The Amalfi Coast pulls visitors with its idyllic scenery, cliffside villages and trendy boutique hotels. The region’s beauty is a double-edged sword — while you are planning a trip, so are tens of thousands of others, all gunning for the same sights in Positano, Sorrento and Amalfi.
There is a charming destination, not too far away, that provides the same carefree seaside experience: Madeira, Portugal. An autonomous region in the North Atlantic Ocean, Madeira is “rugged and subtropical,” Lonely Planet said, “the kind of place that makes your head spin — in a good way.”
Natural pools, like this one in Porto Moniz, can be found across Madeira (Image credit: Guillaume Chanson / Getty Images)
This is courtesy of Madeira fortified wine and poncha, a traditional alcoholic beverage, plus the “temperate, swimmable ocean and a cinematic, mountainous landscape,” Condé Nast Traveller said. Hikers, bikers and sun-seekers fill their days with trips to the rocky beaches and natural pools and treks along the levadas, which are aqueducts built by early settlers.
The Levada das 25 Fontes trail leads to the Risco waterfall (Image credit: Inigo Fdz de Pinedo / Getty Images)
Come to Madeira any time
The island sees its biggest crowds during August, but they are nothing like the crush of tourists in Italy. Madeira is a year-round destination, with warm summers and mild winters. “The Atlantic affects the climate, the wildlife and the food,” Travel + Leisure said, and because Madeira is so hilly, there are views of the “bright water” around every turn.
Enjoy a glass of Madeira wine at one of Funchal’s many outdoor terraces (Image credit: encrier / Getty Images)
There are a few ways to tackle a trip to Madeira. Those looking for some sun can hang out on one of the many glorious beaches, like the black sand Praia do Porto de Seixal, but the entire island is worth exploring. Porto Moniz is known for its breathtaking cliffs, natural pools and forests filled with hiking, cycling and canyoneering opportunities. The capital, Funchal, is fun to walk around, and you can pop into museums like the Quinta das Cruzes and walk through the Jardins Botanicos da Madeira botanical gardens. At lunch, stop at the Mercado dos Lavradores, a vibrant market where fresh fish and produce are always available.
Get whisked away
No visit to Madeira is complete without riding on one of the cable cars that climb up and down the island’s cliffs. The Teleferico das Achadas da Cruz cable car in Porto Moniz sweeps visitors to a pebbled beach, with gorgeous ocean views the entire wobbly ride. During the five-minute journey, you might get to know a local resident: The cars are regularly used by farmers to transport their harvests.
Cable cars offer cliffside views (Image credit: Roberto Moiola / Sysaworld / Getty Images)
A historic stay
Quaint boutique accommodations can be found across Madeira, but for “old-world glamour,” Condé Nast Traveller recommends checking into Reid’s Palace in Funchal, the island’s “most famous grand dame hotel.” In the hotel’s early days — it opened in 1891 — guests arrived by boat, and staffers carried them on hammocks up to their rooms. Today’s visitors are more independent and get themselves to their suites themselves, but the property does retain an “elegant Victorian feel,” with floral wallpaper and antique furniture. After a day of swimming in one of the hotel’s two heated pools, be sure to enjoy afternoon tea on the outdoor terrace before eating dinner at the Michelin-starred William Restaurant, led by Madeira native chef José Diogo Costa.