Paid occasional visits to sierran region of Portugal (7)
I believe the answer is:
madeira
'region of portugal' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot understand how one could define the other.
'paid occasional visits to sierran' is the wordplay.
'paid' becomes 'made' (as in making or paying a visit).
'occasional visits to' means one should take alternating letters.
The alternate letters of 'sierran' are 'ira'.
'made'+'ira'='MADEIRA'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for madeira that I've seen before include "cake producer" , "Atlantic island, famed for its sweet wine" , "Atlantic territory" , "Portuguese island, capital Funchal" , "drink" .)