The credentials of Madeira as a world-class golf destination have received a further glowing endorsement after the island was named ‘Europe’s Leading Island Destination’ at the 2020 World Travel Awards for the fifth year in a row.
The Portuguese territory collected the leading honour for a remarkable seventh time in the last eight years as its reputation as the perfect place for all-year-round golf in a safe and secure setting continues to grow.
The latest award follows a busy autumn for Madeira’s three 18-hole golf courses, which have witnessed a steady increase in overseas bookings with increasing numbers of European golfers eager to experience the many benefits of playing in a safe and secure environment.
And to celebrate the new accolade, Discover Madeira - the consumer-facing brand of the Madeira Promotion Bureau – has released a new video showcasing some of the many delights and attractions of the idyllic island paradise.
Located approximately 1,000km from the European mainland – and just 500km from the African continent – the island destination enjoys an amazingly mild climate, ranging from 25°c in the summer to 17°c in the winter, with very mild average temperatures and moderate humidity, making it the perfect year-round location for a golf break.
Madeira features three golf courses – Santo da Serra, Palheiro Golf, and Porto Santo Golf, which is located on the nearby island of Porto Santo.
As well as a collection of stunning, yet different, golfing layouts – designed by Cabell B Robinson, Robert Trent Jones Snr and the late Severiano Ballesteros – Madeira boasts an array of glorious coastal vistas; outstanding gastronomy and wines; excellent water sports; world-renowned gardens and parks; and a lively and historic capital, Funchal.
Also known as ‘the islands of eternal spring’, Madeira has a population of only 260,000. On the same latitude as Morocco, the Atlantic archipelago has a sub-tropical climate, a rich volcanic soil and a unique eco-system. It is one of the only places on the planet where banana trees grow next to vineyards.
In 1999 the archipelago was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and five areas have been declared nature reserves. The Madeira Nature Reserve covers a substantial two-thirds of the main island, where development is prohibited.
