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Madeira Island - Portugal

Several million years ago, volcanic action on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean created an island 300 miles off the coast of North Africa. Today, mile-high mountains jut up sharply from the sea in sheer cliffs that soar 1800 feet from the beach less coast.

Portuguese sailors who landed on the island of Madeira in 1420 may have been the first humans to visit. Settlers burned off the native vegetation, terraced the steep slopes, and planted bananas and sugar canes in the semi-tropical climate.

Around 1700, vineyards were established. English sailors discovered the flavour of the island's distinctive red wine became richer as the sun heated the wooden casks in which it was shipped. The heavy, sweet wine was a hit in the American colonies. Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin supposedly toasted the signing of the Declaration of Independence with glasses of amber Madeira wine.

Now a province of Portugal, the island has long been a popular destination for English travellers. Winston Churchill loved to stroll the warm streets of Funchal, Madeira's capital. Classical casinos and stately hotels still impart the air of a 19th-century European resort.
Come and explore the exotic sub-tropical island of Madeira, also known as “the floating garden,” with its wonderful abundance of multi-colour flowers. Madeira has mild winters and gentle summers, perfect for your hiking adventure!

Discover towering mountains, steep gorges and lush valleys. The rugged precipitous slopes have been cultivated in a multitude of terraces which are watered by famous levadas; little canals painstakingly dug over centuries to catch the island’s waterfall. This enables sugar cane, tropical fruits, exotic flowers and vines to grow in abundance.

For centuries, Madeira has been a haven for those wanting to escape the turmoil of modern life. Few destinations offer such a variety of scenery – breathtaking sea cliffs, rocky peaks, alpine plateaux, lush valleys and mountain terracing. Madeira retains an unspoilt beauty and charm.