{"id":8428,"date":"2025-04-10T16:06:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T16:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/8428\/"},"modified":"2025-04-10T16:06:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T16:06:09","slug":"the-hawaii-of-europe-gets-dozens-of-new-flights-from-the-uk-for-just-70","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/8428\/","title":{"rendered":"The ‘Hawaii of Europe’ gets dozens of new flights from the UK for just \u00a370"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\tThe island has been described as a paradise (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

With its black sand beaches and volcanic cliffs, Madeira<\/a> is often called the \u2018Hawaii of Europe<\/a>\u2019 \u2013 and the paradise island is about to be a lot more accessible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Several UK airlines are expanding their services to the Portuguese archipelago, with new routes and additional flights launching just in time for the summer season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jet2<\/a> is introducing a new weekly service from Bournemouth<\/a> to Funchal<\/a> starting in May, with flights departing every Thursday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ryanair<\/a> will also carry passengers to the island. The low-cost carrier will launch twice weekly flights in May on Wednesdays and Sundays from Edinburgh<\/a> to Funchal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Both EasyJet<\/a> and Jet2 are increasing flights from London Luton<\/a>. Jet2 launched a weekly flight to Funchal from Luton earlier this month, with departures on Mondays, while EasyJet will add to new services from June, flying out every Monday and Friday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to Madeira\u2019s 2025 flight schedule, the total number of UK flights to the island during the summer period is expected to rise by 12% \u2013 from 349 in 2024 to 390 in 2025.<\/p>\n

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Flights from the UK to Funchal, the capital and largest city of Madeira, take around four hours, and tickets can be found for \u00a370 one way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n\t\tFlights to Funchal are increasing ahead of the summer period (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Located off the west coast of Africa, Madeira has been compared to epic bucket list destinations such as Hawaii, Peru and Croatia.<\/p>\n

One TikToker @thechaosdiaries<\/a> said: \u2018The gorgeous Portuguese island has everything: beaches, amazing hikes, cute towns, great food.\u2019\u00a0 And due to its rugged cliffs and volcanic scenery, @destinationinspiration<\/a><\/strong> dubbed it the \u2018Hawaii of Europe\u2019.<\/p>\n

What to see and do in Madeira<\/p>\n

Although relatively small, Madeira has plenty of things to do<\/a>. The coastal capital of Funchal is nestled between the ocean and rugged hillsides.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Visitors can take a ride on its Cable Car, which takes them from the old town to the suburb of Monte, offering sweeping views along the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On the ground, tourists can admire its historic architecture, including the Funchal Cathedral, a gothic 16th-century church, and the Sao Tiago Fortress, a 17th-century defence wall built to protect the city from pirates.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The island is known for its wine too. Tours around the island often depart from the capital, taking visitors to local vineyards and historic wine cellars.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, the village of Santana, on the north coast of the island, is described as like stepping into a time capsule due to its traditional triangular thatched houses.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n\t\tYou can find natural swimming pools carved into the volcanic surface of Madeira (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Swimming on the island is slightly different than your typical beach holiday. The island isn\u2019t known for its stretches of sandy beaches due to its rugged and volcanic coastline.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For those looking to relax, Madeira has several man-made and natural swimming pools. One of the most famous is the Porto Moniz natural swimming pool, which is carved into the volcanic surface.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The island is described as a mecca for hikers and is home to nearly 1,800km of hiking trails<\/a>, and there are countless places to get lost, from the network of trails along the east and west coast to the central mountain range.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\"Young
\n\t\tMadeira is known for its scenic hiking trails (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

On the north coast, you\u2019ll find some of the Madiera\u2019s most beautiful levadas \u2013 a system of man-made irrigation channels or aqueducts that crisscross the island, visitmadeira.com says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While on the south coast, hikers can enjoy \u2018breathtaking views\u2019 over Funchal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Those hoping to explore the trails will need to pay a fee<\/a>, however. As of January this year, tourists exploring its most popular trials have to pay a \u20ac3 (\u00a32.50) fee to the Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation (ICNF).\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tThe five best hiking trails in Madeira\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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