Travelisto destinations
Madeira holidays
Levada walks through laurel forest, cliff-top hotels and spring-like weather all year, less than four hours from the UK.
Overview
Welcome to Madeira
Madeira is the island for people who find the Canaries a little too flat and a little too busy. It rises straight out of the Atlantic in a jumble of volcanic peaks, terraced hillsides and sea cliffs, with banana plantations by the shore and misty laurel forest up top. The climate is famously mild, roughly 19°C in winter and the mid 20s in summer, which is why the British have been wintering here since Victorian times.
Most visitors stay in Funchal, the capital, with its Old Town, its flower-filled market, botanical gardens and grand cliff-top hotels with lido pools. From there, the rest of the island is a short drive: the fishing village of Câmara de Lobos, the giddy glass-floored viewpoint at Cabo Girão, the sunny south-west around Calheta and Ponta do Sol, and the wild north coast, where the volcanic rock pools of Porto Moniz fill with the sea.
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The real reason to come, though, is the levadas: centuries-old irrigation channels that run for hundreds of kilometres around the mountains, with gentle paths beside them through tunnels, waterfalls and the UNESCO-listed Laurisilva forest. Madeira has few sandy beaches, so this is a holiday for walkers, garden lovers, food and wine lovers and anyone who wants sunshine without the sunbed scrum. The neighbouring island of Porto Santo has the golden beach Madeira lacks.
From the team
Why we love Madeira
Stay in Funchal, hire a driver or join a walk for a day or two, and don’t leave without trying the levadas. Even if you’re not a walker, the flat paths along the water are the island at its best.
Rossella Rossella, Luxury & Destination Specialist Meet our Travel DesignersFind your trip
Holiday types in Madeira
Pick a holiday style — or combine two. Each section links straight to the next step.
Where to stay
Beach destinations grouped by resort area — pick the cluster that matches your pace.
Cruises
Funchal is one of the most popular calls on Atlantic island and Canary Islands cruises, and many ships stay late for the city at night. See our cruises.
Escorted tours
Walk Madeira’s levadas at your own pace, with route notes, trailhead transfers and your luggage moved between hotels, ending in a five-star hotel in Funchal.
Tailor-made
Everything you see above is a starting point — we'll shape any of these around how you actually want to travel.
Funchal break
A week in a cliff-top or garden hotel in Funchal, with a day out in the mountains.
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Walking Madeira
Levada walks through laurel forest and along the sea cliffs.
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Madeira and Porto Santo
Funchal’s gardens, then the golden beach of Porto Santo.
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Winter sun
Mild, green and less than four hours away, from November to March.
EnquireEvery hotel we offer
All Madeira hotels
71 hotels across 10 areas, A to Z within each area.
Calheta 2
Camara de Lobos 3
Canical 1
Canico 6
Funchal 51
- Allegro Madeira – Adults Only
- Alto Lido Hotel
- Baia Azul Hotel
- Barcelo Funchal OldTown
- Casa Velha do Palheiro
- Castanheiro Boutique Hotel
- Duas Torres Hotel
- Enotel Lido Resort
- Enotel Magnolia
- Girassol Suite Hotel
- Golden Residence
- Hotel Caju
- Hotel Madeira Regency Cliff
- Hotel Orca Praia
- Les Suites at The Cliff Bay
- Madeira Panoramico Hotel
- Melia Madeira Mare
- Next at Savoy Signature
- Ocean Gardens Hotel
- Pestana Carlton Madeira Premium Ocean Resort
- Pestana Casino Park Ocean & Spa Hotel
- Pestana Casino Studios
- Pestana CR7
- Pestana Grand Premium Ocean Resort
- Pestana Miramar Garden Resort
- Pestana Promenade Ocean Resort Hotel
- Pestana Royal All Inclusive Ocean & Spa Resort
- Pestana Vila Lido
- Pestana Village Resort
- Porto Mare Hotel
- PortoBay Santa Maria
- Quinta Bela Sao Tiago
- Quinta da Bela Vista
- Quinta Da Casa Branca
- Quinta da Penha de Franca
- Quinta do Monte Panoramic Gardens
- Quinta Funchal Gardens – Adults Only
- Quinta Jardins Do Lago
- Quinta Mirabela.
- Quintinha de Sao Joao
- Reid’s Palace A Belmond Hotel
- Royal Savoy
- Savoy Palace
- SE Boutique Hotel
- Suite Hotel Eden Mar
- The Cliff Bay Hotel
- The Residence Porto Mare
- The Views Baia
- The Vine
- VidaMar Resort Madeira
- Vila Baleira Funchal
Ponta Do Sol 1
Santa Cruz (Madeira) 1
Santana 1
Santo Da Serra 2
Our editor’s picks
Our hand-picked Madeira stays
Six of the best-reviewed hotels we offer on the island, from Funchal’s garden quintas to the wild north coast.
Quinta Jardins do Lago is a five-star quinta in a botanical garden above Funchal, one of our favourites for honeymoons.
Les Suites at The Cliff Bay is a five-star, suites-only hotel on the Funchal cliffs, with an infinity pool over the Atlantic.
Pestana Churchill Bay is a modern four-star with a rooftop pool on the bay at Câmara de Lobos, the fishing village Churchill used to paint.
Aqua Natura Bay is a four-star on the north coast at Porto Moniz, a short walk from the volcanic rock pools.
Studios by Aqua Natura offers modern studios in Porto Moniz, a good base for the wild north and the laurel forest.
PortoBay Serra Golf sits in the green hills of Santo da Serra, for golfers and walkers who like peace and quiet.
Travel guides
From our editorial team
The Best Hotels in Madeira: Garden Retreats, Cliff-Top Views and Year-Round Spring
The best hotels in Madeira, from Funchal’s garden retreats to Porto Moniz rock pools. Where to stay, compare…
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Where to Stay in Madeira: Funchal, Caniço, the Sunny South-West or Wild North?
Funchal, Caniço, Ponta do Sol or Porto Moniz? Our guide to Madeira’s best areas, with top-rated hotels in…
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The Best Hotels in Funchal, Madeira: Grand Classics and Boutique Gems
The best hotels in Funchal, from Reid’s Palace and Casa Velha do Palheiro to boutique hotels near the…
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Christmas and New Year in the Sun: The Best Places to Escape Winter
The best places for Christmas and New Year sun, from Tenerife and Madeira’s fireworks to Marrakech, Agadir, Cyprus…
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Where’s Hot at Easter? The Best Places for Spring Sunshine
Where’s warm at Easter? The best spring-sun destinations from the UK, from the Canaries and Madeira to Cyprus,…
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The Best Winter-Sun Hotels Under Five Hours From the UK
The best luxury winter-sun hotels in the Canaries, Madeira, Cyprus, Malta and Marrakech, all under five hours from…
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Where’s Hot in November? The Best Places for Late-Autumn Sun
Where’s hot in November? The warmest places within easy reach, from the Canary Islands and Madeira to Cyprus,…
Read morePractical info
Knowing before you go
When to go
Madeira is a year-round island. April to October is the warmest and driest stretch, and spring brings the flowers. Winter is mild and green, around 19°C by day, with more showers, especially in the north and the mountains. The south coast around Funchal is the sunniest part of the island.
Flights & how to get there
Direct flights from several UK airports take about 3 hours 45 minutes to Funchal (FNC). Transfers take 10 to 75 minutes depending on where you stay. The airport is known for strong winds, which occasionally delay or divert flights, so allow some slack on your last day.
Visa & passport
Madeira is part of Portugal, so the usual rules for UK visitors to the Schengen area apply: no visa for a short holiday, but check your passport validity and the entry rules before you travel. See the UK FCDO travel advice for Portugal.
Currency & money
The euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted. Funchal and several other municipalities charge a small tourist tax per person per night, paid locally at your hotel.
Language & tipping
Portuguese; English is widely spoken in hotels and restaurants.
Health & safety
No special vaccinations are needed. Bring layers for the mountains, where it can be much cooler and wetter than the coast, good shoes for the levadas and a torch for the tunnels. Buy comprehensive travel insurance.
FAQs
Madeira — your questions
Is Madeira warm all year?
Yes. Madeira is mild all year, around 19 to 20°C in winter and 25 to 26°C in summer, with the warmest, driest weather from April to October.
Does Madeira have beaches?
Madeira has few sandy beaches; most hotels have pools and lidos instead. Calheta has a man-made sandy beach, and the neighbouring island of Porto Santo has a long golden one.
Where is the best place to stay in Madeira?
Funchal for most people, with the best choice of hotels, restaurants and sights. Caniço is quieter and closer to the airport, the south-west is the sunniest coast, and Porto Moniz suits walkers who want the wild north.
What are the levadas?
Old irrigation channels that wind around the mountains, with paths beside them. Many are fairly flat, but some have drops and tunnels, so choose your walks carefully or go with a guide.
How long is the flight to Madeira?
About 3 hours 45 minutes direct from the UK to Funchal.
Is there a tourist tax in Madeira?
Yes. Funchal and several other municipalities charge a small tourist tax per person per night, paid locally at your hotel.
Make this trip yours
Plan your Madeira holiday with a Travel Designer
Pick from any of the options on this page or tell us what you have in mind — we'll build it around how you actually like to travel. ATOL protected, flights included, real humans available 9am–7pm.