Curral das Freiras

Village · Madeira, 🇵🇹 Portugal

Population 1,580

Area 25 km²

Time zone Atlantic/Madeira

Curral das Freiras

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Curral Das Freiras Essentials

Curral das Freiras, or Nuns' Valley, is a secluded village situated in a deep volcanic crater in central Madeira. Historically, it served as a 16th-century refuge for nuns from Funchal’s Santa Clara Convent during pirate attacks. The area is renowned for its chestnut production, featured in local cakes, soups, and the annual Chestnut Festival. High-altitude viewpoints like Eira do Serrado provide panoramas of the village, while steep trails connect the valley to Pico Ruivo and Pico das Torres, the island's highest summits.

José Lemos Silva / CC BY-SA 4.0

Scenic Lookouts

These lookouts provide vantage points over Madeira’s central mountain massif and the deep volcanic crater of Curral das Freiras. Situated at elevations ranging from 1,000 to over 1,800 meters, the sites include Eira do Serrado, accessible by road, and high-altitude spots like Ninho da Manta and Pedra Rija along the PR1 trail. These viewpoints reveal the island’s jagged peaks, including Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo, alongside traditional terraced agriculture and the historic village settled in the valley below.

Curral das Freiras — Map

Curral das Freiras — Map

Climate & when to visit

Best time to visit: March, April, May, June, July, August, September

Select a month

Typical weather in January

Good

18° (feels like 16°) · extremes 13°–20°
15° at night
12 rainy days
5 sunny days
Dry air
Light breeze

Typical weather in February

Good

18° (feels like 16°) · extremes 13°–20°
15° at night
11 rainy days
4 sunny days
Dry air
Light breeze

Typical weather in March

Great

18° (feels like 16°) · extremes 13°–20°
15° at night
9 rainy days
5 sunny days
Dry air
Light breeze

Typical weather in April

Great

19° (feels like 17°) · extremes 14°–21°
16° at night
7 rainy days
6 sunny days
Dry air
Light breeze

Typical weather in May

Great

20° (feels like 19°) · extremes 15°–22°
17° at night
6 rainy days
9 sunny days
Comfortable humidity
Light breeze

Typical weather in June

Great

23° · extremes 17°–25°
19° at night
3 rainy days
8 sunny days
Humid air
Light breeze

Typical weather in July

Great

24° · extremes 19°–26°
20° at night
1 rainy day
7 sunny days
Humid air
Light breeze

Typical weather in August

Great

25° (feels like 26°) · extremes 20°–27°
21° at night
3 rainy days
12 sunny days
Muggy, humid air
Light breeze

Typical weather in September

Great

25° (feels like 26°) · extremes 20°–26°
21° at night
7 rainy days
10 sunny days
Muggy, humid air
Light breeze

Typical weather in October

Good

23° · extremes 18°–25°
20° at night
13 rainy days
6 sunny days
Humid air
Light breeze

Typical weather in November

Good

21° (feels like 20°) · extremes 16°–23°
18° at night
13 rainy days
5 sunny days
Comfortable humidity
Light breeze

Typical weather in December

Good

19° (feels like 17°) · extremes 14°–21°
16° at night
13 rainy days
4 sunny days
Comfortable humidity
Light breeze

Climate data: Open-Meteo Climate API (EC_Earth3P_HR) · 1991–2020

Practical information

Currency: Euro EUR € · Card payments · Widely accepted
Emergency numbers: 112
Electricity: Type C / Type F
230 V · 50 Hz

Languages: Portuguese
Tap water: Safe to drink
Driving side: Right
Calling code: +351

Tours & Activities

Related destinations

Other Destinations

Funchal Câmara de Lobos Machico Calheta Santana Porto Moniz Sao Vicente Porto Santo