Flights to Madeira

Many of the people traveling in Europe find it hard to believe that it has one of the most beautiful island groups in the world, one that makes you realize that dreams of islands in the middle of the ocean don't just belong to Australia and the Pacific Ocean. In fact, this is not part of Europe at all, but an archipelago closer to the shores of Africa. Meet Archipelago Madeira, the Eternal Spring Archipelago. 

As said, Madeira does not feel part of Europe, mainly because it is not. It is a few hundred kilometers west of the coast of Morocco, a little north of the Canary Islands archipelago (belonging to Spain). Although it consists of several (relatively) close islands, only two of them are inhabited. Madeira is the largest and most populated of them, and its capital, Funchal, also has the airport. 

Madeira is a vacation and vacation destination for all types of tourists, as it offers its visitors a variety of attractions, points of interest, tourist sites and natural gems that are second to none. The unique culture that developed here, the perfect weather - almost throughout the year, the villages and towns and of course the fact that the archipelago is the birthplace of the superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, all these make it the ultimate vacation destination.

When should you go to Madeira?

The pleasant weather makes Madeira a popular destination among tourists throughout the whole year, so you probably won't be able to find a time when the islands are empty of visitors. However, due to their size and the layout of the infrastructure, it is not too difficult to avoid the tourist crowds and reach isolated places where it will be just you and nature. Even at the height of the season you can find your niche in Madeira, and you just have to find it. 

Of course, being a sought-after vacation destination, the archipelago experiences a significant increase in the number of tourists both in the summer months and during European holidays, with an emphasis on the spring Easter. If you find it difficult to enjoy places where crowds of people gather with you, it will be difficult for you to walk around Funchal and the other main tourist sites during this period. The high demand also leads to an increase in flight prices, Accommodations and the many attractions of the archipelago, so it is recommended that those who come during these seasons book the places and the tickets as far in advance as possible.

However, if you only have the opportunity, the recommendation is to come to Madeira in the winter and spring months. As mentioned, the weather here almost never gets terrible, unlike other European tourist destinations, so a winter trip here can be perfect for you. It will be characterized both by a minority of tourists, since everyone is busy with their lives and do not have time to come here, and by ideal prices arising from this very reason. This is the time to look for worthwhile deals on flights and hotels, which can reach half the price for the same deal in the summer months.

Flights and airports in Madeira

There is one airport in the archipelago of Madeira. It is located in the city of Funchal on the island of Madeira, and is named after the footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, who was born and raised here, and received the status of a national hero (Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport - FNC). The field is located about 13 kilometers northeast of the city itself, and it is considered one of the most complicated fields for landing in the whole of Europe. It was extended along the coast of the island in 2000, with the extension of the runway resting on massive concrete pillars (it is the only field in the world built in this way). 

It is a large and active field, where flights from all over Europe land. Some of these flights are seasonal, but many operate year-round. In 2019 alone, more than 3 million passengers passed through this field.

As expected, there are no direct flights from Israel to Madeira. In order to reach the archipelago you will have to make a stopover at one of the many destinations from which flights to Madeira depart. The most common target for exchange is of course Lisbon, from which the flights to Madeira operate most frequently. Direct flights to Lisbon Operated by both El Al and the national airline of Portugal, TAP, which also operates the connecting flights to Madeira. The flight time from Lisbon is about an hour and a half, and here you are in the heart of the ocean. Other stopover destinations on the way to Madeira include Vienna, Paris, Frankfurt and more. 

As expected, due to the complexity and length of the flight, its costs are high compared to other tourist destinations in Europe in general and Portugal in particular, even compared to the Azores archipelago. Depending on the season, ticket prices (non-direct, it should be mentioned) usually range from 300 to 1,000 US dollars. It is recommended to order the tickets as far in advance as possible, since the differences in their prices as the vacation time approaches can be extremely significant.