Idyllic island destination offers golfers the chance to combine world-class golf with hiking, biodiversity and spectacular volcanic landscapes

Golfers seeking an active autumn escape can combine their passion for the game with an immersive nature experience by heading to the idyllic Portuguese archipelago of Madeira.

Offering a unique combination of physical movement, cognitive challenge and social interaction, golf naturally lends itself to an active and healthy lifestyle, with players walking between four to six miles during a full round. In Madeira, the experience extends well beyond the fairways, as the destination’s three golf courses are set against dramatic volcanic landscapes, subtropical vegetation and panoramic Atlantic Ocean views.

Madeira’s three courses - Palheiro Golf, Clube de Golf Santo da Serra and Porto Santo Golfe - provide a natural gateway to the wider destination, allowing golfers the chance to combine time on the course with walking, hiking and exploring Madeira’s distinctive landscapes. On the western side of Madeira, the destination’s golf offering is also set to expand with the new Ponta do Pargo Golf Course, further broadening the golfing experience across the island.

The archipelago offers an exceptional variety of outdoor experiences. Its volcanic origins have created a spectacular landscape of mountains, deep valleys, dramatic cliffs, waterfalls and forests, while numerous viewpoints provide sweeping panoramas across the Atlantic.

One of the island’s most important natural treasures is the Laurissilva Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its exceptional biodiversity and abundance of native fauna and flora. This ancient subtropical forest is one of Madeira’s defining natural features and provides visitors with the opportunity to experience the island’s unique environment at close quarters.

The forest can be explored via a network of walking trails and Madeira’s traditional levadas - historic water channels that cross some of the island’s most scenic and best-preserved landscapes. Following these routes takes visitors through dense vegetation and past endemic species, waterfalls, valleys and mountain scenery, providing an immersive experience of Madeira’s natural heritage.

Hiking is one of the destination’s signature outdoor activities, with classified walking routes offering experiences to suit a wide range of abilities. From peaceful levada walks through the Laurissilva Forest to more challenging mountain trails, visitors can discover contrasting sides of Madeira, from lush subtropical environments to high-altitude volcanic landscapes and dramatic ocean views.

The management of Madeira’s walking routes, including the access system and applicable fees, supports their conservation and maintenance, as well as measures designed to enhance visitor safety and promote the sustainable enjoyment of the island’s natural areas.

Named as the ‘World’s Leading Island Destination’ for the 11^th year in a row at the 2025 World Travel Awards and as the 'World's Best Emerging Golf Destination' for the second year in a row at the 2025 World Golf Awards, Madeira‘s impressive golf and lifestyle offering combined with a temperate climate make it the perfect year-round location for a golf break.

The best way for travelling golfers to experience the idyllic islands is with the Madeira Golf Passport, which includes three rounds of golf at either Clube de Golf Santo da Serra or Palheiro Golf from just €310 per person. The passport - which includes free transfers between course and hotel – can be upgraded to include additional rounds and a day at Porto Santo Golfe, and getting to the Portuguese archipelago couldn’t be easier with an array of direct flights making the destination easily accessible for golfers from key international markets. Indeed, Madeira enjoys excellent air connections with major European cities and a direct flight to the United States, ensuring convenient year-round access for visitors from across the globe.

For more information on Madeira, visit madeiraeverythingyouareinto.visitmadeira.com/

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Information for journalists

About Madeira. Belongs to all

• Madeira. Belongs to all is the consumer-facing brand of the Madeira Promotion Bureau, which aims to promote Madeira as a tourist destination to consumers and the travel trade.
• Madeira, otherwise known as ‘the islands of eternal spring' it covers 740km² and 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 in the planet where banana trees grow next to vineyards.
• Located approximately 1,000km from the European mainland - and just 500km from the African continent - Madeira 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.
• In 1999, Madeira's indigenous forest, the Laurissilva, was declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. The Madeira Natural Park is a protected area that covers around two-thirds of Madeira Island's territory, equivalent to 67 per cent of its surface.
• The Madeira Golf Passport costs €310 and offers three rounds of golf at either Clube de Golf Santo da Serra or Palheiro Golf. Plus, the courses will supply complimentary transfers to and from the hotel. Additional rounds, including a day at Porto Santo Golfe, can be provided for an upcharge.
• For high-resolution imagery, please visit tinyurl.com/mr39hpu8
• For more information on Madeira visit madeiraeverythingyouareinto.visitmadeira.com/

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