Riga to Madeira from €233

🌍 About madeira

Madeira is a volcanic island, not a beach one — the coast is mostly cliffs and pebbles, so come for the mountains, not sand. The signature walks are the levadas: centuries-old irrigation channels turned into flat footpaths that thread through laurel forest to waterfalls (25 Fontes is the classic). Eat espetada, beef skewered on a bay-laurel stick and grilled, and drink poncha — sugarcane rum mashed with honey and lemon in Funchal's bars. The fortified Madeira wine is the real thing, not a souvenir. It's mild year-round (roughly 19–26°C), which is why fares rarely crater; spring and autumn are the sweet spot for hiking and thinner crowds. The New Year fireworks over Funchal are a genuine spectacle if you don't mind peak prices.