Madeira loses to Majorca the title of Best Island Destination in Europe

Tobi Hughes·
Madeira News

Madeira failed to win the award for Best Island Destination in Europe, which had been winning consecutively since 2016.

In the curriculum there are already 8 distinctions for the best European island, this year lost to the Balearic Islands.

The 29th edition of the World Travel Awards – Europe, which took place in the Balearic Islands, took place yesterday evening.

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Tobi Hughes

49 Responses

  1. Other destinations have had seven years to evaluate what Madeira was doing right, did complacency play a part? Competition is a good driver of standards, Madeira will now need to up its game.

    1. Madeira schafft sich leider selbst ab. Betonklötze, Protzbauten von Hotels,stinkende Busse, rücksichtslose Autofahrer,Bettler nehmen überhand (Funchal), hohe Arbeitslosigkeit, Investoren machen fette Kohle, nicht leistbare Wohnungen für die Einheimischen.
      Wir liebten diese Insel.
      Aber die Zustände wurden Jahr für Jahr schlimmer.
      Wir sind nur traurig darüber.

        1. Antonio, after reading a translation of the previous comment and my experience of one trip to Majorca, I can’t be certain whether you are being ironic in your answer.

            1. Antonio, nice to get a bit of ironic wit. I see our resident harpy, Lavinia, has deserted her coven and plucked out a vitriol dipped quill to sweeten our day. Toby, if you get too many comments on a subject and have to leave some out, as you seem to have been forced to do so on this subject, think of our friend.

              1. I know you have missed my vitriol soaked words, George Nabbs. Enjoy them while they last.

        2. To Antony Lamas
          Still bitter and angry with the past ? Did you manage to resolve your trauma ?

          1. Don´t worry about my traumas. Unlike overly busy Madeira just enjoy your beautiful and quiet Sintra where residents and children go to work/school on TukTuks. Such an authentic place with no room for tourists as you aimed for.

            1. Luis Paulo
              I was born in Madeira for your information .As far Sintra the same is happening where .I don’t have a problem with tourists but the excess of them that is causing problems around where excess of cars and buses and TukTucks and they all drive like made in a small road that is forbidden overtaking another car something they don’t respect at all . My advice go walk in that road to see if you can arrive to the historic center a live . Even the supposed council and police give up of doing anything it is complete anarchy.

      2. Translation:–

        Unfortunately, Madeira abolishes itself. Concrete blocks, swanky hotels, stinking buses, ruthless drivers, beggars are rampant (Funchal), high unemployment, investors are making big bucks, unaffordable housing for the locals.
        We loved this island.
        But the conditions got worse year by year.
        We’re just sad about it.

        2. AH. Maurice. So unlike our own, “Royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars. This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England. Antonio, that’s irony.

  4. Still and always will be Madeira, we were in Majorca in May and although very good, 2nd best.

    1. Hi Maurice, A Pub near where i live in London got caught watering down the Keg beer, one wag commented ‘The Water in the Duke of Yorker, don’t taste like what it oughter’
      I’ve personally booked two breaks on Madeira in Nov and Dec, i think it is good to hear a cross section of views on this site even if I don’t agree with some, If Majorca has won it this year good luck to them, blaming tourism isn’t the way forward, the Island really struggled during Covid, I spent about 6 months here in 2021, it was soul destroying for a lot people in the Hospitality industry. Hopefully the powers that be will listen to peoples concerns about overbuilding, see you soon.

  8. We’ve been coming here for 35 years and now live here … we still love Madeira deeply, and understand you can’t stop progress, but when the government seems to revel in numbers of tourists rather than on what the island offers (or not) then I’m afraid it doesn’t auger well for the future. As foreigners though we need to respect the culture and traditions here rather than try to impose our own. Let’s all work to keep the island special, for all.

  11. Hardly surprising as it was held in the Balearics Islands. Sorry no comparison, Madeira is magic

  12. If the buses are stinky, it’s because of the tourists filling them, often poorly dressed, fat and sweating profusely. I’ve never had a problem with stenches in the buses mainly locals ride. Maybe if you’re going to travel in packs of 6 or more, don’t cheap out and use a van or other private transport service instead of invading public services that poor people rely on.

    1. Not very nice when a huge amount of Madiera’s income is from tourism, I may just spend less when I am there for the next 2 weeks 🙂 £££

    2. An Lavinia:
      Ich meinte mit stinkenden Bussen nicht die Personen welche darin befördert werden, sondern die Busse selber, welche laut sind, teilweise total veraltet und durch stinkende ABGASE die Luft verpesten.
      Es liegt mir ferne die Bevölkerung zu beleidigen, da wir diese sehr liebgewonnen und auch viele Freundschaften geschlossen habe.
      Wir haben etwas Angst um die Zukunft dieser schönen Insel.
      Liebe Grüße aus Österreich.

  13. Or maybe walk instead of taking buses all over a small town, it will get some of the fat off or at least prevent you from getting even fatter from all that alcohol and the excessive consumption of pasteis de nata.

  14. I Know Both Islands , but Madeira is very different to Mallorca and the people are more nice at Madeira and the Nature !
    Mallorca has only better Beaches !
    My Nr 1 is Madeira ,Love Madeira ??

  15. To Lavina
    After reading your comments about the buses full of people stuck like sardines and smelling my advice walk like I do . The Sintra buses to Pena and the other areas they always full they seem incapable of walking anywhere when it is only one hour up and another going down depends how fast you can walk also . But must of them neither take the appropriated clothing or shoes to walk it seems more like a photo shut they are going instead .

    1. I walk whenever possible, avoid the buses unless there is no other route. I was reponding to the German tourist who said the buses stink…I’m afraid that’s not a local problem but a problem his ilk have brought with them. But looking at the state of some of these people, easily several stone overweight, dressed for the beach in the mountains or in the city, oblivious to whose toes they are stepping on or whose face their bum is shoved in…they wouldn’t know how to walk. They can barely put one foot in front of the other, they’re so sedentary.

      2. Hahahaha a Madeiran commenting on the way others dress! I swear they don’t have mirrors in Madeira ???

  16. I just got back from my trip to Madeira and I’ve been to Ibiza , Mallorca , Bali & most islands in Greece

    Madeira is the BEST hand down

  17. I have been visiting Madeira from 2008 love Madeira but it is over building it’s loosing its charm listen to people who live there please don’t spoil Madeira

  18. I applaud you Lavina complete right about everything .I walk every where and I do hiking almost every days because I live in Sintra near from the countryside. And sometimes and I think that in Madeira should be a control in the levadas that are becoming to full with people that never did hike in their lives or done any type of that walking that is demanding and tiring and next no under they will have problems . A complete control to see if they go with the right equipment and clothing and shoes and not dress like they are going to a photo shoot . I was born in Madeira and isn’t anymore the same if the current government doesn’t start having careful everything will be destroyed .

    1. Sintra is such a wonderful place with no tourists nor concrete. Don’t you just love Cacem and Rio de Mouro? All those beautiful gardens and forests. And Sintra centre is really nice and quiet with those Tuktuks taking local children to school.

      1. Antonio Lamas
        Sarcastic like always count your blessings that you don’t have graffiti over the place and Madeira still pretty clean . When I go hiking with some people I always take a bag to collect the rubbish away people are becoming like pigs and their isn’t another word I can find . Yes it is a wonderful place to live but in certain times of the year their is to much tourists and should be a control of number of visitors like they do in Italy .

  19. Then the planes should be diverted to Majorca that way Madeira will have less tourists

      1. People like you, who make condescending remarks about Madeirans “not having mirrors” and eating bananas all day, aren’t welcome. Your false sense of superiority is evident and we’re not interested in licking your boots or treating you like royalty when you’re probably just a chav who can’t even afford lunch out at a decent restaurant in your own city. Fewer plebs like you = great proportion of educated and affluent tourists (small overall number), more services to cater to their tastes and therefore a higher price to be charged and more revenue. Plus, our island won’t become unbearable with the worst of Germany, England and Sweden coming here to get drunk.

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