Madeira Gallery, 2014

Madeira, the green island in the Atlantic – magnificent and wild cliffs, rugged mountain peaks and lush, evergreen mountain slopes, enchanted laurel forests and roaring waterfalls, scattered and remote villages alongside urban Funchal, restaurants with stunning sea views and delicious food – to name just a few of the island’s highlights. Compared to the former Portuguese colony of Cape Verde, Madeira appears no less spectacular, just with a European ‘tidiness’, clean and quite relaxed.

The island is a paradise for outdoor activities – hiking, cycling, water sports – although often challenging and strenuous due to the steep topography, for example, the hike through the mountains from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo or along one of the many levadas – irrigation channels.