Portugal

Most people’s Portugal is Lisbon and Porto. Mine, so far, is an island closer to Morocco than to the mainland. I’ve been to Madeira twice, ten days each time, and I’d happily make it three.

It’s a country of tiled walls and pastéis de nata, but Madeira showed me its wilder side: ridgeline hikes above the clouds, centuries-old levadas cutting through ancient forest, lava pools on the north coast, and poncha that’s much stronger than it tastes. Rent a car, start early, and don’t try to race it.