Portugal
🇵🇹
eSIM for Madeira
Madeira is a mountainous Portuguese island in the Atlantic, known for levada walks beside old irrigation channels. Funchal is well covered, and the tunnels and gorges on the trails are not.
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1 GB
7 days
$2.49 $2.49/GB
3 GB
30 days −60%
$2.99 $0.99/GB
5 GB
30 days −64%
$4.49 $0.89/GB
10 GB
Popular30 days −72%
$6.99 $0.69/GB
20 GB
30 days −75%
$12.49 $0.59/GB
50 GB
Best value30 days −76%
$29.99 $0.59/GB
Madeira: what to know before you go
- Arriving
- Funchal (FNC) is known for a runway built out over the sea and crosswinds that can delay flights. Check the airline's app before you leave for the airport.
- Levada walks
- Many levada trails pass through tunnels and narrow gorges with no signal. Some popular ones need a ticket or a booking, so check the official site first.
- Pico do Arieiro
- The sunrise viewpoint is often above the clouds, with cold weather and patchy signal. A live forecast helps you choose the day.
- Getting around
- A rental car is useful, and the roads are steep with many tunnels. Download offline maps.
How much data you need
A week of walks, maps and photos takes about 3 GB.
Written . Opening rules, fees, prices at attractions and event dates change, so check the official site before you rely on them.
Madeira: when people go
- 1 December 2026 to 10 January 2027: Christmas lights and New Year's Eve
- Funchal's amphitheatre is lit and Christmas exhibits fill the centre from 1 December 2026 to 10 January 2027, and the fireworks on 31 December are the island's biggest night. Hotels fill for the days around New Year's Eve and cruise ships bring thousands more people to the harbour, so book early and download tickets and maps before heading to the waterfront.
- 29 April to 30 May 2027: Flower Festival
- Flower installations and entertainment fill downtown Funchal, with the Great Allegoric Flower Parade on 2 and 16 May 2027 and a classic car revival on 28 to 30 May. The official calendar is subject to change, so check the parade days before you plan a trip into Funchal.
- 5, 12, 19 and 26 June 2027: Atlantic Festival fireworks
- An international fireworks competition lights Funchal bay on four Saturday nights, with entertainment in the centre from 4 to 27 June 2027. The seafront is crowded after dark, so plan your way back to your accommodation before the show starts and save its location offline.
- December 2026 to February 2027: winter rain
- Heavy rain on the steep volcanic slopes brings landslides and rockfall, and roads and levada trails can close at short notice. Check the regional list of open and closed levadas while you have signal, and download maps for the tunnels and gorges.
Portugal eSIM 2026: prices, network and coverage
10 plans, from $2.49 (1 GB, 7 days) to $29.99 (50 GB, 30 days). Networks: NOS 5G and Vodafone 5G.
| Data | Validity | Price | Per GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $2.49 | $2.49 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $2.99 | $1.00 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $4.49 | $0.90 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $6.99 | $0.70 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $12.49 | $0.62 |
| 50 GB | 30 days | $29.99 | $0.60 |
| Unlimited | 3 days | $7.17 | $2.39 per day |
| Unlimited | 7 days | $16.04 | $2.29 per day |
| Unlimited | 15 days | $33.24 | $2.22 per day |
| Unlimited | 30 days | $61.25 | $2.04 per day |
- Network
- NOS 5G, Vodafone 5G
- Top-up
- Yes, from the app, on the same eSIM
- Validity starts
- At the first connection at your destination
- Install by
- Shown on your order. An eSIM that is never installed expires
- Your number
- Stays active, plans are data only
- Hotspot
- Uses the same plan data, no separate charge
- After the daily allowance
- Day passes slow down to 500 Kbps
Questions about Madeira
- Is the island part of the EU roaming area?
- Yes. Madeira is part of Portugal, so a phone with an EU SIM roams at home prices. The eSIM helps visitors from outside Europe.
- How much does an eSIM for Madeira cost?
- Madeira uses the Portugal plans, because an eSIM belongs to a country and not to a city. Plans start at $2.49 for 1 GB, valid for 7 days. There are 10 plans, from 1 GB to 50 GB, plus unlimited day passes.
- Do I need a local SIM card in Madeira?
- No. The eSIM is a SIM card in digital form: you install it from a QR code before you leave, and there is nothing to buy at the airport or swap in your phone.
- How is it different from roaming in Madeira?
- If your SIM is from the EU, roaming here costs the same as at home, within the data your plan allows abroad. The eSIM helps when that allowance runs out, or when your line is from outside the EU: then your carrier usually charges by the day or by the megabyte.
- Which networks does the Madeira eSIM use?
- Wigoo connects to NOS and Vodafone, with 5G where it is available. Each plan lists the operators it uses.
- Can I add more data?
- Yes. You top up the same eSIM from the app, without installing a new one.
- Do I keep my phone number?
- Yes. Plans are data only, so your usual line stays active for calls and texts, and WhatsApp keeps working as always.
- When do the validity days start?
- Not when you buy and not when you install: the days start counting when the eSIM connects to a network at your destination for the first time. A 30 day plan gives you 30 days from that first connection.
- How long do I have to install the eSIM?
- An eSIM that is never installed expires. The "Install by" date is shown on your order, on the site and in the app, so you can buy ahead of your trip. Install it before that date, on Wi-Fi.
- Can I use the eSIM as a hotspot?
- Data used through a personal hotspot comes out of the same plan, and Wigoo does not charge it separately. A laptop uses far more data than a phone, so for work a day pass or a bigger plan is safer.
- What happens when the data runs out?
- Plans are prepaid, so there are no extra charges: when the data is used up, the connection stops until you add more from the app. Day passes give a daily allowance at full speed, then continue at reduced speed (500 Kbps) until the next day.
- When should I install the eSIM?
- Before you leave, on Wi-Fi. When you land, set the Wigoo line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it.