Two stunning islands you need to visit in Spain and Portugal

Planning a getaway to Spain and Portugal? Maybe you’ve got your eye on the famous cities of Lisbon and Barcelona and the laid-back beach towns of the Algarve and Costa del Sol. But have you ever thought about exploring the beautiful islands scattered in the Mediterranean and Atlantic? We reached out to Shalene Dudley, a highly regarded Canadian advisor and CEO of Latitude Concierge Travel to reveal her upcoming bookings. Her suggestion? Escape the mainland and embark on a remarkable journey to one of these less frequented isles.

Madeira, Portugal and Mallorca, Spain: These islands encompass a captivating blend of Spanish and Portuguese cultures, along with their own unique allure and fascinating histories, making them a favoured selection among globe-trotters.

Madeira, Portugal

Portugal has been on many travellers’ radars for the last few years. To elevate your experience, hop on a budget-friendly flight from Lisbon on TAP Portugal or RyanAir, starting from $68 and arrive in an entirely different climate on Madeira. Just under two hours by plane, the archipelago of four islands in the North Atlantic is about 500 kilometres off the coast of Morocco.

Photo: Julia Solonina

The capital, Funchal, is on the main island and feels like a carefully urban-planned community with its consistent terracotta-shingle roof tops. Along the way, you will see cables for zip line excursions across gulleys that make you feel like you are in Hawai’i or St. Lucia. The subtropical climate makes this a great escape for spring or fall. Madeira is not only home to the famous wine that shares its name, but also the volcanic, rich soils of the island are perfect for cultivating an amazing array of fruits and vegetables, many of which originated from all across the globe. They produce a small banana you cannot purchase outside of the country and more than 10 different varieties of passionfruit!

Don’t Miss:

✔ Make sure you take a ride on the Monte Toboggan ride, which is a wicker basket on wooden runners. The first rides date back to 1850 as a standard form of transportation for the wealthy residents up on the hilltop.

✔ Take a day to golf with ocean views 500 metres above sea level at the 18-hole Palheiro Golf Course.

✔ Try a glass of Poncha, the national drink, which is made with aguardente de cana, honey, sugar, and either orange juice or lemon juice. Ask for passionfruit juice for a great variation!

The best time to visit: If you can go during New Years Eve, plan ahead because Madeira is known for its extremely vibrant fireworks sequences. It is one of Europe’s best NYE events.

Mallorca, Spain

 

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How many golf courses can you fit on a Mediterranean island? Well, for Mallorca, the answer is 20. Golf lovers: Look out for the yearly Mallorca Golf Open sponsored by Rolex, BMW and Emirates, to name a few. This year, the event takes place in October. This island destination is one of Spain’s Balearic islands and has everything from pristine beach resorts, top-class golf, castles, nightlife and cathedrals. It is easy to get to Mallorca from most major airports in Europe but the most common is from Barcelona or Madrid. Multiple options are available starting from $25 with airlines like RyanAir and Vueling. It is a quick 50 min flight. Visit stone-built villages and hop over to music festivals and art shows. Take a catamaran from the north coast and have lunch with a view or rent from a wide variety of super yachts by the day or the week.

Don’t Miss:

Photo: Oscar Nord

✔ Vineyard tours come in all forms! Private tours with dinner in the vineyard, helicopter wine tours, sunset boat tours with a sommelier, an old town wine tour in Palma, or take the Wine Train! This destination has a diverse array of activities for any budget.

✔ Try the national drink, Palo de Mallorca. It is made from a famous Mallorcan liqueur called “Palo,” made from carob pods, ginseng and caramel. This is a strong one, ranging from 25 % alcohol and up!

The best time to visit: March through May, for less crowds and average temperatures from 15 to mid 20s celsius range. For hot, beach and sailing vacations, visit in June and July.