Month guide · Madeira · Portugal
Madeira in January
What January is really like in Madeira: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
January is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 19°C (66°F), lows of 13°C (55°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 10.2 hours of daylight. Mild and green, popular with Northern Europeans escaping winter; showers are more frequent in the north and mountains.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 19°C (66°F) / 13°C (55°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 10.2 hours
- Sea temperature
- 18°C (64°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in January
January is the 11th-warmest month in Madeira: days average 19°C (66°F) against a yearly average high of 22°C (72°F), and nights fall to about 13°C (55°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 31 days. Compared with December (20°C (68°F)), January is about as warm; by February highs stay near 19°C (66°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 08:10
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 18:24
- Daylight
- About 10.2 hours
- Sea
- 18°C (64°F)
Winter (December–February). Mild in Funchal with more rain inland; Christmas lights and New Year's Eve fireworks draw big crowds.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, January rates 3 for crowds (the peak is August at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in August). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in January
- New Year's Day — end of the festive season in Funchal
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in January
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Experience · Monte
Monte cable car and toboggan ride
Ride the cable car up early in the day, then take the toboggan; taxis and buses wait at the bottom for the trip back to Funchal.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- Couples
Garden · Monte
Monte Palace Tropical Garden
Next to the Monte cable car station, these hillside gardens wind through ponds with koi, tree ferns, cycads, Chinese and Japanese-style gateways and long panels of Portuguese azulejo tiles.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Garden · Funchal
Madeira Botanical Garden
Combine it with Monte by taking the connecting cable car across the João Gomes valley.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Views
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Câmara de Lobos
Cabo Girão
One of Europe's highest sea cliffs, Cabo Girão drops about 580 metres to the ocean, with a glass-floored skywalk at the top looking straight down onto terraced fields called fajãs at the foot of the cliff.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Iconic
- Photo spot
What to pack
For highs near 19°C, lows near 13°C and 7 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is January a good time to visit Madeira?
A shoulder-season month, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, April–June and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Madeira in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is January a good time to visit Madeira?
It is a shoulder-season month. Mild and green, popular with Northern Europeans escaping winter; showers are more frequent in the north and mountains.
+How warm is Madeira in January?
Average highs are around 19°C (66°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Madeira in January?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.