Madeira, Portugal

DAILY TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Madeira

Madeira is an independent region of Portugal in the Atlantic off the coast of North Africa. The islands are formed from huge volcanoes rising up from the ocean floor, which gives them dramatically beautiful scenery. The year-round warm weather makes it an ideal short break destination and the islands are rapidly becoming a favourite destination for travellers in the know.

The hilly and rugged scenery makes the islands perfect for outdoors enthusiasts. The island is criss-crossed by a unique irrigation system called levadas, which nowadays make great routes for hiking or horse riding. Some of the levadas skirt steep cliffs and peaks and need climbing gear to tackle safely. For those after bigger thrills, the island is also great for mountain biking, canyoning, diving and paragliding. The location in the Atlantic also means Madeira is ideal for spotting several species of whales and dolphins.

Food and drink is another huge attraction. The climate is perfect for growing a huge array of fruit and vegetables giving even the most low-key restaurants some of the freshest ingredients to work with. It’s not unusual to spot exotic items such as avocados growing by the roadside. Madeira has its own fortified wine and several vineyards producing a huge range of wines. Book on to a tour to see how the wines are made as well as sampling the end results.

Read more on Madeira below with flight options, current weather, maps, and activities to try while you are there.

Madeira is just one of many featured destinations part of our Daily Travel Inspiration series. Discover more at Daily Travel Inspiration or add it as part of your flash briefings on your Amazon Alexa device. Search 'Daily Travel Inspiration' on your alexa app or check out our Alexa page for more information.