Madeira: a subtropical volcanic island paradise

A hiker’s paradise: this island rising out of the North Atlantic, some 430 miles (700 km) west of Africa, the Portuguese island of Madeira is an adventurer’s dream. Effectively, the zenith of a gigantic shield volcano that rises 20,000 feet (6,000 m) from the ocean floor, it is a lavish botanical paradise where almost anything grows from the fertile volcanic soil.

Many walks in Madeira venture into the island interior’s lush, subtropical Laurisilva forest, characterised by evergreen and glossy broadleaved trees. The naturalist in you will revel in the endemic species found here, such as the colourful Madeira firecrest and the Madeiran wall lizard. Such is the importance of this beautiful habitat, it has been afforded UNESCO World Heritage status.

Veredas and levadas

The best hiking trails in Madeira, or veredas, are those that explore the unforgettable beauty and cooler air of the mountains at the island’s centre. High-point Pico Ruivo, at 6,109 feet (1,862 m), makes for a challenging but spectacular hike from neighbouring Pico Arieiro, itself an awesome, jagged rock tower. The views across the shimmering, neighbouring islands and the ocean stretching away indefinitely are absolutely awesome.

Not all hikes in Madeira’s high places are strenuous though. The island is criss-crossed by around 200 historic irrigation channels called levadas and many of them are accompanied by wonderful, flat trails. The levadas allow you to access truly inspirational scenery without the attrition usually associated with such spectacular situations.

Meanwhile the experience of Madeira’s coastal trails will leave you stunned. Some are pleasant, scenic ambles, others are vertigo inducing cliff-huggers. Towering 1,900 feet (580 m) above the blue, Cabo Girao boasts Europe’s highest cliff top skywalk. Whilst in the very east of the island, the gorgeous Ponta de Sao Lourenco peninsula stretches out to the cerulean sea.

Wizard of Madeira was written and created by Simon Victor in Summer 2025 while hiking the mountains and forests of this enchanting island.

I invite you to read or listen to the audio book of Wizard of Madeira during your trip to Madeira.

Traveling to Madeira is already a journey into the extraordinary. The island’s steep cliffs, ancient forests, and hidden valleys feel as though they belong to another world. Yet carrying Wizard of Madeira as a companion while hiking across its trails transforms the experience into something even more enchanting. The novel, rooted in the mystique of the Laurisilva forest and the timeless power of nature, offers a mirror to the traveler’s own path. Reading it along the way deepens each moment: every whisper of wind through the laurel trees feels like part of a story, every stone path becomes a clue to a larger labyrinth of destiny.

Travel is not just about moving through landscapes, but about being changed by them. We step away from the routines and distractions of daily life, and in that space of openness, transformation becomes possible. Wizard of Madeira amplifies this process, reminding readers that journeys are never only external. They are internal pilgrimages, opportunities to encounter hidden aspects of ourselves. The characters’ encounters with love, loss, time, and recurrence echo the traveler’s own discoveries, so that the novel and the island begin to speak to each other.

Hiking in Madeira with the book in hand turns a simple walk into a mythic experience. Valleys become sacred passages, mountain ridges become thresholds, and moments of solitude feel like conversations with something greater. The act of reading while traveling creates a dialogue between imagination and place, allowing the island to reveal itself in layers—geological, historical, and spiritual.

Ultimately, Wizard of Madeira is more than a story. It is an invitation to see travel as a catalyst for growth, a chance to shed old skins and step into a deeper understanding of destiny. With the book as guide, Madeira itself becomes a living story.