Madeira · Month comparison

December vs September

September ranks #1 overall vs December at #6. Wine Festival, warmest sea temps, and prices dropping — September is the sweet spot.

December

#6 of 12 months

Best match

The world's greatest New Year fireworks — December exists for December 31 in Funchal.

↑The Funchal New Year fireworks display (December 31) is the singular reason December belongs on this list despite its rainfall and moderate temperatures. Certified by Guinness World Records as the world's largest fireworks display (by land coverage — over 8km of simultaneous launches), it is filmed for broadcast by CNN, the BBC, and dozens of European networks. The entire city becomes a viewing platform — hillside houses illuminate their terraces, boats crowd the bay, and viewpoints from the Eira do Serrado above the Nuns' Valley deliver panoramic views of the display exploding from every hillside simultaneously. Hotels for December 31 sell out by August; many visitors book annually and return every year specifically for this event.
↑The Christmas season in Funchal is genuinely beautiful — the city's steep topography means the illuminations climb the hillsides, and the central Funchal Christmas market (Avenida Arriaga) is well-organised and stocked with Madeiran craft and food products. The island's 200+ years of British tourism influence means Christmas traditions are enthusiastically adopted and well-executed.

September

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Wine Festival, warmest sea temps, and prices dropping — September is the sweet spot.

↑The Madeira Wine Festival (first two weeks of September, centred on Funchal) is the island's most culturally rich annual event. The harvest treading in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos (visitors can participate), the wine parade through central Funchal, and the Blandy's and Henriques & Henriques lodge open days combine for a celebration that is genuinely rooted in the island's economy and culture rather than tourist artifice. Tastings of vintage Madeira — wine that can survive for a century in cask — are included in many festival events.
↑September sea temperatures peak at 24°C — the warmest of any month — while the summer crowds have diminished significantly after the first week of September. The beaches at Calheta and Machico, and the Porto Moniz rock pools, are at their most inviting with warm water and manageable visitor numbers.

December trade-offs

↓New Year accommodation in Funchal is extraordinarily expensive and requires booking months in advance. Properties with direct bay views for the fireworks command €800–1,500 per night for December 31, and even properties without views charge multiples of their normal rate. Early January is the budget alternative if the fireworks themselves are not the priority.
↓December rainfall (88mm) is significant, though the rainy days are not uniformly distributed — week-long clear spells are common in December, punctuated by Atlantic frontal passages. The island's winter rain is mostly overnight and morning, with afternoons often clearing.

↓September sees the first meaningful autumn rainfall returning — 30mm, compared to August's 5mm. This mostly manifests as occasional afternoon showers rather than sustained rain, but the transition from absolute summer dryness is noticeable. North coast trails can become temporarily muddy after heavier showers.
↓Wine Festival weekends specifically cause accommodation spikes — the festival is well-known in the Portuguese and British travel market, and Funchal hotel prices during the festival fortnight can be 30–40% above the surrounding weeks.

Scores compare months within Madeira. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →