IF you fancy a holiday to Hawaii without the long flights and price tag, then you are in luck.
An island in Europe is often compared to the popular holiday destination – and it’s not far from the UK.
AlamyA holiday island in Europe is often compared to Hawaii[/caption]
GettyMadeira is popular with Brits wanting good weather and cheap holidays[/caption]
Why Madeira?
Madeira is off the east coast of Africa, and is part of Portugal despite being closer to Morocco.
This makes it not only an affordable holiday destination, but good weather for most of the year.
Even in December and January, the weather remains around 18C while this goes up to 24C in the summer months.
Flights are as little as £12 each way – taking around 3hr45, with Ryanair, easyJet, British Airways and Wizz Air operate direct flights.
AlamyA popular attraction is the cable car in Funchal[/caption]
What are the best Madeira holiday deals?
Madeira is a very affordable destination with cheap deals.
We’ve found seven night holiday packages for as little as £197pp, including return flights, with Love Holidays.
First Choice also has cheap options for a shorter break, with three night stays at a 4* hotel from £286pp.
TUI has deals from £363pp on a half-board basis while while British Airways has four-night breaks a 4* hotels from £380pp.
What is Madeira like?
Many compare the island to Hawaii, both being volcanic islands and having huge sprawling mountains and luscious green landscape.
Most people head to Funchal, which is the capital of the island and home to most of the hotels.
Along with restaurants, bars and museums, the Avenida do Mar shopping region is compared to Paris’ Champs-Élysées.
Funcal is home to one of the best botanical gardens in the world – tourists can get the cable car up to the gardens, then toboggan back down.
Sports fans can head to the Cristiano Ronaldo statue, as the island is where the football player was born and is also the name of Madeira’s international airport.
Many head to the more rural parts of the island for levada (irrigation channel) walks, with more than 1,200 miles of trails.
The tallest is Pico Ruivo at 1,862m, followed by Pico do Arieiro at 1,818m.
The walks are good for both beginners and expert hikers, so is one of the most popular things to do on the island.
What else do I need to know about Madeira?
The local language in Madeira is Portuguese although most people speak English.
There is no time difference in Madeira to the UK so you don’t have to change your watch.
Madeira uses the euro, with £10 getting around €11.
There are currently no Covid restrictions and Brits can stay in Madeira for up to 90 days without a visa.
However, your passport must have at least three months left after the day you plan to leave.
Sun Online Travel recently visited Madeira – here is what you can expect from a holiday.
Hikers often head to the island for the many walks through the peaksAlamy
GettyFlights are as little as £22 return to the island[/caption] Read More