The name Madeira might make you think of fortified wine and cake, but it actually means ‘wood’ in Portuguese. The island, 350 miles west of Morocco, was thickly forested when first discovered. Today, after centuries of intensive cultivation, most of the riotously colourful plants in its parks are imported. Two-thirds of Madeira is a nature reserve, with stunning coastal and mountain landscapes.

You can hike along 1,000 miles of irrigation canals linking the wetter northern half to the south. Another walk of similar length links this with the public Jardim Botânico (Botanical Garden), which offers a fine introduction to both indigenous and exotic flora.

There’s enough in and around the capital, Funchal, to keep visitors busy for a few days, starting with the cathedral (Sé), one of several churches on Manueline (Portuguese Gothic) lines. The nearby Cidade do Açúcar Museum (Praça do Colombo 5, +351 291 236 910) focuses on the early sugar trade. Ranged around the main square, Praça do Município, are the 18th-century Câmara Municipal (‘Town Hall’); the Museu de Arte Sacra; and the Igreja do Colégio, a 17th-century church lined with traditional ceramic tiles.

On a bluff west of Funchal is the Jardim de Santa Catarina, site of the official residence of the regional president. Prestigious hotel Reid’s Palace marks the start of the hotel zone; beyond that is Praia Formosa, Funchal’s only proper beach, with black volcanic sand.

Four miles north-east of Funchal is Monte, a pretty hill top town whose church is a site of pilgrimage. Most visitors go up by cable car and descend as bizarre tradition dictates: in giant wicker baskets pushed by drivers wearing straw boaters.

Local history

Madeira was claimed in 1420 by explorer João Gonçalves Zarco, making it a milestone on the voyages of discovery that made Portugal a major world power. The island was settled by Portuguese, Flemish and Italians, whose legacy includes today’s impressive variety of flora. Madeira suffered mass emigration in the 19th and 20th centuries because of its poverty, but has benefited greatly from EU aid.

Local politics

Conservative regional president, Alberto João Jardim, has dominated local politics for decades. Many in mainland Portugal see him as a clown, but Jardim is hard-headed where national and EU funds go, having won huge local popularity for public works projects such as tunnels linking up isolated villages.

Source: Expedia