Family-friendly locations for a midterm stay in Madeira

Madeira Island isn’t all that big, but that only makes all its beauties more tightly packed. This is excellent news for families with kids since the answer to “How much further is it?” can pretty much always be truthfully answered with “Not far.” Here are just a few places you can visit with your family in Madeira.

Funchal is the central city of Madeira, and as such, it has plenty to offer to any visitor. But families with kids will find Funchal especially fun and exciting. You can visit the Monte Palace Madeira, which spans over 70 000 square meters with its exhibition space, which displays classic Portuguese tiles or a rare gem and stone collection. Its extensive tropical gardens twist and turn in a fairy-tale-like fashion.

Even just getting to the palace is fun since there is the Telefericos da Madeira cable car which offers easy access to the botanical gardens at the top of the hill and a gorgeous view on the way. Another great place to visit in Funchal is Santa Maria Street. That may not sound like much, but the whole street displays its art on its doors with paintings of all kinds of motives and pictures. This colourful experience is just a few streets away from the Museu do Brinquedo, an extensive antique toy collection and the Madeira Story Centre, which can bring you up to speed about Madeira’s history in a fun and interactive way.

If you want to delve deeper into Madeira’s natural and historical part, there is no better part of the island than the mid-north, around the towns of Santana and Faial. Here you can take a walk in the beautifully preserved park of Parque Florestal das Queimadas which offers everything from babbling brooks and moss-grown cliffs to misty bridges and waterfalls.

Another stunning natural preserve is the Reserva Natural da Rocha do Navio which has some of the best views and hills on the island. You can get here by a small cable car or a steep footpath up the mountain. There is also a tiny farming community that still cultivates its land. If you’re tired of walking, why not visit the picturesque village of Santana. Its tiny, colourful cottage houses overlooking the nearby cliffs are beautiful places to do some holiday shopping and relax with a coffee and some snacks for the kids. It’s not large, and it won’t take you more than an hour to enjoy it all, but it’s a great stop on your way home from a long day in the forest.