Luxury Madeira Holidays

The floating garden

Madeira

Holidays in Madeira are packed full of beautiful natural sights, from its rugged cliffs leading down to the sparkling ocean to manicured botanic gardens brimming with native trees and flowers. The mountains are perfect for those wanting to explore Portugal’s natural landscapes, while the cosmopolitan capital, Funchal, is home to upmarket bars, restaurants and shops. Children will love riding the cable car up to the top of the cliffs, while adults will be delighted to sample the local wines and fresh seafood on offer. 

Spend your days taking in the architecture of the pretty fishing villages dotted around the island or exploring the ancient ruins and 18th Century churches. Visit the old town of Funchal for narrow streets and a vibrant marina showcasing yachts of the rich and famous. The buildings will take you through the fascinating history of the island, with Gothic, Victorian and modern architecture rubbing shoulders and housing luxury hotels, pretty bars and cafés, as well as some of Portugal’s best restaurants.

Top luxury destination in Madeira

Take a boat trip around the island and stop off in crystal clear bays, where you can snorkel and discover golden sandy coves where you can enjoy a picnic packed full of locally sourced produce. Sunset cruises are the perfect way to enjoy a romantic evening over cocktails or delicious champagne.

Madeira is also known as the “Floating Garden” after its emerald landscapes, valleys filled with wildflowers and bougainvillea lined streets. Horse riding, hiking and mountain biking are a great way to see the interior landscapes, while the perfect way to fully relax is to spend a lazy day unwinding on the beach.

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Your plans, our expertise

Start planning your Sovereign holiday by getting in touch with one of our Personal Travel Planners.

Lines open: Monday to Saturday 09:00 to 17:30 (Wednesdays from 9:30), Bank Holidays 10:00 to 16:00.

Our pick of the top hotels in Madeira

Every one of our hotels is handpicked and personally visited by our team

Typical Costs

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Bottle of beer
€2-3
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Bus return
€4
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Cup of coffee
€1-1.50
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Glass of wine
€3-5
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Main course
€12-15
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Small souvenir
€6

Flight Information

Flight time from the UK to Madeira is around 3 hours 45 minutes. 

If you're planning a trip to Madeira (FNC) from the UK, the following airports have direct flights:
Birmingham (BHX), Bristol (BRS), East Midlands (EMA), Edinburgh (EDI), Glasgow (GLA), Leeds Bradford (LBA), Liverpool (LPL), London Gatwick (LGW), London Heathrow (LHR), London Stansted (STN), Manchester (MAN) and Newcastle (NCL).

When to go

Madeira has a pleasant mid-20s average throughout summer, with mild temperatures in the spring and autumn that are ideal for beach-going, sightseeing and golfing. Madeira tends to get most of its rain out of the way in November and December, leading to beautiful springs. 

Visa Information

Currently visas are not required for UK citizens travelling to Portugal

Tipping

Many hotels and restaurants include a service charge, so check your bill carefully – if it hasn’t been included, you should leave around 10% tip. Taxi drivers, hotel staff and other tourism workers are normally tipped two or three euros and it’s common to tip taxi drivers 10% of the fare.

Introduction to languages

The official language of Portugal is Portuguese. English is widely spoken too, so getting by is easy.

Destinations in Madeira
Aerial drone view of Camara de Lobos village panorama near to Funchal, Madeira. Small fisherman village with many small boats in a bay
Funchal
Funchal is the southerly capital of Madeira. Its city centre of Gothic, Victorian and Modernist architecture climbs up into the hills, where hotels and gardens showcase cinematic Atlantic Ocean views.
View all hotels in Madeira
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Helen Lippe

Start with a day in Funchal, the island’s capital. Walk down the seafront promenade to the Old Town, stopping for a drink at one of the many bars on the way. From there, take the cable car (10€ per person, each way) to Monte, where you can visit the world-renowned Monte Place Gardens


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What our guests think

We've been finding people their own slice of paradise for 50 years, and like to think we're pretty good at it. 
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