Visitors may be hard-pressed not to fall in love with Madeira, Europe’s Hawaii.  Another autonomous region of Portugal closer to Africa, these islands offer warmer waters and lush, fertile valleys to explore.  Madiera, the main island, shares with its two smaller islands, Porto Santo and Desertas Islands.  Funchal, Madeira’s capital, enchants visitors with botanical gardens, a water park, charming downtown streets, and even a museum dedicated to the most famous local, Cristiano Ronaldo.  Our favorite was the famous carts you can ride down the mountain with guides, an ancient way of descending this hilly capital city.