Madeira is a Portuguese island in the Atlantic, west of the Mediterranean. Madeira has many visitors each year, and has some great landscapes, gardens, flowers, and sublime tropical climate. When it comes to accommodation, renting a villa in Madeira can be a relative bargain with some villas' weekly rates under £300 for a weeks stay.

Madeira has a number of beaches scattered around its coastline. Among the more notable of these is Calheta which is one of the top resorts in Madeira. This beach has golden sands, crystal clear waters, and a marina. The beach is also good for a variety of water sports such as canoeing and windsurfing. Alternatively, at Lido there is a large and small outdoor seawater swimming pool, which also has direct sea access. Ponta Gorda also has similar outdoor seawater pools. For golf fans Madeira Island also has a few golf courses. At Funchal there is the Palheiro Golf Course, while the Santo da Serra overlooks the bay of Machico.

Family villas in Madeira can be an ideal accommodation option for families. After all, Madeira has a variety of well equipped family villas, and a few of these can also be good value alternatives to hotels. Beach-side villas can also put you within a short distance of some of Madeira's beaches and resorts. For family holidays in Madeira consider visiting Madeira Theme Park which covers the history, tradition, and culture of Madeira. In addition to this, the theme park has a variety of radical sports such as bungee jumping and cable sliding. Or alternatively, visit the Santa Cruz Aqua Park which has a variety of water slides.

Funchal is the capital of Madeira Island, and should top the list of potential day trips in Madeira. The historical nucleus of the city includes Sao Pedro, Santa Maria, and Se. Here, many old buildings of the city remain. There are a variety of museums located in the city such as the Municipal Museum and Aquarium, City of Sugar Museum, and the São Francisco Cellars Wine Museum where vintage wines can be sampled. Beyond Funchal, just a short boat trip away, is the small island of Porto Santo which is a part of the Madeira archipelago. Here there are miles long sandy beaches, and Porto Santo also has the new Porto Santo Golf Club and Course designed by Ballesteros, which has a full-size golf course and a par 3 pitch and putt course.