Madeira

Madeira is a Portuguese island and is absolutely beautiful!

It seems to be a hidden gem and what I love about the place is its authenticity – it is not overcrowded with tourists and for most parts knowing the language is key.

I don’t have any tips on places to stay for this particular place of paradise, as I went there with one of my best friends whose dad lives there, so I was lucky enough to stay rent free! The island is a mix of palm tree exoticness, dark blue waters and rustic charm.

Things I love about Madeira:

• The sea water is warm and inviting and there are floating ‘beds’ on the ocean, so that you can swim out and then tan on these floating blue lilo-like plastic beds. The only downside for some is that the beaches are pebbled, so if you prefer golden, sandy beaches, head on down to Calheta, a man-made beach with yellow sand that was brought mainly from Morocco, but also from Figueira da Foz (mainland Portugal). The area has lots of bars, restaurants and a big marina. This beach offers a wide variety of nautical activities (canoeing, windsurf boards and catamaran rental services) and crystal clear waters. You could also take a ferry to the island of Porto Santo for more sandy beaches, which takes about 2 hours
• The seafood is fresh and delicious! My favourites were the tuna steaks and the lapas (grilled limpets) – YUM!
• The scenery – there is so much to see! Enjoy the night life along the Marina, take a scenic drive to go and see the volcano, visit Barreirinha (verlooking the pier and located next to the São Tiago Fortress) which has pools built into the ocean, so you can swim in both, or take a cable car and to see exquisite views of the island!
• The local markets have everything from fruit and veg, to flowers, seafood, clothing etc. With the exception of the ‘Mercado dos Lavradores’ in Funchal, these open markets such as those in Santa (Porto Moniz), Ponta Delgada and Santo da Serraare are mainly frequented by the local population living in the area who do their weekly shopping there
• Unusual as it sounds, the airport! The airstrip where you land is built on pillars and the plane has to take a swan dive before landing to avoid the wind shafts! My plane almost nose-dived (it seemed!) into the ocean and then had to quickly lift up and circle again – we eventually had to land at Porto Santo before we ran out of fuel and re-trying! Scary, but exhilarating!

Currency: Euros

Weather: 24º – 33º in Summer, 17º in Winter

Handy website for more info: http://www.madeira-web.com