Located in the Atlantic Ocean, about 300 miles off Morocco’s west coast, Madeira is an autonomous Portuguese archipelago. The main island—also called Madeira—is relatively small, just 35 miles long and 14 miles wide, yet its landscapes are remarkably diverse. Sunlit beaches give way to terraced fields of bananas, sugarcane, and vineyards, all set against rugged mountains and the mist-covered Paúl da Serra plateau. This chain of islands was formed by submarine volcanoes. Its dramatic cliffs are crossed by levadas—historic irrigation canals that channel freshwater from the north of the island to farms in the south. We walked many of the trails that follow the levadas, explored the high mountain paths, and wandered along the beaches. It was a truly memorable journey.