Europe’s leading island, officially
By Paulo Áureo
In 2014 the World Travel Awards named the Madeira Islands Europe’s Leading Island Destination. The tourist board was delighted, and so was everyone who had spent years telling friends in Manchester or Munich that they did not need to fly to the Caribbean.
It became a habit. Madeira went on to collect the European title again and again and later the world one too, so often that a year without it would be the news.
Prizes are nice, but the real test is simpler: the people who come once and then come back every year. There are a lot of them. If you are planning your first visit, start with the best time to visit.
Sources: World Travel Awards, Europe’s Leading Island Destination 2014