I had plans to go to Malta and Sicily this summer, but three months ago, I came across a Youtube short about an influencer’s experience in Madeira, the so called “Hawaii of Europe”. I’ve never heard of the island and was surprised that Europe even had an island that looked like Hawaii — I’ve also never been to Hawaii but, I can only imagine based on other people’s recollections.
I had been to the Mediterranean (via Greece and Croatia) but haven’t had the chance to explore the beaches of the Atlantic via Europe. I had a bigger craving for ocean time and hikes and being with nature more so than walking through historic ruins, so I made the pivot to Madeira.
But just a month from the planend trip, I added three more days to my trip to stay in Lisbon before heading back home. And that was indeed the right decision.
When planning for my trip to Madeira, I tried to divide the days based on the geographical regions.
Day 1 - Arrive at hotel, explore downtown area
Day 2 - Hike
Day 3