Madeira Story Centre

There are no specific areas that travellers should avoid due to crime. While there are not really any 'bad areas', it's always wise to take basic precautions and to keep an eye on any valuables.

Porto da Cruz On the northeast coast, discover Porto da Cruz, one of the most scenic villages in Madeira. Here, houses spill down the hillside to the seafront, with the token green cliffs in the background. Its iconic feature, though, is the large rock that separates Porto da Cruz from the neighboring town of Faial.

Espetada. This spectacular grilled beef dish, a traditional Madeira food specialty, there's a delight in every bite. It is traditionally cooked on skewers over hot coals and seasoned with garlic, salt and bay leaf. It is often paired with side dishes of vegetables, fried maize cubes or bread.

Set on its own private peninsula above Funchal harbour, this distinguished property to which Winston Churchill retreated to write his war memoirs is an island institution. Unruffled and elegant, Belmond Reid's Palace has managed to do what few hotels can, live in the past and present all at once.