From sea views to fine wine and food, the island of Madeira makes a brilliant break year-round, discovers Amanda Statham

'I never dip my head in, because it’s freezing, but it’s great for aching thighs,’ says my guide Nalio. We’re standing on boulders staring at Lagoa do Vento (lake of wind), deep in Madeira’s famed Unesco-protected laurel forests, and I’m seriously considering wading in. It’s been a cardio workout to reach this idyllic spot on the island, but it’s worth the thigh burn to witness the glassy lake, crashing waterfall and miles of untouched forest. We’re on a levada trail, following one of many man-made water channels the isle is known for, and it’s opened my eyes to Madeira’s natural beauty, which rivals Hawaii’s lush mountains and waterfalls.

Less than 48 hours in and everything’s been delightful so far, not least my arrival at Cristiano Ronaldo Airport after a short flight from London (there’s a museum named for the island-born footballer, too). Jutting out of the North Atlantic, off the coast of Portugal, Madeira is just 35 miles long and 14 miles wide and looks enticingly rugged through the plane window during a slightly hair-raising landing, where the sea doesn’t turn into terra firma until the final few minutes.

It's just a short taxi ride from the airport to capital Funchal, where I'm staying at the Savoy Palace, one of the island’s largest, most glamorous hotels. Reminiscent of a rippling concrete wave, its sumptuous bedrooms are cocoons of luxury, with soft white linen and large sea-view balconies. The Reserve, a new boutique hotel located in the upper floors of Savoy Palace, has 1Galáxia Skyfood Every mouthful of the five-course menu at the Savoy Palace’s rooftop eatery is an experience, not least the punchy fermented fish with a silky mango, avocado and ponzu sauce. just opened and includes rooms with private pools and a rooftop infinity pool; however, it’s the food that’s the real highlight.

On my first night I dine at Nikkei, the hotel’s 16th-floor Japanese restaurant, with views of Funchal below. I begin with plates of parrotfish and tuna sashimi in zuke sauce, shallots and olive oil, both delicate yet bursting with flavour. Next is a selection of sushi dotted with edible flowers followed by chintan stock chicken ramen, before rounding things off with a sublime matcha tea hotcake – a soft, gooey mouthful of heaven. I’m up early to explore Funchal and discover a city that channels mainland Portugal, with its stone pavements, bakeries and tiled roofs, yet has a tropical tree at every turn.

Browsing the stalls at a vibrant farmer’s market laden with exotic flowers, spices and fruits such as guava, papaya, dragon fruit and some I don’t recognise, feels more like being in the Caribbean than Portugal. I snap up packets of €3.50 strelitzia seeds in an attempt to recreate this haven back home. There is a long tradition of embroidery in Madeira, so I follow a local tip to Bordal, a treasure trove of handmade crafts, from PJs to table runners, and the last remaining embroidery factory.

It’s pricey, but I’m told the pieces are hand-stitched over months (sometimes years) by a co-operative of hundreds of home-working women – little wonder brands like Chanel have commissioned pieces in the past. Back on the narrow streets of Funchal’s Old Town, filled with restaurants and bars, I decide to take a brief break from exploring to try a potent poncha cocktail (rum, honey and fruit juice), which turns out to be the perfect aperitif.

Lunchtime hunger hits immediately, so I head to Terreiro, a traditional house converted by the Savoy Palace into a pretty pink restaurant with a wraparound terrace surrounded by palms and lawns (it’s a top spot for weddings). The chefs here clearly love to play around with traditional Portuguese dishes, and I can’t resist a codfish fritter with aïoli sauce to start – light, crispy batter housing flaky chunks of cod – followed by succulent octopus with kimchi, sweet potato purée and chorizo, an inspired mix of flavours in the mouth. Madeira is famous for its fortified wine, and I’m curious to know more about this mysterious drink I’ve only ever seen my gran sip, so book a trip to Quinta das Malvas, a three-hectare vineyard and B&B tucked away behind gates on a slope above the coast, city and heat.

Owned by the Blandy family for seven generations, it’s a vine- and flower-filled oasis where, after a short tour, knowledgeable Emily Blandy Woodroffe talks me through a tasting of four 10-year-old blend wines, including dry sercial, verdelho, bual and sweet malmsey. ‘We’re now stocked in Sainsbury’s in the UK,’ she says with a smile as I marvel at the dryness of the sercial, which tastes nothing like the sweet sherry I assumed it was. Maybe my gran was on to something. An hour’s walk (or 10-minute taxi ride) south of Funchal lies Praia Formosa, a beach of smooth, warm pebbles (most of Madeira’s volcanic beaches are stone or black sand), which feel like a hot stone massage when I lie on them in the late afternoon sun.

I wade into the sparkling, cold sea for a refreshing dip then make like a local and snack on black scabbardfish and fries at lively café Beira Calhau. My final day in Madeira is dedicated to spending time in Savoy Palace’s splendid spa. It’s one of the largest in Portugal and includes a Himalayan salt room, sauna, steam room and indoor pool, all of which I sample before zoning out during a relaxing 60-minute massage, where my therapist uses almond oil to ease out knots I didn’t even know I had. I’m loath to leave and am astonished that it’s taken me so long to discover this remarkably exotic, emerald isle that’s just a four-hour flight from the UK. For next time, I’m already planning a dolphin safari and tobogganing in the mountains in a wicker basket, which is a genuine activity in Madeira apparently (presumably after a swift poncha cocktail or three)