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If you’re craving a little cultural expedition, you know, some of that Old World charm you can’t easily tap into on our side of the pond, Europe is likely to be at the top of your list this summer, but before you go ahead and book the first flight out to France, wait until you find out about this.
Europe’s best destination for summer 2025 is not Paris with its twinkling Eiffel Tower, the Amalfi Coast and the rugged coastal drives, much less London and the timeless Big Ben:
A lesser-known island in Portugal has taken that coveted crown, and, surprising as it may be to some, it offers not only rich history and man-made wonders, but some of the most beautiful nature you can find anywhere across the Atlantic.
Plus, you can fly there nonstop:
Welcome to The Land of Eternal Spring
A whole 430 miles from the Portuguese mainland, Madeira is a small island in the middle of the Atlantic characterized by an epic nature—it has rainforests, and jagged, volcanic peaks as far as the eyes can see—and laid-back atmosphere.
Racing ahead of long-time favorites like Lisbon and Porto, it’s been named ‘Best European Destination’ in the 2025 edition of Premio de los Lectores, a reader-voted award held by the Spanish National Geographic.
Unless you’re familiar with Madeira, however, you may be surprised it made it to the top of the list: let’s face it, it’s not like most people are super-knowledgeable about lesser-known European destinations, and that’s not a dig at them.
It’s just how it is, so allow us to introduce you to Madeira, or as the Portuguese like to call it, the Land of Eternal Spring:
A Charming Historic Capital Exuding Old World Charm
All trips to Madeira will start at Funchal, its compact, 16th-century capital, a short 18-minute drive from the island’s only international airport.
Settled only in the 15th century, when the Portuguese first made landfall in a previously uninhabited Madeira, this port city is famous for its colonial architecture, with whitewashed walls, red-tile roofs, and Baroque churches galore.
Funchal is one of Portugal’s most vibrant cultural destinations, boasting a plethora of sights and activities that could keep you busy for days: its Sé, or Cathedral, is one of the oldest buildings on the island, with a Mudéjar-inspired wooden ceiling.
Straddling the waterfront, the Old Town is a maze of pedestrianized lanes lined with family-run bakeries, where you can gorge on custard tarts for under $2, and bustling street markets where everything from tropical fruit, to freshly-caught fish is on display.
Perched on a hill overlooking Funchal, and accessible via a short cable car ride, Monte Palace Tropical Garden houses lush vegetation, Japanese-style ponds frequented by pink flamingos, and eye-catching art installations.
Oh, and if you’re a football enthusiast, you should know Portugal’s best-known player, Cristiano Ronaldo, was born here, and if you’re welcome to visit CR7 Museum when walking the sea promenade.
Epic Hikes Await
As gorgeous as Funchal may be as a city break on its own, Madeira’s true charm lies in its unspoiled nature: the whole island is a thriving reserve, and there is a big choice of hikes and levada walks (tourist-friendly trails running along mountainside runnels).
Taking at least 6 hours to complete and involving steep ascents, the mountainous stretch from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo is often described as Europe’s most scenic hike:
You’ll be crossing long tunnels, drilled centuries ago by Madeira’s earliest settlers in their attempt to reach the island’s then-inaccessible hinterland, vertiginous sets of stairs going up, and even hanging bridges over deep ridges.
For something a little less challenging, the 7-mile out-and-back 25 Fountains levada, crossing a patch of Madeira’s UNESCO-listed, ancient Laurisilva forest, will take you past, as the name says, 25 small waterfalls, culminating in the landmark Risco Waterfall.
Our third pick would be the 3-hour Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço cliff-side walk, commanding views of the azure Atlantic and colorful volcanic formations—unlike in the levadas, there is no trees to shade you, so bring sunscreen and plenty of water.
The One Big Issue Is The Beaches… Or Lack, Thereof
Due to its mountainous character and volcano-dotted landmass, Madeira is not exactly the best island for beaches, if you know what we mean.
Most of the beaches here, though indisputably gorgeous, are pebbly, such as the one at Ponta do Sol, or even Funchal’s popular Praia Formosa, and the seas are not particularly turquoise, so keep that in mind if you’re dreaming instead of soft sands and crystalline waters.
In that case, we’d recommend you jet off instead to Porto Santo, an even-smaller island a short boat ride away from Madeira with golden sands that extend for miles on end.
But hey, it’s not like Madeira fails the test as a coastal getaway: Seixal Beach, nestled on its north coast, is one of the island’s few sandy strips (except it’s dark in color), and Porto Moniz is distinguished by its natural, volcano-made pools.
One final disclaimer:
Madeira is called Land of Eternal Spring thanks to having a year-round temperate climate, with temperatures rarely dropping below 64.4°F on the coast (it’s usually much colder up in the mountains), but this is still the North Atlantic, not the Mediterranean, after all.
In other words, even if it’s a scorching-hot day in Funchal, don’t go jumping straight in the water without dipping your toes in first, or you might be in for a cold shock.
Fly Nonstop To Funchal From Newark This Summer
Perhaps surprisingly to some, Lisbon and Porto are not the only Portuguese destinations within easy reach of Americans this summer.
Madeira Island is an equally convenient nonstop flight away from Newark. United Airlines operates flights three times a week in and out of Funchal Airport (FNC), using a 166-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8.
That would be 16 First Class seats, 54 in Economy Plus, and an additional 96 in Economy.
The route is operational from June 7 through September 23, and outbound flights are scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Returning home, you can opt to fly out on a Wednesday, Friday or Sunday.
Finally, round-trip fares start from approximately $1,012 in Economy, which is fairly affordable considering Madeira’s status as a secondary hub, and upwards of $7,076 in First Class.
Vinicius Costa
Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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