Madeira ends airport COVID testing: Why you should visit this island of black sand beaches

Pull up your maps app and pick a spot in the middle of the Atlantic ocean - not as far west as Bermuda but south of the Azores. It will take some zooming in to locate this tiny, volcanic island, but once you find it, you’ll never want to leave.

I had never been somewhere as remote as Madeira. Although it’s one of two autonomous regions of Portugal, the island has its own rich culture and a completely unique landscape of dramatic cliffs and botanical gardens.

But it wasn’t a smooth introduction to this island paradise.

Touching down at the main airport in Funchal, one of the shortest runways in the world, is not for the fainthearted. Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (yes, Madeira is the birthplace of the famous footballer) is known for being a little risqué - its 1,600 metre runway is cut short by high mountains and the sea.

The extreme gusts of wind created mean pilots have to take special training before being allowed to land here.

But after some turbulence and bonding over the adrenaline rush with those sitting near me, we make it onto the ground safe and sound.

Once you get through airport security and grab your luggage, you pull up your previously downloaded ‘Madeira Safe’ app which has your own personal barcode to show a team of officials.

The app is where you upload proof of either full vaccination status, or recovery from COVID-19 in the last 90 days. If you fall into one of these categories, there is no requirement to present/pay for a negative lateral flow test.

And even if you've only had one vaccine - you still don't need to do a lateral flow test. "Passengers with a medical document certifying that they were vaccinated with only one dose, who have respected the activation period for the immune system of 14