Madeira Island

Madeira is the main island of the Madeira archipelago, an autonomous region of Portugal, off Africa's northwest coast. The rugged, volcanic landscape is crisscrossed with levadas (old irrigation channels) with footpaths. A trail ascends the peak of Pico Ruivo. Dotted around the island are wineries producing fortified Madeira wine. On the south coast, the capital, Funchal, is known for its 16th-century cathedral.