RAISE a glass or two of Madeira’s famous fortified wine on a tour of the Adegas de São Francisco wine lodge, and succumb to the inevitable temptation of buying a bottle to take home.
WEAVE your way up and along Rua da Carreira and its side streets, admiring the uniform grey, white and green of the ornate Madeiran houses, and stopping at a traditional bakery for a slice of bolo de mel.
STOP and smell the wonderfully exotic flowers, prolific across the island, from its formal gardens and public parks to roadside verges and levada paths.
LACE up your hiking boots and set out on a trek up Pico Ruivo, Madeira’s highest peak. On the way, enjoy spectacular views on every side and – if you time it right – the most stunning sunrise or sunset you’ll ever see.