Madeira holidays pair a mild year-round climate with mountain walks, coastal towns and a flight of around 4 hours from the UK. Planning a holiday to Madeira 2026 / 2027? Choose between Funchal, Calheta, Porto Moniz and Câmara de Lobos, each with its own vibe.
The island is volcanic, so you’ll find levada walking trails, steep sea cliffs and natural lava pools rather than the long sandy beaches of many European resorts. Whether you’d like a city base, beach days or a quieter stretch of coast, Madeira has it all. Our holidays include flights and a hotel, and flight-inclusive packages are ATOL protected for your peace of mind.
Our Madeira holiday guide was last revised in October 2026.
Why Choose Madeira?
Madeira is a popular winter sun escape, and it’s easy to see why. The island’s mild climate lasts all year round, so you can walk, sightsee and eat outdoors in January as well as July. Because Madeira is volcanic, the scenery changes quickly, from black rock pools to green valleys, so there’s always something new to see.
Away from the coast, levada walks follow historic water channels through forests and valleys, with hundreds of miles of routes, with some passing through the Laurissilva Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cabo Girão has a glass-floored viewing platform on a sea cliff of around 580 metres, and Pico do Arieiro is one of the island’s highest peaks, reached by jeep safari or on foot. Garajau Nature Reserve, near Caniço, is a popular spot for snorkelling and diving, and boat trips offer the chance to see wild dolphins and whales. Once you know what you’d like to do, the next step is choosing where to stay.
Where to Stay in Madeira: Resort areas
Madeira is compact, but each resort offers something different. Here's how our main ones compare:
Funchal: the city base
Funchal is Madeira’s capital and the easiest base if you’d like plenty right on your doorstep. Restaurants and rooftop bars surround the harbour and the Old Town, where painted doors brighten the cobbled streets of Zona Velha. The Farmers’ Market is a short walk away, with stalls of tropical fruit, fish and flowers, and poncha, the island’s traditional drink, appears on many bar menus.
The cable car up to Monte starts in the city, and you can ride a wicker toboggan back down the hill. Dinner and drinks are often a few minutes’ walk apart, so evenings are easy here. Funchal is a short journey from the airport, around 20 to 25 minutes by taxi or private car and 30 to 50 minutes by the SIGA Aerobus shuttle. Explore Funchal holidays to find the best hotel for you.
Calheta: beach days on the south-west coast
Calheta is the spot for beach days. Boasting one of the few golden beaches in Madeira, made with Saharan sand, it sits on Madeira’s sunny south-west coast. A marina lined with cafés runs alongside, so lunch is a short stroll from your sun lounger. Most of the island’s coastline is rocky, which makes a stretch of soft sand here a change of pace after a morning on the levadas.
Calheta is quieter than the capital, and Funchal is about 40 minutes away by car/taxi if you’d like a day in the city. Many hotels here are sold as packages with flights, so you can book your stay and travel together. Search hotels in Madeira to compare your dates.
Porto Moniz: natural lava pools
Porto Moniz sits on the north-west tip of the island, where natural lava pools fill with seawater among dark volcanic rock. A swim here feels different from a day on the beach, as the pools are shaped by the island’s volcanic past, with the Atlantic breaking just beyond them. The main pools have changing rooms, lockers, a lifeguard and a café, and they’re open daily from around 9am until 5pm in winter or 7pm in summer. They can close in bad weather, so check before you go.
Porto Moniz is about 50 to 60 minutes by car from Funchal, and the drive takes you past cliffs and green valleys. The north-west is quieter than the south coast, so it’s a good fit if you’d like to spend your days outdoors and your evenings somewhere calm. Want to see more of the island? Levada walks and coastal lookouts are a short drive away.
Camara de Lobos: the fishing harbour
Câmara de Lobos is a working fishing harbour, about 15 minutes by car west of Funchal. Fishing boats fill the bay and seafood restaurants line the waterfront, so lunch is often fresh from the sea. Look out for black scabbardfish, traditionally served with banana.
Winston Churchill stopped here to paint the view, and you can see why from the harbour wall. It suits anyone who’d like a traditional vibe and a local pace, with Funchal close enough for a day or night out. Stretch your legs without going far with scenic walks along the coast and up into the hills nearby. Explore Madeira hotels and find a stay that suits you.
Which area of Madeira is right for you?
| Area | Good for | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Funchal | Sightseeing, restaurants, evenings out | Lively, urban |
| Calheta | Beach days, sunshine, relaxing | Easygoing, sunny |
| Porto Moniz | Swimming in lava pools, days outdoors | Quiet, natural |
| Câmara de Lobos | Seafood, local life, trips to Funchal | Traditional, local |
Madeira Package & All Inclusive Holidays
Booking a Madeira package puts your return flights and hotel on one itinerary, so there’s nothing to arrange separately. Hotels on the island offer Bed & Breakfast, Half Board and All Inclusive, so you can choose the option that suits your plans.
All Inclusive usually covers meals, snacks and drinks at the hotel, which works well if your days are planned around beach time in Calheta or a levada walk, with no need to find lunch along the way. What’s included varies, so check each hotel page before booking. If you’d rather eat out, Funchal’s restaurants, rooftop bars and Old Town are on your doorstep, so Bed & Breakfast or Half Board may be a better fit.
Our flight-inclusive packages are ATOL protected, which means you’re financially protected when you book. Ready to start looking? See our Madeira All Inclusive holidays and Madeira package holidays.
Best Time to Visit Madeira
Temperatures stay steady all year, with daytime highs around 20 to 23°C from June to September and 15 to 16°C in December and January, and the sea warms to around 22 to 24°C by late summer. July and August are the driest months, with rain most likely from November to January, so a light waterproof is worth packing. Winter is a good choice for a gentler winter sun break without a long-haul flight. See our Madeira weather guide for month-by-month detail.
Timing your trip around an event? The Atlantic Festival runs through June and the Wine Festival celebrates the harvest at the end of August, so check the Visit Madeira events calendar for this year’s dates. June, July and October are our busiest months for Madeira, so it’s worth booking early.
The weather also changes with the landscape. The south coast, where Funchal and Calheta sit, tends to be sunnier and drier, while the north around Porto Moniz and the mountains can be cooler and cloudier, so think layers for day trips. Not sure when to go? Our best time to go guide can help you choose.
Similar destinations
If you love the idea of Madeira but want to compare your options, these destinations offer a similar mix of warm weather, dramatic scenery and relaxed island or coastal life:
- Algarve - Portugal's sunny southern coast, with golden beaches, clifftop walks and pretty fishing towns.
- Gran Canaria - year-round sunshine, volcanic landscapes and sandy resorts just a short flight away.
- Tenerife - dramatic scenery, mild winters and plenty to explore both on the coast and inland.
More travel guides
We also have travel guides available for destinations including: Caniço | Funchal
