Not many weeks had passed since the devastating floods saw torrents of rain gushing down from the mountains when we arrived in Funchal, the capital and port of Madeira.

Gardens and tree-lined promenades looked immaculate. The only evidence left behind being the remains of a collapsed bridge in the village of Ribeira Brava, which is perhaps down to the fierce civic pride of this Portuguese island.

Madeira is a visual feast – a dramatic combination of awe-inspiring mountains and valleys.

A mild climate and year-round sunshine ensure the land is completely covered in a carpet of lush green trees, plants and flowers.

Keen walkers find challenges here at all levels. Some hotels organise walks, graded from easy to challenging, as you make your way through beautiful forests and mountain pathways.

Steep really does mean steep. The tour bus got me most of the way up Pico Areerio, Madeira’s third-highest mountain, but I was still gasping for breath as I took in the truly spectacular view.

At the Villa Porto Mare Resort, our four-star hotel in the centre of Funchal, the sunlounger beckoned when the sun broke through.

Funchal itself has a genteel and stately air, its streets gathered around the small but magnificent Se cathedral.

A fantastic seafront promenade stretches the length of the bay. At the west end is the harbour and marina, while the rest is dotted with cafes and bars.

Nearer sea level, the views continue to amaze. Funchal sits like an amphitheatre on the south of the island.

In the east, the old town is characterised by narrow cobbled streets, small squares and markets, surrounded by terraced fishermen’s cottages, where early settlers in Madeira once lived. Here, there’s a better view of Funchal, by taking a cable car from the seafront high above the city to the hills.

The car stops at the hilltop town of Monte, home to the beautiful Church of Our Lady, which sits in a dramatic position on top of a hill and accessed only by climbing tens of steps. It’s worth the effort though, especially if you plan to travel back downhill the traditional way... by toboggan!

Goods used to be carried up and down the hills by horse-drawn toboggans, but this has been adapted for tourists and it’s actually a lot of fun being pushed and pulled downhill in a sturdy wicker basket by men in straw boater hats.

In the south of the island, Machico, where the founder of the island first arrived, has the only real golden sand – imported from Morocco – on the island.

If, like Winston Churchill, you want to capture the views on canvas, head west to Camara de Lobos, where brightly-coloured fishing boats bob about in the shadow of the cliffs. This view inspired the Prime Minister to set up his easel and paint palette in 1950.

What better way to take in the island’s marvellously relaxed way of life?

TRAVEL FACTS

- Debbie Murray travelled with Thomas Cook which offers seven nights’ B&B at the four-star-plus Villa Porto Mare Resort, Funchal, from £519, with flights from Manchester.
- The holiday is included in Thomas Cook’s Style programme (0844 4212 5870 and thomascook style.com).
-Thomas Cook’s Madeira travel guide, £4.99, is available from 01733 416477 and thomascook publishing.com.