Why sell it
From natural healing sands to vineyards producing sweet wine, Madeira is tailor-made for the typical silver traveller – at least according to the Portuguese islands’ latest advertising campaign.
Targeted at the over-55s demographic, it showcases the cultural experiences, rejuvenating activities and soft adventures that appeal to the older market.
An easy four-hour hop from the UK, without the bustle of the Balearics and less built up than the Algarve or the Costas, Madeira is a great alternative to the popular short-haul holiday hotspots for travellers who prefer a quieter pace. North of Tenerife and on the same line of latitude as Morocco, it shares similarities with the Canaries.
What to sell
A no-fuss fly-and-flop with a sprinkle of inland adventure, Madeira offers a slower pace, one where clients can luxuriate in open-air lidos and sleepy bays, explore scenic vistas and sip sweet wine in vineyards.
With its refined culture and natural assets – including the UNESCO-listed laurissilva forest blanketing its volcanic slope – it has been named the World Travel Award’s Best Island Destination multiple times. And three Michelin stars are testament to the quality of its restaurants, and its sweet fortified wine can be traced to the vine on wine tours.
From Funchal’s stunning botanical gardens to its legendary spring wildflowers, the island has been called ‘the floating garden of the Atlantic’ for its profusion of flora. As a result, walking holidays are popular and its levada hiking trails that follow the island’s irrigation channels prove popular. Though its volcanic shores lack golden sand, Porto Moniz offers stunning natural swimming pools. The island also specialises in marine thalassotherapy spas and therapeutic hot sand baths proven to soothe aches and inflammation.
Accommodation covers the spectrum from rustic family-run Quintas in the countryside to the ultra-lux Savoy Palace and its new 40-room rooftop Reserve in Funchal that hosted famous footballer and native Madeiran Cristiano Ronaldo for the 2024 New Year.
When to sell
Known as the Islands of Eternal Spring for its mild year-round micro-climate, temperatures rarely dip below 17C. Mild summers hovering in the mid-20s now make it a good bet for a comfortable holiday in July and August when the Med really hots up, but it’s just as warm in the shoulder seasons and especially pretty in spring when its famous wildflowers are in bloom.
What’s new
Barcelo hotel group plans to open a new four-star property in 2025 under its Occidental brand. The chain is also transforming the Quinta das Vistas Palace Gardens Hotel into the Quinta Funchal Palace Garden Hotel, which will reopen under the Royal Hideaway banner in 2026.
There’s fresh airlift too, with Jet2 commencing a Belfast to Madeira route from early November until March 29 2025, while TUI relaunched flights from London Gatwick to Porto Santo in May this year.
Book it with… easyJet Holidays
easyJet Holidays offers seven nights in Madeira staying at five-star Hotel The Cliff Bay from £792pp including return flights, daily breakfast and private transfers. easyjet.com
