Madeira, otherwise known as ‘the islands of eternal spring’, is just a short, three-and-a-half-hour flight from London. It covers 740km2 and has a population of only 260,000. On the same latitude as Morocco, the Atlantic archipelago has a sub-tropical climate, a rich volcanic soil and a unique eco-system. It is one of the only places on the planet where banana trees grow next to vineyards.

World-class golf in a safe and secure setting is back on the agenda for UK golfers this summer, with the idyllic destination of Madeira ready to welcome players for an outstanding experience on and off the course following the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Golfers can cast off their lockdown travel shackles and return to the fairways in style from May 17 with a trip to the breath-taking Portuguese islands – named as the world and Europe’s leading island destination at the 2020 World Travel Awards.

As well as three first-class golf courses, Madeira offers an array of outstanding historic, cultural and lifestyle experiences and Visit Madeira – the consumer-facing brand of the Madeira Promotion Bureau – has taken every step to ensure the safety of every resident and visitor after the islands were placed on the UK government’s Covid-19 travel green list.

Since the start of the pandemic, the archipelago has been considered one of the safest destinations in Europe and has been widely praised for its handling of the Covid-19 crisis. Madeira has recently been named as one of the safest destinations for 2021 by European Best Destinations and has worked closely with SGS, the world’s leading certification company, to ensure safe practice across the destination and minimise risk in regard to Covid-19.

Covid-19 cases in Madeira have been decreasing since the end of January and are now among the lowest in Europe. At the start of May, 27.1% of its population had received the first dose of the vaccination and 8.8% had been fully completed vaccination (as of 2nd May 2021). Madeira is working towards having a fully vaccinated tourism sector before summer.

Under the umbrella brand “Madeira Safe to Discover”, Visit Madeira has published updated guidelines for all incoming visitors, including for people who have been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19.

The green corridor already exists at Madeira airport for those who arrive with a vaccination certificate or with proof of a negative PCR test done within 72 hours. Alternatively, visitors can take a free test at the airport on arrival. One free PCR test per visitor is offered, to be taken on arrival or departure, with results in 12 hours.  There are also discounts on offer for any further tests required, with PCR tests from €90 and antigen tests from €18.

In addition, a tourist or individual who has tested positive in the last 90 days may be excused, if they are provided with a medical document that proves and certifies that this carrier is recovered from the disease Covid-19 and that it has occurred in the last three months. Incoming visitors will also be subject to thermal screening, even if they carry a negative test for Covid-19.

Located approximately 1,000km from the European mainland – and just 500km from the African continent – Madeira and her islands enjoy an amazingly mild climate, ranging from 25°c in the summer to 17°c in the winter, with very mild average temperatures and moderate humidity, making it the perfect year-round destination for a golf break.

The islands feature three golf courses – Clube de Golf do Santo da Serra, Palheiro Golf and Porto Santo Golf, which is located on the nearby island of Porto Santo. All three were included in recent industry poll of the best golf courses in Portugal.

The best way to enjoy the archipelago’s golf is with a Madeira Golf Passport which, providing holders with an unrivalled golf experience, is available to both individuals and groups and can be booked on a three or five-round basis.