Madeira

Just drive out of the main airport towards the town of Funchal and you'll understand why it's known to its admirers as the "Atlantic pearl" as your eyes feast upon dramatic mountains and lush green vegetation contrasting with an azure sea.

Madeira is a horticulturist's paradise with exotic flowers growing into massive bushes and the volcanic island offers a unique landscape which is ideal for walkers of all levels.

The other attraction is the fact that it is blessed with a subtropical climate and so can guarantee plenty of sun and warmth during the winter months, with temperatures of up to 20C.

The Maderian archipelago lies in the Atlantic Ocean, 260 miles north of the Canary Islands. The most significant island is the Portugese province of Madeira itself which, although only 35 miles by 12 miles in area, holds an amazing variety of landscapes, from rugged mountains to lush valleys and idyllic country villages.

Our week long holiday was split between Madeira and Porto Santo, the only other inhabited island in the small group, about 25 miles away which is accessible by ferry or a short flight. It's tiny -- less than six miles by four miles -- but it's a great complement to Madeira as it has one thing the larger island lacks: a five mile long sandy unspoilt beach.

The trip began in Porto Santo -- the ideal place to unwind. We were staying in Hotel Porto Santo, which backs straight on to the beach and is on the outskirts of Porto Santo town, the only settlement of note.

The island's claim to fame, beyond its sandy beach, is its link to Christopher Columbus who not only visited here but ended up marrying the local governor's daughter. The main tourist attraction is the museum in Casa de Colombo -- a house in the middle of Porto Santo Town which dates back to the 15th century and where, it is claimed, Columbus lived for about two years.

Porto Santo is not about sightseeing, it's about relaxing.

While most sensible summer visitors go there to bake on the beach, we were out walking, even making it up the highest peak of Pico do Facho, about 695ft, which is a bit of a climb but satisfying.

At the moment the island is largely undiscovered but judging by the amount of building development going on in the town, that is likely to change in the next few years.

Madeira, by contrast, has already got tourism down to a fine art. Holidaymakers tend to base themselves on the island itself, staying in one of the many luxurious hotels which have opened up over the years to satisfy the mostly well-heeled visitors. The best known is Reid's, perched on a cliff overlooking Funchal, which once enjoyed the patronage of the likes of Winston Churchill and George Bernard Shaw. It is still much loved by traditionalists who enjoy the formality of dressing up to dine in the main restaurant and a menu which includes Beef Wellington and Bread and Butter pudding.

Elsewhere, however, there are hotels which also offer very high standards without being quite as stuffy. We were staying at the Madeira Palacio, an old favourite in Madeira which thoroughly deserves its five star status after undergoing a major renovation to improve the lobby and add an indoor pool and leisure club standard gym to the attractions of a large outdoor pool and tennis courts.

Situated 10 minutes drive from the centre of Funchal, it is in a prime position overlooking the Atlantic. The balcony in our room not only looked out to sea but also offered a dramatic view of the mighty Cabo Girao, one of the highest sea cliffs in the world which plummets 590m to the Atlantic -- it's quite something to wake up to in the morning.

As we only had a few days in Madeira it was a case of prioritising what to do. First stop was to take the cable car from Funchal to Monte, the fashionable hilltop town where wealthy merchants and exiled European aristocrats built splendid homes in the 19th century.

At the top is the Jardim do Palacio do Monte (Monte Palace Tropical Gardens) which surround the chateau-like Monte Palace -- now a hotel -- and are home to hundreds of plants and other displays. Nearby is the elegant and richly decorated Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte, dedicated to Madeira's patron saint.

But the main reason for going up there is to come down again on Madeira's famous wicker toboggans. They were originally used at the beginning of the 19th century to carry freight down the frighteningly steep, three mile hill between Monte and Funchal.

Now they are a major tourist attraction with two white-attired assistants complete with traditional straw hats who push you down the hill, using the rubber soles of their boots as a brake. It's terrifying, completely pointless -- and great fun.

Travel facts

Jackie Brown travelled to Madeira with Prestige Holidays, specialists in luxury breaks for individuals.

Prestige offers a two centre holiday to Porto Santo and Madeira from £680 per person including: return Air Portugal flights from LHR to Funchal, connecting return flights to Porto Santo, three nights at the Porto Santo hotel in a twin room with bath and balcony on a B&B basis and four nights at the Madeira Palacio in a twin room with bath and balcony on a B&B basis. The price also includes mini-bus transfers on Porto Santo and taxi transfers in Madeira and is valid for departures between 7 - 27 Sep.

For bookings and further information call Prestige Holidays on 01425 480400 or contact your local ABTA travel agent.