço, Machico and Santa Cruz were outside the named area. Funchal tourist tax of EUR 2 per night may be collected separately.. Visitor figures: DREM (Direção Regional de Estatística da Madeira), Análise dos principais resultados definitivos, ano de 2025, July 9, 2026.

Madeira suits couples, walkers and solo travelers. Funchal is compact, walkable and full of cafés, and organized hiking tours pick up from hotels, so you can see the mountains without driving. Food and wine are a reason to go on their own.

Skip it if your trip depends on beaches. Madeira has a few, but they are pebble, black sand or imported sand behind breakwaters. Families with toddlers will find the steep streets and cliff roads tiring. For sand, look at Fuerteventura or Tenerife; for green hiking with hot springs, compare São Miguel in the Azores.

• Funchal, Lido and São Martinho (west of the center). The hotel zone along the cliffs, with sea pools and a promenade. On Kayak, the cheapest 3-star-or-better hotel in Funchal was $75 for Wednesday, January 13, 2027 (Muthu Raga Madeira, 4 stars, São Martinho), for 2 adults with taxes and fees included.
• Funchal old town and center. Best for restaurants and walking. The cheapest Funchal property for Wednesday, July 14, 2027 was $97 (Alojamento Central 2, rated 3 stars on Kayak, São Pedro). Summer costs more than winter here.
• Calheta and Ponta do Sol (southwest). Sunnier and quieter, with Calheta's sand beach. You will want a car.
• Santana and the north coast. Greener and wetter, closest to the Caldeirão Verde walk.

• Calheta: golden sand brought in and protected by breakwaters, so the water is calm. The best family beach on the island.
• Machico: another sheltered, imported-sand beach in the east.
• Praia Formosa in Funchal: dark pebbles and sand, open to Atlantic swell.
• Porto Moniz: natural lava-rock pools filled by the sea, the island's most famous swim.
• Seixal: a black-sand beach under green cliffs on the north coast. Rough on many days.

Many hotels have their own sea access by ladders or lido pools. The long golden beach most people picture is on neighboring Porto Santo, a separate island. That is why Madeira scores a 3 for beaches.

• Levada walks such as 25 Fontes and Caldeirão Verde. The regional forest service (IFCN) charges visitors on classified trails: in 2026 it is $5.05 (€4.50) per trail, $10.10 (€9) for a one-day combined pass and $59 (€52.50) for seven days.
• Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo, the high-mountain ridge walk. The full PR1 route costs $11.80 (€10.50) in 2026. Check that sections are open before you go.
• The Funchal-Monte cable car: $24.70 (€22) return or $18 (€16) one way, children 6 and under free. Ride up, visit the Monte gardens and come down by the wicker toboggan.
• Mercado dos Lavradores, the old town and the Madeira wine lodges in Funchal.
• Cabo Girão skywalk, the São Lourenço peninsula hike and whale-watching boats from Funchal and Calheta.

That is easily a week, which earns Madeira a 9 for things to do.

Madeira is mild all year. The south coast around Funchal is drier and sunnier than the green north. The wettest months run from autumn through winter, and rain in the mountains can close trails. Summer is the driest and warmest season and the best for high walks. The sea is coolest in late winter and warmest in late summer. The 12-month table on this page has the figures.

The island lies north of the usual hurricane tracks; the US National Hurricane Center's Atlantic season runs June 1 to November 30. The more common problem is wind at the airport, which has frequent operational limits on allowable wind shear, so build slack into connections. See our storm-season guide.

Flights land at Cristiano Ronaldo International (FNC), east of Funchal. United flies nonstop from Newark in summer: in 2025 it ran three times a week from June 7 to September 23, and it returned for summer 2026. United has not yet published summer 2027 dates, so check before you plan around it. The rest of the year, connect through Lisbon or Porto, or through Ponta Delgada on Azores Airlines from Boston or New York.

Madeira is part of Portugal and the Schengen area. A US citizen needs a passport valid for at least 3 months beyond departure and no visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The EU Entry/Exit System has taken fingerprints and photos at the border since its full start on April 10, 2026. ETIAS is not yet in operation; the fee will be $22 (€20). See our passport rules guide.

Our Funchal hotel nights were $75 in January and $97 in July, taxes included. Add the Funchal municipal tourist tax of $2.25 (€2) per person per night, capped at 7 nights, in force since October 1, 2024. Add trail fees if you walk: two classified levadas and the PR1 ridge on separate days come to about $22 per person at 2026 rates.

A dog from the US needs the standard EU paperwork, and Portugal also asks owners to notify its authorities at least 48 hours before arrival. See how Madeira ranks among the best islands in Europe and on our January list.

Madeira: Skywalk, Porto Moniz, Seixal, and Fanal 4WD Tour

Pickup in central Funchal and the guide are included; the skywalk (5 EUR), the Porto Moniz pools (3 EUR) and food are not.

8 hours

4.9★★★★★★★★★★(10,036 reviews)

Reserve

Rating as shown on GetYourGuide

Madeira: Rabaçal Valley Guided Levada Walk with 25 Springs

Transport and guide are included; the regional nature fee is collected on the day and food is not included. Paths are narrow and wet in places.

8 hours

4.7★★★★★★★★★★(2,707 reviews)

Reserve

Rating as shown on GetYourGuide

Whale and Dolphin Watching in Calheta, Madeira Island

Guide and light food and drinks are included; no transfer from Funchal, which is about 40 minutes away by car.

2 hours

4.9★★★★★★★★★★(1,358 reviews)

Reserve

Rating as shown on Viator

Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.