Madeira is remarkable for two reasons: the levadas (waterways) carved into the slopes, and the abundance of both familiar and exotic flowering plants which have earned the island the sobriquet ‘the floating garden’. Some of the flowers, such as the Nile lily, have been deliberately planted by the levadas, serving to make these waterways – which stretch for miles across the island – all the more inviting companions as you explore. With the watercourse on one side and often a drop on the other, you’ll need a head for heights; but they make navigation very easy, leaving you free to focus on the views.

Levadas may be a recurring theme of this holiday, but no two days are the same. In fact, as you cross the east of Madeira over the course of the week, different aspects are revealed, making this as an excellent introduction to this alluring island. En route, you discover an ancient pocket of laurisilva (laurel forest), a remote high valley, towering sea cliffs, and the appealing capital, Funchal, where you can sample the island’s famous fortified wine.