Funchal (Madeira) holidays
Terraced Atlantic city-base combining Madeira's harbourfront old streets with easy access into dramatic island scenery.
Prices on this page are shown from the UK. Change market
23°C SeptemberBest Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct2–3 nights
At a glance
- winter sun city stays
- island touring bases
- short breaks with day trips
Trip cost
- Return flight
- ≈€82
- Stay
- ≈€1232
- Food & local
- ≈€264
Includes the return fare from London Gatwick. An estimate, not a quote — each booking happens separately with its supplier. How we work this out.
Prices shown on this page are indicative estimates in euros, not quotes. Every booking happens separately with its own supplier, at that supplier's own live price. How we work this out.
Stays
Stays in Funchal (Madeira)
From €67/night · Typical €240 · 112 stays · for your 11 nights
- Best 3-starForum Ocean View 5C by HomieTorre E · 3.9 km from the centre€170 a night (opens in a new tab)
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- Best 4-starPenthouse Formosa Sunset and BeachFunchal Portugal · 4.2 km from the centre€346 a night (opens in a new tab)
See more 4-star options
- Best 5-starBreathtaking Oceanfront Living, Sunset Facing 3-Bedroom Flat in Acqua ResidencesFunchal Portugal · 3.8 km from the centre€572 a night (opens in a new tab)
See more 5-star options
- CheapestHabitación con Cocina en la MontañaFunchal Portugal · 3.7 km from the centre€67 a night (opens in a new tab)
See more options, cheapest first
Map
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Self-catering
Prefer a place of your own? Browse holiday homes and apartments in Funchal (Madeira) on Holidu.
Getting to Funchal (Madeira)
- AirportMadeira Airport (Cristiano Ronaldo Airport) (FNC)
- Transfer optionsBus, taxi
The Aerobus airport express runs between Madeira Airport and Funchal as part of the island's SIGA bus network, alongside local buses along the south coast and taxis; note that the Aerobus is sold as its own fare, not covered by an ordinary bus pass.
These fares are not for your selected dates.
Indicative, per traveller. You book with Aviasales.
Areas of Funchal (Madeira)
A few places people base themselves, and who each tends to suit.
- Zona Velha (Old Town)Best for first-time visitors who want cobbled streets, Rua de Santa Maria and close access to the harbour.
- Funchal DowntownSuited to those prioritising shops and everyday city life near Avenida Arriaga and central squares.
- MonteHilltop area reached by cable car, fitting travellers who enjoy gardens and viewpoints over the bay.
- Lido / São MartinhoWest-side hotel zone for visitors wanting seafront walks and pools slightly away from the old town bustle.
Funchal (Madeira) weather by month
Funchal (Madeira) is warmest in August, when daily highs average 25°C, and coolest in February at 17°C. June is the wettest month at about 144 mm, August the driest at 12 mm. Taking warmth and rainfall together, July, August, September, October score best for a trip.
- Best overall
- July · August · September · October
- Hottest
- August · 25°C
- Wettest
- June · 144mm
- January: average daily high 17°C, 109mm rainfall.
- February: average daily high 17°C, 67mm rainfall.
- March: average daily high 17°C, 95mm rainfall.
- April: average daily high 19°C, 58mm rainfall.
- May: average daily high 20°C, 56mm rainfall.
- June: average daily high 21°C, 144mm rainfall.
- July: average daily high 24°C, 19mm rainfall. Good month for weather.
- August: average daily high 25°C, 12mm rainfall. Good month for weather.
- September: average daily high 23°C, 74mm rainfall. Good month for weather.
- October: average daily high 23°C, 105mm rainfall. Good month for weather.
- November: average daily high 20°C, 75mm rainfall.
- December: average daily high 18°C, 109mm rainfall.
How these figures are worked out
Monthly averages — ERA5 reanalysis, 2022–2024, a three-year average, not a standard 30-year climate normal or a forecast. Gold months are the best weather fit: each month scores on how close its average daily high sits to about 27 °C, with heavy rainfall counting against it, and months far outside that range are not ranked at all.
What each season is like
- Spring
- March to May warms from around 14°C to 17°C, with good walking conditions before peak crowds build.
- Summer
- June to August brings Funchal's warmest average temperatures, climbing from around 18°C to 21°C — June itself can bring a wetter spell before July and August turn dry and sunny, when the island draws the most visitors.
- Autumn
- September to November stays mild, cooling gradually from around 20°C to 17°C, with landscapes similar to summer's and quieter, shoulder-season stays from around October.
- Winter
- December to February holds close to 14°C on average, the reason many choose Funchal for winter sun while northern Europe is much colder, though this is also one of the wetter stretches of the year.
Christmas and New Year 2026
A Christmas stay
Funchal’s Christmas programme has not been published yet, so there is nothing confirmed to time a December trip around.
Confirmed dates
- Not yet announced The 2026/27 dates for Funchal’s Christmas illuminations and festive programme have not been published; the official tourism board’s events programme does not yet carry them. Visit Madeira (official tourism board) (opens in a new tab) — checked
We don’t hold a return fare for this part of the season yet — check the dates yourself in the flight dates section above.
Consider elsewhere if — For a Christmas trip with confirmed dates today, Vienna, Prague, Salzburg and Tallinn all have them.
New Year
The New Year fireworks are already signed off at government level — 59 launch sites around the bay — while the Christmas programme is still unpublished.
Confirmed dates
- Madeira New Year’s Eve fireworks, Funchal bay: The Madeira Regional Government has approved a 31 December fireworks display using 59 launch sites, 57 of them in Funchal — 27 in the city amphitheatre, 25 along the waterfront and 5 on maritime platforms. (31 Dec 2026) — checked
On the day
- The display is built around the natural amphitheatre of the bay, so a view matters more here than proximity to one square.
Plan ahead
- The fireworks are watched from open ground and harbour-facing positions rather than a ticketed venue; where you stay decides your view.
Suggested itinerary window: 29 Dec 2026 to 2 Jan 2027. Arrive a couple of days before the 31st; this is a longer flight than the European city breaks here.
We don’t hold a return fare for this part of the season yet — check the dates yourself in the flight dates section above.
Consider elsewhere if — This is a warm-winter, big-fireworks New Year — not a Christmas-market trip. Choose Salzburg or Riga for that.
Compare this with the other destinations in Christmas and New Year holidays from the UK.
What’s on in Funchal (Madeira)
See all events in Funchal (Madeira) on Wanderistan (opens in a new tab)
Compare Portugal destinations
Still deciding? Other Portugal destinations, with the same weather and typical-stay data behind them.
| Destination | Aug | Typical stay |
|---|---|---|
| Faro (Algarve) | 30°C | 2–3 nights |
| Lisbon | 29°C | 3–4 nights |
| Porto | 25°C | 2–4 nights |
More from the UK
Good to know about Funchal (Madeira)
Why go
- Functions as a practical base for exploring Madeira's levadas and viewpoints while still feeling like a lived-in city.
- Offers harbourfront promenades and historic lanes rather than pure resort-strip development found elsewhere.
- Gives access to winter-sun conditions and shoulder-season calm that contrasts with mainland winter city breaks.
- Madeira's buses, including the Aerobus airport express, run under one regional network, SIGA, and one GIRO card system — though the Aerobus is its own fare rather than part of an ordinary bus pass.
- Madeira's classified walking routes managed by the regional forestry institute, IFCN, among them the Levada das 25 Fontes and the Vereda do Areeiro from Pico do Areeiro, run on timed entry slots booked online only, on the same day if a slot is still free, and registration applies even to walkers exempt from the fee. Classified routes managed by other bodies and unclassified paths sit outside that system, so check the IFCN route list for the walk you have in mind. Most of these trailheads are well outside Funchal, up in the mountains.
- The Monte cable car climbs from the old town, Zona Velha, up to Monte every day except Christmas Day, which puts the hillside gardens and the Monte toboggan run within easy reach without a steep walk.
Worth knowing
- As the least wild part of the island, Funchal can feel more urban than many visitors expect from Madeira.
- Steep streets and hilly terrain mean slopes are unavoidable, which may not suit everyone.
- Staying only in Funchal gives a limited sense of the island unless you plan regular drives or tours.
- The airport sits exposed on the coast and flights are sometimes diverted or cancelled when crosswinds exceed its operating limits, so it is worth leaving slack around onward connections.
- The Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal's historic market, is closed on Sundays and public holidays and closes early on Saturdays.
Official references
Authoritative pages worth checking before you go to Funchal (Madeira).
- IFCN classified walking routes and trail status (opens in a new tab) — Instituto das Florestas e Conservação da Natureza (IFCN)
- IFCN walking-route fees and booking questions (opens in a new tab) — Instituto das Florestas e Conservação da Natureza (IFCN)
- SIGA public transport network for Madeira (opens in a new tab) — Regional Government of Madeira
- Mercado dos Lavradores — opening hours (opens in a new tab) — Funchal City Council