Official name: Madeira
Continent: Europe
Area: 797 km²
Capital: Funchal
Country code: PT, PRT
Population: 267,785 inhabitants (2011)
Government: Autonomous region of Portugal
Highest point: 1,862 m (Pico Ruivo)
Distance (Amsterdam – Funchal): 2,808 km
Flight time: approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in place on Madeira that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Madeira, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Madeira. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Madeira?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay on Madeira at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Madeira has a subtropical climate. The temperatures are between 15 and 25 degrees all year round.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Madeira can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Madeira can be found at Climate info.
Best time
May, June, July, August, September and October are the best months to travel to Madeira. In these months the temperatures are the most pleasant and the chance of precipitation is minimal.
Language
Portuguese is the official language in Madeira.
Would you like to translate from or into Portuguese for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a valid identity card or passport.
A visa is not necessary.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Portugal: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulate in Madeira: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Portuguese Embassy in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
Portuguese consulate in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
You do not need any vaccinations for a visit to Madeira.
Vaccination against yellow fever is mandatory for Madeira if you have visited a yellow fever country in the seven days before you visit Madeira.
Money and Currency
In Madeira, payment is made with the Euro (EUR).
An overview of all ATMs in Madeira can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
The prices on Madeira are a lot lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -27% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (47% cheaper), food (23% cheaper), imported beer in catering (58% cheaper), cigarettes (30% cheaper) and public transport (44% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Madeira it is customary to tip. Good service is about 5% tip.
Time difference
On Madeira it is 1 hour earlier than in the Netherlands.
Summer time in Madeira is the same as in the Netherlands.
The local time, date and time zone of Madeira can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
On Madeira you have to drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Madeira.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Madeira.
Electricity
In Madeira the same plugs and sockets are used as in the Netherlands.
More information about electricity in Madeira can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 112
– Fire: 112
– Ambulance: 112
Tap water
Tap water is safe to drink.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Madeira can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Madeira can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Madeira end in.pt.
Official website of Madeira: visitmadeira.pt.
Telephone
According to computerannals, the country code (international access code) to call someone in Madeira is 00351 or +351.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Madeira? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Telephone numbers can be found in the Madeira Telephone Directory.
Company details can be found in the Madeira Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Madeira.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Madeira.
Holidays
An overview of all holidays in Madeira can be found on madeira-web.com.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations on Madeira, supplemented with photos, videos and points of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Madeira?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Madeira. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) on Madeira can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites on Madeira can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Madeira? On the IATA website you will find an overview of the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, medicines, money and perfume. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business on or do business with Madeira, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Madeira, including: opportunities, import and export rules, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in Madeira? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Madeira.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.5.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 18.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Madeira is the only place in the world where the canary lives in the wild?
…Columbus came to Madeira in 1478 to marry Filipa Moniz?
…The capital Funchal was attacked during World War II?
…The first Portuguese football match took place in Madeira?
…Madeira is known for its strong Madeira wine?
…Football player Christiano Ronaldo was born in the capital Funchal?
Our verdict on Madeira as a travel destination
Madeira is also called flower island. The island is green all year round and there are many types of flowers. The landscape is very mountainous with rugged gorges and green valleys. There are many hiking trails with impressive views. This makes the island a true hiking paradise. The capital Funchal is known for its many old shopping streets, harbor and vibrant nightlife. Do you also like the beach? Then it is best to take a day trip to the island of Porto Santo. This island is located 40 km from Madeira and is known for an 8 km long golden beach. All this combined with a relatively short flight distance from the Netherlands (approximately 4 hours) makes it an excellent travel destination.
