When to go?
Although Madeira is known as the ‘Island of Eternal Spring’ temperatures vary during the year.
Autumn: less crowds, still nice temperatures and warm ocean waters. Our favorite seasons!
Spring: the whole island is in blossom, the flower festival is in May and not yet too crowded.
Winter: low season, so less tourists but also expect some tropical storms that can ruin your travel plans.
Summer: most crowded and expensive time of the year to visit Madeira. Not our recommendation.
Where to go?
Madeira is small, but its microclimates make every region feel like a different country. Here is where you should base yourself.
The Wild North: Dramatic cliffs, lush greens and moody mist. It feels like Hawaii. Our favorite part of the island! Key town: São Vicente.
The Dramatic East: Red earth, cacti, limited vegetation. A mix of the Grand Canyon and the Scottish Highlands. Key town: Caniçal.
The Golden West: Ocean views, sunsets, rural and quiet. More quiet than the south but still a lot of sun exposure. Key town: Calheta.
The Sunny South: Best infrastructure, sun exposure and facilities. Most touristic part of the island. Key town: Funchal.
Digital Essentials
Here are a few suggestions of apps that will make your stay a lot easier:
Madeira Weather: forget your Apple/Google weather app. Madeira is different. This app is the only one that manages Madeira’s microclimates as good as possible
Maps.me: Google Maps doesn’t show hiking paths so definitely needed if you don’t want to get lost hiking
Madeira Unlocked: this app shows you the events during your stay. You can even get discounts on some activities
Bolt: most reliable taxi app on the island to get back after a hike or after too many poncha’s 😉
The Transport Checklist
Exploring the island without a rental car is more for Tom Cruise: Mission Impossible. Here’s what you need to know:
Size: the smaller the better. Locals park everywhere and streets are narrow. We had an electric Renault Zoe and it was perfect for our family of 4.
Automatic gearbox: with steep roads up to 25% this is a no-brainer
Insurance: every car on the island has a ‘mark’. Scratches and dents happen daily. We even had our rear window broken in a tight parking lot. So insurance is not a luxury
Local car rentals: as an alternative to the international rental firms on the airport you can try the local firms 7M, CR Rental, or WhyNot. They are cheaper and have shuttle to the airport.
Everything checked? Explore what to do!
