Madeira is a beautiful island, located in the Atlantic Ocean. Administratively, it belongs to Portugal and is most famous for its Madeira port wine. The main island is not known for its beaches, but many visitors flock to Madeira to enjoy the rugged scenery, beautiful lush forests and history of the island.

Being a small island, Madeira is easily by car, with a good road network. Those travelling from Britain can use their driver’s license to legally drive on Madeira and car rental in Madeira is a convenient option. The island located just one and a half hours’ flight from Portugal and is well-connected to all major European cities by air. It is also possible to get to Madeira by boat.

Most visitors to Madeira will arrive via the main international airport, Madeira Airport or locally, known as Funchal Airport. Although the weather is pleasant throughout the year, without much variance, summer is the peak visiting month for Madeira. This is when charter flights double in capacity. Car hire in Madeira is readily available at Madeira Airport and is an easy option to get to and from the airport.

Madeira is actually made up of two main islands, Madeira Island and Porto Santo Island. The largest city and capital of Madeira is Funchal, on Madeira Island. Madeira Island does not have any beaches, so those seeking beaches need to head to Porto Santo Island. The nine kilometre (six mile) beach here is famous and attracts thousands of visitors during the peak summer months.

There is plenty of explore on Madeira and cheap car hire in Madeira is the way to go. Visitors should be aware that although driving is a convenient option, the roads on Madeira can be narrow and winding. The 101 coastal road is well worth exploring. In the centre of the islands, visitors will find the two main nature reserves on the island: Parque Natural do Riberiro Frio and Parque Ecologico do Funchal.