Arriving in Porto Santo still feels like a quiet secret. The island is small but gives more mental space than many long-haul destinations.

Mornings on almost empty beaches, lunch in simple restaurants with fresh fish of the day and sunsets in low houses facing the ocean.

It is the ideal island if all you want is to be barefoot for two days.

The diary includes our favourite routes, a short list of honest spots to eat and the KIVO homes that best express the island’s character.