There’s something wonderfully easy about arriving in Porto Santo.
Just a short flight or a two-and-a-half-hour ferry from Funchal, Madeira’s busy capital, the tiny Portuguese island feels a world away from the crowds and bustle of its larger neighbour, despite the two being just 81 kilometres apart.
Madeira has long been a favourite alternative to Spain's Canary Islands, drawing visitors with its dramatic landscapes, hiking trails and subtropical climate. Porto Santo, by comparison, has remained something of a secret.
That may well be set to change, though, after Expedia recently ranked it second in its annual Hot List of European islands to know now.
Porto Santo is pretty diminutive, even for an island. At just 11 kilometres across, it’s small enough to explore without ever feeling as though you need to be anywhere in particular.
