Madeira

The island of Madeira is known as the isle of flowers, giving people the impression it’s a place for old folks. But if you visit the islands you’ll be pleasantly surprised, there is another side to the islands with steep cliffs, forests, waterfalls and rivers – perfect to explore on your own accord. 

If you’ve been to Madeira you’ll understand why so many Brits have moved here over the decades, and they add another dimension to these islands.

Roughly three kinds of tourists visit Madeira: hikers, flower enthusiasts and people who love the climate and food. They all cross paths regularly, literally and figuratively. Because the islands are full of natural beauty, there are hundreds of walking tracks and the relax seekers are after the excellent food and comfortably get around in their cars.

Madeira (and Porto Santo) have a very mild climate, with temperatures pretty much always between 16 and 22 °C. This means that the weather is nice all year round.

The phrase ‘four seasons in one day’ is quite appropriate for these islands, there are regular showers here, but the sun comes back out very quickly, and everything smells fresh afterwards.

The rain and mist in this area mean that nature flourishes here, so there are plenty of wild and introduced flower species. The rugged coastline has a lot of steep cliffs so beaches are scarce, and that’s why it’s not full of tourists here. The islands are volcanic and its highest peak is the Pico Ruivo (1.862 m).