The ‘Hawaii of Europe’ – home to black-sand beaches, volcanic landscapes and a sub-tropical climate – has been named the world’s top trending destination for 2026.
Madeira, an Atlantic archipelago located just over 600 miles from mainland Portugal, is famed for its distinctive landscapes, which includes deep valleys, dramatic mountains, lush Levada trails and miles of golden and black-sand beaches.
The island is a paradise for both nature lovers, adventurists, or holidaymakers looking for a change of scenery, so it’s no surprise it’s been named the world’s number one Trending Destination for 2026 in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.
In the awards, which analysed twelve months of consistently strong reviews submitted by travellers throughout 2025, Madeira lead the global ranking, beating the likes of Quy Nhon in Vietnam, Recife in Brazil and Puerto Escondido in Mexico.
Visitor feedback across the island’s hotels, attractions, restaurants, tours, and family-friendly experiences highlight Madeira’s striking architecture, year-round mild climate, dramatic scenery and varied outdoor activities.
This recognition comes as the island becomes more accessible than ever for UK holidaymakers travellers, with a 17 per cent jump in flight capacity between March 2025 and March 2026.
London remains a key hub, with services running regularly from Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.
Meanwhile, regional connectivity continues to expand to airports in Belfast, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.
Madeira, located just over 600 miles from mainland Portugal, has been named the world’s top trending destination for 2026
The island is famed for its distinctive landscapes, which includes deep valleys, dramatic mountains, lush Levada trails and miles of golden and black-sand beaches
It’s been crowned the world’s number one Trending Destination for 2026 in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards, beating the likes of Recife in Brazil and Puerto Escondido in Mexico
Located just 500km from Morocco, Madeira is closer to Africa than it is Europe, meaning it enjoys mild temperatures and moderate humidity throughout the year, ranging from 25C in the summer to 17C in the winter.
The tiny island, which boasts a population of just 260,000, is affordable and within easy reach for UK holidaymakers, with three-and-a-half-hour flights from London starting at £43 with Ryanair.
Along Madeira’s coast, visitors can enjoy whale and dolphin watching before soaking up the sun on some of most popular gold-sand beaches, such as Calheta Beach and Machico Beach.
It’s also home to a black-sand beach named Praia do Porto do Seixal, located on the north coast and famed for its stunning volcanic black sand, clear turquoise waters, dramatic green cliff backdrop with waterfalls, and calm sea.
As for food and drink, Madeira is not only known for its thriving wine culture, but it boasts world-class gastronomy, blending fresh Atlantic seafood, rich meats, tropical fruits and unique specialties such as Espetada.
It also happens to be one of the only places on the planet where banana trees grow alongside vineyards.
Beyond its natural beauty, Madeira also offers a varied cultural calendar throughout the year, with standout events including Carnival in February, the Atlantic Festival in early summer and the Madeira Wine Festival in September.
Elsewhere in Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards, London was named as 2026’s best food city in the world.
Madeira enjoys mild temperatures and moderate humidity throughout the year, ranging from 25C in the summer to 17C in the winter
Pictured: natural beaches with black sand of Cais do Seixal, Madeira island, Portugal
Tripadvisor looked at last year’s eight million online reviews to compile its ‘best of the best’ list.
Announcing London’s surprising foodie win, the travel reviews site said: ‘From Shoreditch’s swaggering style to Camden’s punky vibe and chic Portobello Road, London is many worlds in one.
‘The city’s energy means that no two days are the same.
‘Explore royal or historic sites, tick off landmarks from your bucket list, eat and drink in exclusive Michelin-starred, enjoy a pint in a traditional, or get lost down winding cobbled streets and see what you stumble across – the possibilities are endless.’
