Madeira is an island that can be found in the North Atlantic and belongs to Portugal. It is located 935 kilometres west of Morocco and 500 kilometres north of the Canary Islands. We got the opportunity to go to Madeira this year in July and had a fantastic time. Madeira is a beautiful volcanic island and is extremely mountainous, with almost no flat land, which makes for some stunning views and the people living there are some of the most welcoming and nicest people we have ever met.
If you are looking for a winter holiday destination, then Madeira is a great place to consider, and below are just a few reasons why!
The Climate
Madeira’s climate is warm all year round and it is one of the warmest destinations in Europe. Meaning the temperatures will be high even during our coldest months. Even January and February, temperatures are still around 19 degrees and it is usually sunny. Because the island is quite small and mountainous there can be varying weather throughout the island. Funchal, the capital, is usually pretty consistent with warm sunny weather.
Plenty of hiking opportunities
Madeira is famous for its hikes, with over 20 established routes on the island. Although it is a very mountainous country, not all of the hikes are strenuous and there are some routes that are mostly flat and some that you are continuously downhill. We went on multiple hikes whilst we were there and saw some amazing views.
There is so much to do
There are so many amazing things to see and do in Madeira, so you will never be bored. In Funchal alone, you have the famous cable car, the botanical gardens, and the fast-paced toboggan sledges. Yes, you heard that right, the fastest way to get down the mountain in Funchal is by a two-seater wicker sledge that glides on wooden runners. This attracts thousands of tourists each year, who are pushed down the steep slopes of Funchal at a speed of 48 km/hour, for 10 minutes, on the 2km course by two traditionally dressed men!
If you are a rum lover, then you can find one of Madeira’s last operational traditional sugarcane factories at Porto Da Cruz. Here you can see how they make the rum and also taste their different flavours.
In the historical town of Machico, you can find the largest manmade sandy beach. The sand is imported from Morocco and a rock wall has been built around the bay, so that there is a protected area for swimming.
The sea around Madeira Island is full of life and is great for dolphin watching. There are plenty of companies around Madeira that offer boat trips and snorkelling sessions.
Madeira is famous for its wine. Hundreds of years ago, winemakers on the island found that if they took their produce on hot sea voyages to the East Indies that it tasted better. Once it is bottled, it can last centuries. Now the process of this has been simplified, but they still use estufagem to produce their wine. You can learn all about this at one of the many vineyards and guided tours available. One great place to visit to get a proper vintage tour and tasting session is Blandy’s vintage tour.
They are very Covid safe
In regard to the current Covid 19 situation, Madeira is considered one of the safest places in Europe to visit. Madeira has worked to make sure that tourists are safe to travel in and out of the island and have made the process as easy as possible. Madeira allows UK residents to take their Covid test when they arrive at the Madeira airport instead of before they fly, however you will have to quarantine until you get your results, so it is still recommended that you get one before you fly. Around Madeira you can find hundreds ofCovid testing centres, that can give you your results within 24 hours, making it super easy to get your return to the UK test.
Without A Paddle Travel 