Season guide · Madeira · Portugal
Madeira in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Mild in Funchal with more rain inland; Christmas lights and New Year's Eve fireworks draw big crowds. Expect highs up to 20°C (68°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F), with about 21 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 13°C (55°F) to 20°C (68°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 21
- Sea
- 17°C (63°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19°C (66°F) | 13°C (55°F) | 7 | 10.2 h | 3/5 |
| February | 19°C (66°F) | 13°C (55°F) | 6 | 11 h | 3/5 |
| December | 20°C (68°F) | 14°C (57°F) | 8 | 10 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 19°C (66°F) against a yearly 22°C (72°F), and 21 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 winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: New Year's Day — end of the festive season in Funchal
- February: Madeira Carnival — samba parades in Funchal (February or March, depending on Easter)
- December: Christmas lights and market in Funchal (usually from early December)
- December: New Year's Eve fireworks over Funchal Bay (31 December)
Good choices for winter
Experience · Funchal
Blandy's Wine Lodge
Book a guided tour with tasting to see the cask lodge; the walk-in tasting room alone misses the best part.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- History
- Rainy day
- Couples
Museum · Funchal
CR7 Museum
Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Funchal, and his museum by the marina displays his trophies, awards and memorabilia; a bronze statue of him stands outside.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
Day trips in winter
- Rabaçal and the 25 Fontes (About 1 hour by car) — From the Rabaçal car park, levada paths descend into a green valley to the Risco waterfall and the 25 Fontes, a pool fed by many small cascades.
- São Vicente and Seixal (About 45 minutes by car) — On the north coast, São Vicente has lava tube caves and a volcanism centre, and the nearby village of Seixal has a black sand beach and natural pools beneath green cliffs and waterfalls.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Madeira?
It is a trade-off: Mild in Funchal with more rain inland; Christmas lights and New Year's Eve fireworks draw big crowds. The best months overall are April–June and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Madeira in winter?
Highs of up to 20°C (68°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F), with about 21 rainy days over the season.