Madeira, Portugal

© Hemis/Alam

Info. The north coast of Madeira, Portugal

We're taking a view of the beautiful island of Madeira, by far the largest island in the Madeira archipelago. It is part of an autonomous region of Portugal but sits closer to the coast of Morocco in Africa than Portugal’s capital city of Lisbon. Madeira has tall mountains, wonderful flora and fauna, and the largest surviving area of laurel forest in the world. It's a great place to hike if you want to explore the island. Trails run alongside watercourses, called levadas, that move water all over the island. Hikes range from easy walks in the countryside to more adventurous treks along mountain ridges or into remote parts of the forests.