As the airplane descended onto the volcanic island, passing over palm trees and black sand beaches, I just about thought I had arrived in Hawaii. Inside the airport, a man passed me carrying a surfboard and, when I stepped outside, I was greeted by a huge pile of locally-grown bananas for arriving passengers. Did I accidentally get on a plane to Honolulu? No, I didn’t. Across from the banana table was the bronze bust of Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal’s superstar soccer player that the airport is named after.
Portugal is typically associated with the tiled homes and winding streets of Lisbon and the grape-growing region that gave Porto wine its name. Madeira, the tropical-like island that I had just arrived in, has a strikingly different landscape than the mainland, looking more like Hawaii or the Caribbean than a European destination. The 34 miles-long by 14 miles-wide island is actually closer to Morocco than it is to mainland Portugal and, partially due to a complete lack of direct flights to the U.S. (until now!), the island is relatively unknown among Americans. It is the latest selection for Beast Travel’s series on underrated destinations, It’s Still a Big World.
The capital city, Funchal, is a great place to base yourself for a short trip or to start you off for a longer trip. Downtown Funchal has lots of good restaurants, fun shops, and interesting museums and is easy to explore alone. Walk along the waterfront, join a morning whale and dolphin-watching boat tour, then catch the Teleférico do Funchal cable car up to the Madeira Botanic Garden. Plan to spend a couple hours exploring the ginormous garden and its 2,000-some plants. It’s been named one of the top 10 botanic gardens in the world. Instead of taking the cable car back to the bottom, jump in a carriero do monte, a two-seater wicker cart toboggan that’s pushed 1.5 miles downhill by two drivers. Just follow the “toboggan” signs from the garden, which is about a 5-minute walk to the sleds. Back in the day, this is how wealthy hill dwellers made their way downtown. Nowadays, it’s a touristy gimmick that is crazy fun and 100 percent worth your time.
Funchal is definitely where you’ll find the most travelers on the island (almost exclusively Europeans, mostly from Germany, France, Spain, and the U.K.), but the city remains pleasantly uncrowded. This is particularly true during the off-season fall and winter months, when it may be too chilly for some to swim (not for me!), but when sunny, 60- and 70-something degree days are perfect for just about everything else. Though you can certainly explore on your own, guided tours are a great introduction to the island’s history, culture, and culinary tradition. I did a mixture of guided walks with various tour companies along with a free Funchal walking tour, which was great (it’s free but don’t forget to tip generously!)
Oh, did I mention there is a huge Cristiano Ronaldo statue on the waterfront? You were probably wondering about that. It’s in front of the CR7 Museum, which is essentially a museum dedicated to Ronaldo and his obscene amount of trophies.
If you’ll be visiting Madeira for more than four or five days (which you absolutely should do!), consider splitting the time between Funchal and a more rural part of the country so you can really get a flavor for the island. Only about 20 percent of the island’s population lives on the north side of the island, which is made up of quiet villages where terracotta-roofed homes and grape vineyards are scattered across terraced hills. The difference between the capital city, Funchal, and the northern coastal area is so significant that after a few days in the north, I kind of forgot about Funchal. Though it was only a 30-minute drive, it felt worlds away, as though I had flown to an even more remote island with even fewer people and almost no tourists. I spent the mornings watching locals surf along the shore and the afternoons hiking nearly-empty trails.