Five tips for holidaymakers: why Madeira is the perfect travel destination for the dreary winter months
20 degrees in winter and that in Europe? Sounds too good to be true. But the truth is Madeira, also known as the island of eternal spring or the island of flowers. We show what makes the Portuguese island in the Atlantic so appealing.
The distance from the motherland is enormous: 1000 kilometers. It is 600 kilometers to the Moroccan coast. And 450 kilometers further south in the Atlantic are the Canary Islands. In the middle of this magical triangle shines the Madeira archipelago: with two inhabited islands (Madeira and Porto Santo) and three uninhabited islets, 1800 meter high mountains of volcanic origin and a special subtropical climate. Mild all year round is the brief description.
The slightly more detailed one: The summers are sunny, but not hot. In November there are 22 degrees and with the beginning of winter in December the daytime temperatures level off at 20 degrees, the sun shines for around five hours. At night, the values rarely fall below 13 degrees. The Gulf Stream ensures the constant and mild values. Statistically, it rains a maximum of eight days per month – especially at higher altitudes. Add to the year-round t-shirt weather spectacular scenery and unique experiences. We present five highlights.
1. Hiking: levadas, laurel forests and scenic peaks
Madeira has made a name for itself as an island for hikers, with exceptional tours to suit all tastes and fitness levels. Like the levada routes that run along the traditional irrigation canals. Since the 17th century, they have been used to transport water from the rainy regions in the north and center of the island to the agricultural areas in the drier south.
The levadas are constantly maintained to allow the water to flow evenly. That is why all water channels are accessible on a path next to the channel or on the levada wall. Due to the gentle ascents and descents, these hikes are often easy and suitable for young and old. A hike through the ancient laurel forest in the northwest of the island is something very special. Because in Europe there are only the so-called Laurisilva on the Canary Islands and the Azores.
Madeira’s laurel forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you like it steep and challenging, you can tackle the highest mountain on the island. The Pico Ruivo is 1862 meters high and accessible from different paths. An unforgettable 360-degree view over the lush green of the island and the deep blue of the Atlantic awaits you at the top.
- Hotel tip: Aqua Natura Madeira Hotel
- Price: 1 week in a double room with sea view including flight and breakfast from 480 euros per person
2. Capital Funchal: basket sleigh ride, football god and Christmas market
Up with the cable car, down with the basket toboggan: The capital Funchal lies by the sea and stretches up the adjacent hills. In the 19th century, the rich and beautiful resided at an altitude of a good 700 meters in the municipality of Monte. They were taken down to the valley on a basket sledge. This fast-paced mode of transportation has survived to this day and is one of the most popular tourist attractions.
Passengers board the traditional carros de cesto, which glide on wooden skids, and are escorted on the 10-minute descent by two drivers, the carreiros, dressed in traditional white clothing and straw hats. They slow down the sleds with their rubber soles. The hooting of the tourists could also apply to the five-time world footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. The mega star was born in Funchal and grew up there in modest circumstances until he was discovered at the age of twelve. The CR7 Museum has been dedicated to him since 2013, showing his story and all the 126 trophies he has won. A must for football fans.
Anyone who loves the Christmas atmosphere can be surprised in the 130,000-resident city from December 1st to January 8th. Thousands of lights, decorated streets, houses and trees, melodies swinging through the streets, concerts, a nativity scene and a Christmas market conjure up a very special atmosphere. The market along Avenida Arriaga to Funchal Cathedral is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe. The next highlight follows on New Year’s Eve: an eight-minute firework display, which made it into the Guinness Book of Records in 2006 as the largest pyrotechnic spectacle in the world.
- Hotel tip: Pestana Grand Ocean Resort
- Price: 1 week in a double room with sea view including flight, train to flight, hotel transfer and half board from 764 euros per person
3. Bathing: lava pools and beaches
Due to its rocky cliffs, Madeira has only a few beaches to offer. These include the volcanic sand beaches of Prainha Beach and Praia da Laje, as well as Calheta Beach on the south coast, made up of Moroccan desert sand. But bathing is celebrated differently here – in natural seawater pools.
- Hotel tip: Saccharum Resort & Spa
- Prices: 1 week in a double room with sea view including flight, train to flight and half board from €768 per person
The swimming pools built between lava rocks, such as those in Ponta Delgada and Porto Moniz in the north of the island, have several advantages: You can swim relaxed in the shallow water even when the waves are high. The water temperature is usually slightly higher than in the open sea (average 20 degrees in winter) and the view of the cliffs of the cliffs is spectacular. If you still long for a long sandy beach, you will find it on the neighboring island of Porto Santo, 42 kilometers to the east. The golden yellow beach with fine, soft sand is nine kilometers long. It can be reached on a day trip by ferry or in 20 minutes by plane.
- Hotel tip: Azoris Royal Garden
- Price: 1 week in a double room including flight and breakfast from 544 euros per person
4. Vegetation: permanent spring, flowers and bananas
Small, sweet, aromatic and grows all year round: the Madeira banana. Like many other exotic fruits (mango, tangerine, guava, custard apple), it thrives on the island. The whole variety can be admired at the Mercado dos Lavradores market in Funchal. How lush the vegetation is is also shown by the many flowers that grow in bushes along the roadside, such as the bird of paradise flower.
In winter Venus slipper, fire begonia and the Canary date palm show their splendor as well as the poinsettia. Especially on the south side of the island it grows in dimensions that we are not used to. Whole mountain slopes are covered with the star-shaped red leaves – here the poinsettia grows up to two meters high! Fancy more permanent spring? Then off to the botanical garden, which awaits with its 2,000 exotic plants three kilometers above Funchal.
5. Fishing Villages: Dolphins and spirits
They still exist, the small fishing villages with colorful boats in the harbor and narrow streets. Câmara de Lobos is one of those places worth visiting, as ex British Prime Minister Winston Churchill thought. He immortalized the village on the south coast in a number of his paintings and the spot by the harbor where he sat and painted now has a commemorative plaque.
Vineyard terraces for the typical Madeira wine, a kind of liqueur wine, extend above Câmara de Lobos. Four kilometers to the west it also gets high, because here rises the Cabo Girão, Europe’s second highest cliff. On the 580 meter high cliff, the Skywalk awaits those with a head for heights – a viewing platform with a glass floor. Those who feel more comfortable in the water have a very good chance of seeing dolphins and whales on Madeira – all year round.
- Hotel tip: Pestana Fisherman Village, Camera de Lobos
- Price: 1 week in a double room including flight, train to flight, hotel transfer and breakfast from 536 euros per person