Madeira Live Webcams: and What Each View Means

Funchal: City & Bay

Is Funchal clear, and how busy is town today?

Wide live view over central Funchal, the bay and the cruise harbour from the Pontinha breakwater. Good for checking light, cloud cover and which ships are in port.

20°C · Clear · 13 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Good light for the old town, the cable car to Monte and a harbour-side dinner.

Grey:

Head west to Ponta do Sol or Calheta, which usually keep the sun.

Funchal Marina: Live

How busy is the seafront and is the marina calm?

HD live view over Funchal Marina, Avenida do Mar and the cruise harbour. Best webcam to see which cruise ships are in port and to watch Carnival, Flower Festival and New Year's fireworks parades along the avenue.

20°C · Clear · 13 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Boat trips and dolphin-watching run; the Avenida do Mar terraces are open.

Grey:

Swap to the market and the wine lodges under cover.

Funchal: Avenida Arriaga Events Cam

Street-level live view of Avenida Arriaga from the Ritz Madeira Café terrace, the avenue where Carnival parades, the Flower Festival cortege, Christmas lights and the Wine Festival all take place. The best camera for seeing an event as it happens in central Funchal.

20°C · Clear · 13 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Funchal Lido: Promenade & Sea Pools

Is the sea calm enough to swim on the Lido promenade?

Live view over Praia do Lido and the Lido promenade in Funchal's hotel zone, looking along the seafront towards Praia Formosa. Shows the bathing complex, the sea state on the south coast and how busy the promenade is.

20°C · Clear · 20 km/h E · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Lido and Doca do Cavacas bathing complexes will be open.

Grey:

Red flag days close the sea platforms; use a hotel pool or head east to Machico.

Funchal: São Roque Panoramic

Is cloud sitting on the hills above Funchal?

Elevated panoramic live view over Funchal city from São Roque, taking in the bay, the cathedral, Santa Catarina park and the surrounding hillsides. Great for gauging cloud cover and light over the south coast.

19°C · Clear · 13 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Monte, the Botanical Garden and the levada do Bom Sucesso are all in the clear.

Grey:

Stay at sea level, the hill suburbs are usually in the cloud base.

Palheiro Golf: Above Funchal

Where is the cloud base sitting above the south coast?

Live view from Palheiro Golf, 500 m above Funchal, looking down over the bay and the city. A good high-altitude reference for the cloud line that sits between the coast and the hills.

18°C · Clear · 13 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

The peaks are likely above the inversion, sunrise at Pico do Arieiro is on.

Grey:

Low cloud at 500 m usually means grey summits too; take a sea-level day.

Doca do Cavacas: Lava Rock Pools

Is the sea calm enough for the ladders into the ocean?

HD live view over the Doca do Cavacas bathing complex in Funchal, seawater pools set in black lava rock below the Estrada Monumental. Shows whether the sea is calm enough for the ladders into the ocean.

21°C · Clear · 20 km/h E · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Clear water off the lava rocks; stay for sunset drinks above the pools.

Grey:

Waves over the rocks close the sea entry; the Lido pools are the sheltered option.

Praia Formosa: Funchal's Big Beach

Is Funchal's big beach calm, sunny and how busy is it?

HD live view over Praia Formosa, Funchal's longest pebble and dark-sand beach, and its seafront promenade west of the hotel zone. Shows sea state, waves and how busy the beach is.

20°C · Clear · 20 km/h E · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Beach day, then walk the promenade west towards Câmara de Lobos.

Grey:

Waves over the stones mean red-flag days; use a hotel pool or Machico's sheltered bay.

Monte: The Hills Above Funchal

Has the cloud come down onto the hills above Funchal?

Live view from Monte, the hill parish above Funchal known for its church, gardens and toboggan rides. Tells you whether the cloud has come down onto the Funchal hills while the seafront stays sunny.

18°C · Clear · 13 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Cable car up, gardens, then the toboggan ride back down.

Grey:

Misty and cooler up top; the seafront is often still sunny below.

Câmara de Lobos: Cruz da Caldeira

Is the fishing harbour calm and photogenic right now?

Sweeping panoramic live view over Câmara de Lobos, Funchal and the south-east coast from the Cruz da Caldeira viewpoint. Shows the terraced vineyards, banana plantations and the fishing village Churchill made famous.

19°C · Clear · 12 km/h SW · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Poncha in the harbour tascas and the short hop up to Cabo Girão.

Grey:

Cabo Girão's skywalk is often in cloud when this view is grey.

Ribeira Brava: Seafront & Church

Is the south-west coast clear on the way to the west?

Live view over Ribeira Brava on the south-west coast: the pebble beach, the promenade and the white bell tower of São Bento church. A useful midpoint check between Funchal and the west of the island.

20°C · Clear · 10 km/h W · golden hour 17:51

Clear:

Good sign for a Calheta, Paul do Mar and Ponta do Sol run.

Grey:

Ribeira Brava catches valley cloud funnelled from the north, the coast west may still be sunny.

Ponta do Sol: Sunniest Village

Is the sunniest corner of the island actually sunny?

Live view over Ponta do Sol, the sunniest spot on Madeira's south-west coast and the island's digital-nomad village. Useful for checking whether the south-west is clear when Funchal is clouded in.

20°C · Clear · 10 km/h W · golden hour 17:51

Clear:

The default rescue plan when Funchal is grey, beach, seafront and nomad cafés.

Grey:

If Ponta do Sol is clouded in, it's an island-wide system; plan indoors.

Madalena do Mar: Banana Coast

Is the south-west sunny for a beach afternoon?

HD live view from Bar La Fronteira in Madalena do Mar, a small south-west village of banana plantations, a pebble beach and a seafront promenade between Ponta do Sol and Calheta. A good check on sun and sea for the west.

17°C · Clear · 10 km/h W · golden hour 17:51

Clear:

A slow lunch by the sea and a swim off the pebbles, then sunset at Ponta do Sol.

Grey:

Check Ponta do Sol; if both are grey, the west is under cloud today.

Paul do Mar: Surf Village from Fajã da Ovelha

Is the west coast sunny, and is the Paul do Mar swell working?

HD live view from O Precipício in Fajã da Ovelha, looking down the cliffs to Paul do Mar on the west coast, home of Madeira's best-known big-wave surf breaks. Check the swell lines and the sun before driving out west.

21°C · Mostly clear · 5 km/h W · golden hour 17:51

Clear:

Drive west for Paul do Mar, Jardim do Mar and a seafood lunch by the harbour.

Grey:

If even the west is grey, the whole island is under cloud; plan an indoor day.

Porto Moniz: Natural Lava Pools

Are the lava pools calm and open today?

Live view over Porto Moniz on the north-west tip of Madeira, looking across the volcanic natural swimming pools and the Atlantic swell that fills them. The most reliable way to judge whether the pools are calm enough to swim before making the drive north.

21°C · Mostly clear · 5 km/h W · golden hour 17:51

Clear:

The bathing complex will be running; go before 11:00 to beat the coach tours.

Grey:

Waves over the walkway means closure, head inland or over to the sunnier south coast.

Seixal: North Coast

Is the north-coast swell too big for the natural pools?

Live view over Seixal on Madeira's rugged north coast, black-sand beach, natural pools and waterfall-lined cliffs.

20°C · Mostly clear · 10 km/h W · golden hour 17:51

Clear:

Seixal's black-sand beach and the natural pools are swimmable.

Grey:

Heavy white water usually means Porto Moniz and Seixal pools are shut.

Ponta Delgada: North Coast Pools

How rough is the mid-north coast?

Live view over Ponta Delgada on the north coast, with its seafront saltwater pool complex, the small harbour and the steep green slopes running down to the sea. A good gauge of north-coast swell and cloud.

18°C · Clear · 16 km/h S · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

The tidal pool at Ponta Delgada is one of the quietest swims on the island.

Grey:

North swell closes the pool and makes the coast road spray-soaked.

Santana: North-East Coast from Quinta do Furão

Is the north coast clear for Santana, Pico Ruivo or Caldeirão Verde?

HD live view from Quinta do Furão above Santana, looking out over the north-east coast, the Rocha do Navio nature reserve and the cliffs running all the way to Ponta de São Lourenço. The best single check on north-coast cloud and swell.

17°C · Clear · 19 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Go north: the A-frame houses, Achada do Teixeira and the north-coast levadas are at their best.

Grey:

Trade-wind cloud is parked on the north; stay south and try Ponta do Sol or Machico.

Faial: North-East Coast & Miradouro do Guindaste

Is the north-east coast clear around Santana and Faial?

Live view from the Ribeira do Faial leisure area on the north-east coast, taking in Faial beach, the Miradouro do Guindaste viewpoint and the Atlantic. The closest live camera to Santana and the best check on north-east coast cloud while the Quinta do Furão stream is down.

19°C · Clear · 19 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

The north-east is open: Santana, the Guindaste viewpoint and the Faial seafront are all go.

Grey:

Trade-wind cloud on the north-east; check Funchal or Ponta do Sol instead.

São Jorge: North Coast Village

What is the north coast doing between Santana and São Vicente?

Live view over São Jorge, a quiet village on the north coast between Santana and Arco de São Jorge, with the terraced hillsides and the Atlantic beyond. A useful check on north-coast weather west of Santana.

19°C · Clear · 19 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Clear skies here promise one of the island's best coastal drives.

Grey:

Low cloud at São Jorge usually means drizzle along the whole north side.

Porto da Cruz: Sea Pools & Maiata Beach

Is the north-east swell up for surf, or calm for the pools?

HD live view from Baía do Bago in Porto da Cruz over the seawater pools, Praia da Maiata, the village and the Atlantic on Madeira's north-east coast. Shows the surf and whether the pools are swimmable.

19°C · Clear · 19 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Glassy water means the sea pools are a lovely swim; lunch in the village after.

Grey:

Big sets mean surf is on and the pools may close; swim at Machico instead.

Boaventura: Green North-Coast Hills

Is the green north coast dry enough for a day out?

Live view over the hillsides of Boaventura in São Vicente, one of the greenest and quietest parishes on Madeira's north coast, with the Arco de São Jorge slope further west. A good read on north-coast cloud and rain.

18°C · Clear · 16 km/h S · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Head over the mountains for São Vicente, Seixal and the north-coast road.

Grey:

Rain clouds on the north slopes; the south and west coasts are usually drier.

Pico do Arieiro: Above the Clouds

Is the summit above the cloud, or stuck inside it?

Live view from the summit of Pico do Arieiro (1,818 m), Madeira's third-highest peak. The quickest way to see whether the summit sits above a sea of cloud before a sunrise drive or the PR1 ridge walk to Pico Ruivo.

10°C · Clear · 13 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Go: sunrise over a sea of cloud, then the PR1 ridge towards Pico Ruivo if it is open.

Grey:

A white frame means fog and cold on top; save the drive and try Achada do Teixeira or the coast.

Achada do Teixeira: Pico Ruivo Trailhead

Is the easy path to Pico Ruivo worth it today?

Regularly refreshed view from Achada do Teixeira above Santana, the car park and trailhead for the shortest path to Pico Ruivo (1,862 m), the island's highest point. Shows whether the north side of the massif is in cloud.

12°C · Clear · 19 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Clear trailhead: the short PR1.2 climb to the island's highest summit is on.

Grey:

Cloud on the north side; check the Arieiro camera, the summit may still be above it.

Eira do Serrado: Curral das Freiras Valley

Can you see down into the Nuns' Valley, or is it a bowl of cloud?

Regularly refreshed view from Eira do Serrado, the viewpoint high above Curral das Freiras, the village deep in a ring of mountains. Shows whether the valley is clear or filled with cloud before you drive up.

16°C · Clear · 12 km/h SW · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Stop at the viewpoint, then carry on down to Curral das Freiras for chestnut cake.

Grey:

Cloud fills the valley fast; go mid-afternoon or pick a coastal viewpoint instead.

Rabaçal: Levada Country

Is the mountain plateau above or below the cloud line?

Live view from Rabaçal, the plateau above the 25 Fontes and Risco levada walks. The single best camera for checking mountain cloud, mist and rain before driving up to the trailhead.

13°C · Mostly clear · 10 km/h W · golden hour 17:51

Clear:

25 Fontes and Levada do Risco are a go, start early before the car park fills.

Grey:

Cloud on the plateau means a wet, white-out walk; switch to a coastal levada.

Santo da Serra Golf: Eastern Plateau

Is the eastern plateau under cloud?

Live view from Santo da Serra golf course on the cool eastern plateau, 670 m above sea level. The best reference for mist and low cloud in the east, it is often clouded in here when Machico and Santa Cruz are clear below.

16°C · Clear · 15 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Golf, Santo da Serra market (Sundays) and the Laurissilva walks nearby are on.

Grey:

This plateau sits right at the cloud line and is often 6-8 °C cooler than the coast.

Santa Cruz: Seafront & Palm Bay

What's the weather on the east coast and airport side?

Live view over Santa Cruz on the south-east coast, the palm-lined seafront, the pebble beach and the municipal pools, a few minutes from Madeira Airport. Handy for judging the weather on arrival day.

20°C · Clear · 15 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Santa Cruz's pebble beach and lido are a quick first or last-day stop.

Grey:

The east often clears earlier than Funchal, check again mid-morning.

Machico: Bay, Beach & Marina

Is Machico's golden-sand bay calm and sunny?

Live view over the bay of Machico, where Zarco's expedition landed in 1419, the golden imported-sand beach, the marina and the mountains behind. On clear days you can pick out the Desertas islands on the horizon and the village of Caniçal to the east.

20°C · Clear · 15 km/h SE · golden hour 17:49

Clear:

The island's warmest, safest swimming bay, ideal with small children.

Grey:

Easterly wind can make the bay choppy; Caniçal is more sheltered.

Caniçal: East Coast & Port

Is the east peninsula clear for the Ponta de São Lourenço walk?

Live view over Caniçal on Madeira's dry eastern tip, the fishing port, whaling-museum village and the road out to the Ponta de São Lourenço peninsula walk.

20°C · Clear · 15 km/h SE · golden hour 17:49

Clear:

PR8 is exposed and shadeless, go early, and carry more water than you think.

Grey:

Wind is the real risk here; whitecaps in frame mean an uncomfortable ridge walk.

Madeira Airport (LPMA): Live Plane Spotting

Is it windy at FNC, are landings likely to divert?

24/7 live stream from Madeira Airport (LPMA / FNC) showing landings and takeoffs on Runway 05/23, one of the world's most challenging approaches, famous for dramatic crosswind landings against the cliffs of Santa Cruz.

20°C · Clear · 15 km/h SE · golden hour 17:50

Clear:

Normal operations; transfer times to Funchal run about 20 minutes.

Grey:

Strong cross-winds at Santa Cruz are the usual cause of diversions to Porto Santo or Tenerife.

Porto Santo: Golden Beach & Vila Baleira

Is the ferry crossing going to be rough, and is the beach busy?

HD live video over Porto Santo's 9 km golden beach from Restaurante Panorama near the Portela viewpoint, taking in the whole sweep of sand, the airport and Pico do Castelo. The clearest way to judge sea state and crowds before taking the ferry.

21°C · Mostly clear · 18 km/h SE · golden hour 17:47

Clear:

Nine kilometres of golden sand and the warmest water in the archipelago.

Grey:

Whitecaps in frame mean a lively crossing of over two hours on the Lobo Marinho.