MADEIRA, PORTUGAL

PORTUGAL HAS BEEN on many travellers' radars for the last few years. To elevate your experience, hop on a budget-friendly flight from Lisbon on TAP Portugal or RyanAir, starting from $68 and arrive in an entirely different climate on Madeira. Just under two hours by plane, the archipelago of four islands in the North Atlantic is about 500 kilometres off the coast of Morocco. The capital, Funchal, is on the main island and feels like a carefully urban-planned community with its consistent terracotta-shingle roof tops. Along the way, you will see cables for zip line excursions across gulleys that make you feel like you are in Hawai'i or St. Lucia. The subtropical climate makes this a great escape for spring or fall. Madeira is not only home to the famous wine that shares its name, but also the volcanic, rich soils of the island are perfect for cultivating an amazing array of fruits and vegetables, many of which originated from all across the globe. They produce a small banana you cannot purchase outside of the country and more than 10 different varieties of passionfruit!

DON’T MISS:

Make sure you take a ride on the Monte Toboggan ride, which is a wicker basket on wooden runners. The first rides date back to 1850 as a standard form of transportation for the wealthy residents up on the hilltop. Take a day to golf with ocean views 500 metres above sea level at the 18-hole Palheiro Golf Course.

Try a glass of Poncha, the national drink, which is made with aguardente de cana, honey, sugar, and either orange juice or lemon juice. Ask for passionfruit juice for a great variation!

THE BEST TIME TO VISIT: If you can go during New Years Eve, plan ahead because Madeira is known for its extremely vibrant fireworks sequences. It is one of Europe's best NYE events.