September vs April

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.

Best match

Flower Festival transforms Funchal in a riot of colour — the island's most photographed month.

• ↑The Madeira Flower Festival (typically late April, spanning one to two weekends) is the island's most spectacular annual event. The main Flower Carpet — a mosaic of flowers covering the central square of Funchal, assembled by local volunteers over 24 hours — draws international media coverage. The Allegorical Parade features floats entirely constructed from fresh flowers by local farming communities, and the city's boulevards are lined with flower displays along the entire route from early April. Hotel capacity is sold out for the festival weekends months in advance.
• ↑April weather is excellent by any European standard — 21°C average highs, 7.2 daily sunshine hours, and only 36mm of rainfall make this the first month where the south coast beaches become genuinely pleasant for sunbathing as well as swimming. Calheta's artificial golden sand beach and Machico's natural beach are both usable in April conditions.