Madeira: The Eighth Wonder of the World

One of the most breathtaking islands on the planet, Madeira offers jaw-dropping mountain landscapes, rolling hills, lush green forests, sumptuous turquoise sea and mind-blowing views that leave you speechless. It’s an undiscovered island paradise filled with wonder and surprise, with another view everywhere you turn and something new to make you gasp at its glory.

In short, Madeira is quite possibly the most spectacular summer destination in the world. Whether you’re into mountain biking, SUP, hiking, history, festivals or culture, it’s got everything you could possibly want to see and do, probably more.

For the action-sports lover there’s endless terrain offering all levels of challenge for hikers and bikers, coastal waters that are perfect for water sports like SUP, and even sheer cliffs on the island that appeal to climbers and base jumpers alike. Best of all, it’s all largely untouched by mass tourism.

A Mountain Biking Destination Like No Other

As you would expect on such famously hilly mountain terrain, Madeira is paradise for mountain bikers with hundreds of different options whether you enjoy enduro, cross-country or downhill biking, and whether you’d like to do it for one day of your visit or the whole holiday. If you want to make it easy getting organised, companies like Freeride Madeira (www.freeridemadeira.com) will do everything from hotel pick-ups, bike rentals and guided tours for one inclusive price.

Madeira hosted an incredible bike festival in early May (ewsmadeira.com/bike-festival) with the concept of developing an Enduro World Series stage in Madeira to connect nature, high-quality trails, international athletes and the local community.

These enduro events are always great from a spectator angle. It’s all about a huge festival with lots going on and a really fun atmosphere. That means it’s great for everyone, not just people into bikes. The ultimate goal is to be a part of a movement that motivates and inspires the local community and island visitors together in multiple ways, promoting biking in a social and healthy way.

Sensational SUP Opportunities

Madeira is a major centre for the fastest-growing water sport in the world, SUP. It’s immense fun, anyone can do it and Madeira offers super-enchanting locations to try it out, providing an awesome way to see the island from a different perspective. The calm waters off the coast make it ideal for an introduction to the sport, and there are endless stunning opportunities for experienced SUPers too.

The islands have several specialist SUP schools and guides who offer part- and full-day tours and lessons. Many of these tours reach unique locations in these already unique islands which are difficult to access by larger watercraft. SUP tours into the magical Garajau Nature Reserve are one such option.

The World’s Best Hiking

Madeira is truly a paradise island for hikers with everything possible from a scenic stroll to a multi-day high-intensity hike. There is not only a vast variety of walking routes on offer in terms of length and level of difficulty, but also a diverse range of walk types, from inland hikes through lush vegetation to coastal paths opening up magnificent vistas that are among the best you’ll find anywhere on earth.

One such route is the popular Miradouro da Ponta do Rosto.

A truly amazing walk that will touch your very soul and revive your inner spirit.

As you hike along the many incredible views that will leave you breathless with awe, there are vistas of both the Northern and Eastern coasts of Madeira.

You can follow marked trails such as this yourself or join a guided group, perhaps with a focus on Madeira’s fascinating history, flora or remarkable bird life. The choices are quite simply endless.

Incredible Canyoning

Madeira is one of the best destinations in the world to practise canyoning. Guides can teach everyone from beginners up where to abseil down idyllic waterfalls then swim in crystal-clear pools and slide on naturally carved water slides.

There are hundreds of options for everyone, from first-timers to the most expert, but the Ribeiro Frio Canyon, with six different routes in, is one of the most beautiful places in Madeira to practise.  The highest rappel here is about 20m. The Canyon is located within the Laurissilva Forest, a UNESCO world heritage site and a truly breathtaking landscape.

What’s On In 2017

The people of Madeira know how to celebrate and are skilled in the art of hosting. To offset their famous peace and tranquillity, there are a number of celebrations and an extensive entertainment calendar throughout the year.

Atlantic Festival: Weekends in June: 3, 10, 17, 24

Atlantic Festival marks the beginning of the summer season in Madeira. This festival consists of a number of shows that take place in all four consecutive Saturdays of June. With seaside shows combining music and fireworks in the wonderful city of Funchal, it’s very popular with both visitors and residents alike!

Madeira Wine Festival: 27 August – 10 September

In late August and early September you can discover some of Madeira Wine’s secrets by attending the celebrations and activities that take place at the Wine Festival. Grape harvest is one of the “must do” experiences, as you can eventually participate and actually harvest some grapes.

Columbus Festival (Porto Santo): 14–16 September

In September, Porto Santo holds the Columbus Festival, an authentic historic recreation of daily life on the island during famous explorer Christopher Columbus’s life in the 16th century. Musical concerts, 16th century market, exotic dances, games, street entertainment, exhibitions and parades stand out in the wide festival agenda. Fun is guaranteed and excitement is a constant.

Madeira Nature Festival: 3–8 October

This is the most recent event on the annual touristic agenda and aims to inspire visitors to be more active in terms of exploring nature in all its aspects. In the mountains, by air or by sea, the options are many, and all people can experience a wide variety of activities that include walks, paragliding, sailing and much more. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy lots of different activities at one time!

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