The world is home to some absolutely breathtaking islands, which make for the most scenic holidays. However, they are not always the easiest to travel to.
This gorgeous island, an autonomous region of Portugal in the North Atlantic Ocean, is around 500 miles from the country’s mainland. Madeira forms part of an archipelago also made up of Porto Santo and the Desertas. However, the island’s airport, Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, is considered one of the most perilous airports and has been ranked as one of the most dangerous airports in the world, let alone Europe. While Madeira sits on the African Tectonic Plate, it is culturally, politically, and ethnically associated with Europe. Most of its population is descended from Portuguese settlers who discovered the uninhabited islands in the 15th century.
According to the 2021 census, the archipelago is home to around 250,000 people. The capital of Madeira is Funchal, on the main island’s south coast.
Madeira, often called the “Hawaii of Europe”, is a year-round resort, boasting warm, sunny summers and mild, wet winters. Temperatures rarely drop below the mid-20s, and there are microclimates across the island. While a popular destination for the Portuguese, British and German tourists also visit regularly, with 148,000 and 113,000 in 2021, respectively.
The region is noted for its Madeira wine, flora and fauna and its prehistoric laurel forest is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Funchal’s main harbour has now become an important stopover for Atlantic cruises between Europe, the Caribbean and North Africa.
Maderia is also a hiker’s paradise, offering a diverse landscape and trails for all abilities. Popular destinations include hiking to the island’s highest peaks (Pico Ruivo at 6,109ft) and following ancient irrigation channels known as levadas.
However, a visit to Madeira involves landing at an airport which has been named among the world’s most dangerous on several occasions. Named after footballer and Madeiran native Cristiano Ronaldo, Madeira Airport is considered one of the most perilous due to its location and impressive runway construction. It officially opened in July 1964 and was extended in 1972 as the island’s popularity grew.
The History Channel’s Most Extreme Airports ranked it as the ninth most dangerous airport in the world and the third most dangerous in Europe. Pilots must undergo additional training to land at the airport.
The airport is perched on a foreland jutting out to sea. It is also a tabletop runway, which means there are steep drop-offs at either end of the runway.
At the end of runway 05, hills and cliffs make a standard direct approach and landing impossible. Instead, aircraft have to make a visual approach, which involves flying around the airport, circling around in a 180-degree turn before lining up on a very short final approach.