Madeira Honeymoon

Consider a honeymoon holiday or romantic getaway in Madeira, a rugged island famous for its breathtaking vistas of ragged mountain landscapes, lush valleys and crystal clear waters perfect for swimming, surfing, scuba diving and game fishing.

With year-round sunshine, numerous hiking trails, championship golf courses, fine local cuisine and luxury accommodation, Madeira offers all the ingredients you need for a relaxing or active honeymoon at any time of the year.

Things to do and see
Head to the popular south coast beach resort of Calheta or the east coast resort of Canico for a choice of luxury hotels, good swimming beaches and informal restaurants serving fresh seafood.

Or remain in the capital, Funchal, with its selection of large seafront lidos – man-made swimming areas often artfully positioned around nature-sculpted rock pools of calm seawater.

A day trip to the nearby island of Porto Santo offers the chance to unwind on the golden sands of Praia do Porto Santo – Madeira’s best beach.

Discover Funchal’s rich heritage in the numerous 15th and 16th century churches, museums and mansions that line the narrow winding alleyways of the city’s historic heart. Elsewhere, explore Funchal’s attractive tree-lined streets that crisscross lush green hillsides dotted with luxuriant plants, manicured gardens and red-roofed whitewashed villas.

Madeira’s colourful and lush landscape is often referred to as the ‘Floating Garden of the Atlantic’ and an abundance of colourful flora lies everywhere: look out for jacaranda, bougainvillea, poinsettias, cannas, frangipani, birds of paradise, orchids, geraniums, whortleberry, prickly pear and wisteria, among others.

Beyond the capital, explore on foot, by hire car or tour bus the dramatic cliff-encircled coastline and rugged mountainous interior dotted with cultivated terraced slopes of custard apples, avocados, mangoes, oranges, bananas and grape vines. Here roads cling to the tops of plunging rock-strewn ravines and twist though hairpin bends to volcanic mountain peaks and picturesque mountain villages.

Stroll the cobblestone streets of Santana in the northern highlands and historic Machico on the east coast, where Portuguese explorers landed in 1419. At Camara De Lobos on the south coast, discover spectacular coastal views from the sea-swept cliffs of Cabo Girao – the world's second highest ocean cliffs (the highest is in Norway), at 580m above sea level. Just inland is Madeira’s famous wine growing region of Estreito.

Madeira offers wonderful hiking opportunities: follow ancient hand-hewn stone trails and old man-made levadas (water courses) through flower-strewn meadows and primeval laurel forests. Hike lush ravines past tumbling waterfalls and along precipitous mountain ledges.

Take the long but scenic three-hour trek to the summit of Pico Ruivo, the highest point on the island at 1860m above sea level. Alternatively, enjoy panoramic views from the easy to reach belvederes of Pico Dos Barcelos on the south coast and Camoe Pequeno on the east coast. Along the way, look out for bird life such as the Maderia Firecrest, Zino’s petrel and the long toed pigeon.

Go surfing, windsurfing and kite surfing at Jardim do Mar, Paul do Mar and Sao Vicente. Hook up a fishing charter from Calheta and Funchal and reel in long tail tuna, blue marlin, barracuda and swordfish.

Scuba dive or snorkel the Reserva Natural do Garajau and Baixa da Cruz to see dolphins, turtles, amberjack, whiting, damselfish, rays, moray ells, wrasse and barracuda, and swim among sea wolves at Desertas. Whale watching tours allow you to get up close to humpback, beaked, pilot and killer whales during their annual migration past the island in April, May, September and October.

Tee-off from the Clube de Golf at Santo da Serra, a Robert Trent Jones-designed 27-hole golf course set in a spectacular landscape. Alternatively, try the fairways that wind through steep rocky terrain at the 18-hole Clube de Palheiro at São Gonçalo, around 5km north of Funchal.

Accommodation
Madeira offers a wide range of hotel accommodation options to suit all budgets, as well as great value pousadas (government-sponsored inns).

Best time to visit Madeira?
The best time to honeymoon in Madeira is between May and September when the rainfall is low and temperatures average 25°C. Temperatures on Madeira rarely fall below 20°C; even December has sunny days with a high of 22°C.

Madeira’s crystalline waters are perfect for diving and snorkelling, with water temperatures averaging 18°C in January and 22°C in August. For more climate info: Madeira Weather Guide

Location – The island of Madeira is located around 850km southwest of Portugal and 565km west of the African coastline.

Getting there – Madeira receives direct flights daily from London and Lisbon. How to get to Madeira . . .