Jetsettersblog

Portugal’s Madeira Island is promoting itself to American travelers as a winter sun/sand alternative to the Caribbean and Hawaii. Madeira’s climate in the winter, generally warm and clear with temperature in the 70s as well as its relative nearness to the East Coast of the U.S. and its landscape characterized by volcanic cliffs that rise dramatically from the sea, give it features that should make it a success if properly marketed.

Azores Express/SATA wants to reintroduce Americans to the island with newly reduced prices on their air and hotels packages.

This fall and winter, Azores Express/SATA will be offering six-night packages from Boston Logan Airport to the capital city of Funchal, via the Azores or Lisbon. Packages include roundtrip air, hotel, and breakfast.

Prices start at $849 per person, before taxes and fees, a $300 discount from last year’s packages.

Flights depart and return on Tuesday and Fridays.

Passengers can upgrade their Boston to Madeira flights from coach to SATA Plus Business-Class for a few hundred dollars each way.

All packages offera choice of seven hotels and include breakfast. Kids under 6 stay free and pay only a child’s airfare.

New this year is the Ajuda Madeira Hotel, a four-star resort set in Funchal, just above the seaside promenade and less than two miles from the city center.

Each of its 91 rooms features a balcony with sea views. Other amenities include a restaurant, bar, adults and children’s heated outdoor swimming pools, sauna, Jacuzzi, steam bath, massage, laundry service, games room, private parking and a complimentary shuttle to and from the city center. The other hotels in the package are four- and five-star ranked and include the Alto Lido, Cliff Bay, Madeira Regency, Tivoli Madeira, Baia Azul, and the new CS Madeira.

All hotels offer seaside views, outdoor saltwater pools and full resort faculties.

Azores Express has connected New England with Portugal for more than 20 years.

Today it offers direct flights on wide body A310 aircraft to São Miguel, the main island in the Azores archipelago. Connecting flights from São Miguel to Lisbon, Porto and/or the islands of Madeira are available. The company is part of the SATA Group.

For more information, call 800-762-9995 or visit www.sata.pt