Madeira, a volcanic island 400 kilometres off the coast of Morocco, earns its nickname the 'Island of Eternal Spring' for a mild subtropical climate that keeps hillsides green year-round. Its signature attraction is the levadas, a network of centuries-old irrigation channels, many with maintenance paths that now form one of Europe's best hiking networks.
The Levadas
The levada network, originally built to carry water from the wetter north side of the island to agricultural land in the drier south, now doubles as a hiking trail system running for over 2,000 kilometres, Levada do Caldeirão Verde, passing through tunnels and alongside waterfalls in the Queimadas forest, is among the most popular routes.
Some levada paths run along narrow ledges with steep drops and no railings, so route selection matters, check difficulty ratings carefully, as trails range from flat, family-friendly walks to genuinely exposed routes only suited to confident hikers.
The Coastline
Cabo Girão, one of Europe's highest sea cliffs at nearly 580 metres, has a glass-bottomed skywalk platform extending out over the drop, not for the faint of heart, but the view down to the tiny agricultural terraces at the cliff's base is unlike anything else on the island.
Funchal, the capital, has a lively market (Mercado dos Lavradores) selling tropical fruit and fresh fish, and a cable car climbing to the hillside suburb of Monte, from which traditional wicker toboggans (steered by two men running alongside) carry visitors back down the steep streets, a genuinely unique local tradition.
Recommended Stay · Madeira · Funchal
Belmond Reid's Palace
A clifftop grand hotel dating to 1891, with terraced gardens over the Atlantic and a history of guests including Winston Churchill, who painted from its grounds.
