Is Madeira suitable for family trips?

Madeira Island - the so-called Atlantic pearl or the Atlantic's garden - is known for its exuberant lush green nature, all-year mild temperatures, and astonishing landscapes. Madeira is an ideal destination for a family trip with children or teenagers from natural pools, sand beaches, playgrounds, a variety of beautiful gardens, and easy flat hikes directly into the wildest vegetation. You will find diverse tropical scenarios at every twist turn of the road.

 

Madeira hosts diverse activities that appeal to solo adventurous travellers or family holiday visitors despite its small size. When planning your trip to Madeira, you'll find activities that not only entertain the kids but adults too, always in direct contact with nature and animals. Here are some insider tips for enjoying the Island at its most with your family, from main attractions to some hidden gems.

 

 

 

Although everything on the Island is close by and connected to public transportation, its service is scarce and not so well-connected. For this reason, we highly recommend hiring a car and exploring loads of incredible coastal villages, tunnels and even experience driving under a waterfall in the middle of a road at your family's own pace.

 

Your kids will be fascinated by it. If driving doesn't appeal to you, you can always hire a taxi or use Bolt services.

 

 

You probably have heard about Funchal - Madeira's largest city, known for its food market, museums, cultural offerings, and delicious restaurants. However, you might prefer to drive away from the city and stay at one of the charming villas around the Island for more privacy or enjoy one of the many hotels with child facilities. These can include indoor and outdoor pools, and some have direct access to the ocean.

 

Suppose you are staying on the Island for 14 days or more. In that case, you can rent fully furnished and equipped family-friendly apartments for rent on Flatio.

 

 

Before jumping into all the various activities you can do with your family, one thing worth mentioning is the age limit for free activities: most places offer free activities for kids up to 5 or 6 and some even older. When planning your itinerary, don't miss the opportunity to try the delicious homemade food available in the restaurants around the Island. Most of them offer kids' menus.

 

 

One of the first things you will probably love to do when landing in Madeira with your children, especially in the summer, is heading straight to one of the sandy beaches the Island has to offer. Look for Prainha in Caniçal (east coast) or Seixal beach (northern coast) for natural black-sand beaches. If you prefer to enjoy some yellow sand imported from Morocco, you can find them in Calheta (south coast) or Machico (east coast). This smaller beach near the airport has soft, golden sand to play on.

 

In addition, there are football and volleyball areas, pedal boats, jet skis, sunbeds, and parasols. You can enjoy all of this in one spot while lifeguards are on duty. Depending on the duration of your trip, a visit to the paradisiac, natural yellow and sand beach of Porto Santo is a must. Access to the Island is via the ferry. If your kids are into marine wildlife, you shouldn't miss the opportunity to do a tour to watch dolphins, whales, and other species.

 

From the whole sensory experience of the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens (which you can reach by an exciting cable car) to the easy-walk hikes into the wild nature, children will love most places around the Island. If your family has an adventurous spirit, camping is another great option. Hikes we recommend for families with children: A Trail for All in Santana, PR11 Vereda dos Balcões and the Cabo Girão point of view where you can skywalk 580 meters above the sea on a glass floor.

 

 

Even though the Island can boast fantastic gastronomy, having a picnic in one of the many designated areas around the mountains is also a must-do. Try the Final Forest - your family will be intrigued with this fairy-tale-like place.

 

 

When driving around the Island, you will notice that most towns have a playground where both kids and adults can play. Some of them also have outdoor gym equipment—a highlight for Porto Moniz and Calheta's ones. Let's not forget that travelling is also an opportunity to learn exciting new things. The Island offers various museums like the Whale museum in the fishing village of Caniçal or the Toy Museum in Funchal.

 

Travelling to Madeira Island is suitable for family vacations. It is one of the Safest European Destinations to travel in the World in 2021. Madeira is also the Best Travel Destination in the World for five consecutive years. Something Madeirans are incredibly proud of. In Madeira, memories are made to last a lifetime.