Great article about Madeira Islands, at CBS Travel News, by Associated Press
“…We had barely landed on the runway in Funchal when my wife commented that already it reminded her of a Hawaiian island, with its waving palm trees, temperate climate and abundant sunshine. (Year-round average temperature is about 80 degrees.) The airport is fairly small but modern and is served by several airlines.
Although it’s part of Portugal, you don’t have to speak Portuguese in Madeira. Just about everyone we met spoke English, largely because tourism is an economic mainstay, and menus and guides were in both languages (and then some)….
