Season guide · Madeira · Portugal
Madeira in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Warm and dry with the best sea temperatures; busy with families and the highest prices in August. Expect highs up to 26°C (79°F) and lows around 18°C (64°F), with about 2 rainy days across June–August. June is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 18°C (64°F) to 26°C (79°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 2
- Sea
- 20°C (68°F) to 23°C (73°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 23°C (73°F) | 18°C (64°F) | 1 | 14.3 h | 4/5 |
| July | 25°C (77°F) | 19°C (66°F) | 0 | 14.1 h | 4/5 |
| August | 26°C (79°F) | 20°C (68°F) | 1 | 13.3 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 25°C (77°F) against a yearly 22°C (72°F), and 2 of the year's roughly 51 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Atlantic Festival — fireworks over Funchal Bay on Saturday nights (usually June)
- July: Funchal Jazz Festival (usually July)
- August: Nossa Senhora do Monte pilgrimage and festival (15 August)
- August: Madeira Wine Festival (usually late August to early September)
Make the most of the weather
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
Nature · Central mountains
Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike
Bring a head torch for the tunnels, warm layers and plenty of water; it is cold at dawn even in summer.
- Time needed
- 5–6 hours return
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Nature · Santana
Levada do Caldeirão Verde
Starting from the Queimadas forest park above Santana, this popular levada path (PR9) follows an irrigation channel through the Laurisilva forest and several dark tunnels to the 'Green Cauldron', a waterfall dropping into a pool surrounded by moss-covered cliffs.
- Time needed
- 4–5 hours return
- Cost
- Free
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
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Nature · Paul da Serra
Fanal laurel forest
Visit on a misty day for the classic spooky photographs, and bring a warm layer; it is much cooler than the coast.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Day trips in summer
- Desertas Islands (About 1 hour 30 minutes each way by boat) — These uninhabited islands south-east of Madeira are a nature reserve protecting one of the last colonies of Mediterranean monk seals.
- Curral das Freiras (About 30 minutes by car or bus) — The 'Nuns' Valley' is a village in a deep, almost circular valley ringed by peaks, where nuns once sheltered from pirate raids.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Madeira?
Yes: June is among the best months. Warm and dry with the best sea temperatures; busy with families and the highest prices in August.
+What is the weather like in Madeira in summer?
Highs of up to 26°C (79°F) and lows around 18°C (64°F), with about 2 rainy days over the season.