A garden island in the Atlantic
Madeira rises steeply out of the Atlantic, its slopes covered in laurel forest, terraces and flowers. The best way to explore is on foot along the levadas, centuries-old irrigation channels that thread through the mountains, or on the high ridge trails from Pico do Arieiro. Funchal, the capital, has a lively market and cellars of Madeira wine, and the mild climate makes it a year-round escape.