Madeira · Month comparison
March vs September
September ranks #1 overall vs March at #8. Wine Festival, warmest sea temps, and prices dropping — September is the sweet spot.
March
#8 of 12 months
Best match
Rainfall easing, sunshine building — first genuinely comfortable hiking month of the year.
- ↑March represents the inflection point between Madeira's rainy season and its drier spring. Rainfall drops to 54mm and sunshine increases to 6.5 hours daily — enough to make the levada trail network consistently reliable. The PR1 Levada das 25 Fontes (Rabacal area), the PR13 Levada do Caldeirao Verde, and the iconic Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo ridge walk are all accessible in March without the summer heat and crowding that affects the most popular routes by June.
- ↑Madeira's agricultural and botanical calendar is compelling in March — the Jardim Botânico da Madeira above Funchal is beginning its spring flush, with the island's exotic species collections (palms, proteas, bird-of-paradise flowers) at their peak colour. The hillside terraces above Câmara de Lobos are green and productive, and the island's market culture (Mercado dos Lavradores) stocks the full range of local tropical fruits.
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.
| Factor | March | September |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 7 | 9 |
| Value score | 7 | 6 |
| Crowd score | 7 | 6 |
| Events score | 6 | 9 |
| Atmosphere | 8 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 20.5°C | 26.5°C |
| Monthly rain | 54mm | 30mm |
| Daily sunshine | 6.5hrs | 7.8hrs |
March trade-offs
- ↓March weather is variable — particularly early in the month — and the mountain areas remain subject to cloud and occasional rain. The Pico do Arieiro summit (1,818m) can be cloud-free in the valley and completely socked in on the same day, which is the reality of hiking on an island of this altitude.
- ↓Easter, when it falls in late March, brings a meaningful spike in Portuguese and Spanish domestic visitors — accommodation prices during Holy Week can double, and the Funchal cathedral area becomes crowded for processions.
September trade-offs
- ↓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 →