We have decided to put a 5 day family friendly Madeira Itinerary to visit the beautiful island that is Madeira. We have been staying in Madeira for 4 weeks now with our toddlers and we are amazed to see how toddler friendly this island really is.
Oh and best of all Madeira Island is Europe's leading island destination, and in our opinion its like the Hawaii of Europe and super affordable to visit.
Okay, now let's start the Family Friendly Madeira Itinerary:
Day 1
Arrive at Airport of Funchal and stay at Quinta Saraiva in Camara de Lobos. This property is at the perfect location in terms of view, weather and closeness to the Airport.
- They also offer breakfast to all guest with fruit and veg from their property
- We have a special discount for you. A 10% discount code that you can use when booking - TRAVELFAMILYACADEMY10
We also recommend renting a car to get around the island as it will be the easiest way.
Ok, now since you will be staying in Camara de Lobos we recommend staying there for the first day and enjoying this small fisherman town so you can take it easy, since it will most likely be your travel day.
Where to eat: L Arte Della Pizza, Pizzeria Sorrento
- The owner of this pizza place is from Naples and their pizzas are probably one of the best in the island if you like thin crust pizza.
We then recommend spending the rest of the day at Quinta Saraiva where you are staying as they have a pool, jaccuzzi and a few farm animals that are a great hit with kids. They also host a few workshops that you can book ahead of time.
Day 2
Okay so now you have slept and now the whole family is rested so its time to start sightseeing.
The first place we recommend visiting since you are staying on this side of the island is Ribeira Brava.
In this town they have a great fruit and veg local market, a cute little sand beach and a playground next to a café so you can sit there and enjoy a nice coffee or beer while the kids play.
Next, we recommend visiting Calheta which is around 10 to 15 min drive and stop there for lunch.
Where to eat: Akikalheta-Pizaria e Cafe
Then after lunch head to Calheta Beach. Here you have one of the yellow sand imported beaches that is a great spot for children and families.
We then recommend heading to Paul do Mar for sunset time and dinner. This is one of the best towns in the island to watch the sunset.
Where to eat: Restaurante Sol e Mar
Family Friendly Madeira Itinerary Day 3
Day 3 is the perfect day to go to the other side of the island and make a day out of it.
- MORNING
We recommend starting with Porto da Cruz. This town is know for its waves and surf schools.
Here you can also find one of the main Rum factories that you can visit and have a tasting - you have to pay a symbolic price but you get a nice shot of rum to try.
We have been to many restaurants but here we found one of the best restaurants in the island: Pipa. Unfortunately, you cannot book a table; so we recommend arriving early. But in case you have to wait, there is an area outside where you can enjoy a drink while you wait.
- AFTERNOON
Head towards Santana and stop at Praia do Faial where there is a beach, Leisure Park and Go Karting. Here it's a great place to digest your meal and leisure with the family for a few hours.
Then its time to go back to sightseeing and the first stop is at Miradouro do Guindaste which is a short drive away.
Last on the day is Santana. Here you will be able to see the traditional Santana houses that are well known for their unique colours and shape.
Where to eat: Bragados II
Day 4
MORNING
This day we recommend visiting the capital of the island: Funchal.
We recommend starting the day by visiting Zona Velha and heading to the Mercado dos Lavradores. Here is the most known farmers market in the island, that has been there for many, many years. It's a great place to see many local fruits and vegetables and how the local markets work. We wouldn't recommend buying anything because this market is aimed for tourists so its usually overpriced compared to other places.
Where to Eat: Pizzaria Zona Velha - Xaramba
AFTERNOON
In Funchal we definitely recommend taking a ride in the cable cars and heading to Monte. It's a great ride and view you will not want to miss.
This is a payed ride of course, but there are other activities you can do up in Monte besides visiting the town. If you are looking for something more unique you can head over to the Botanical Gardens.
There is also the Carreiros do Monte Taboggan Wicker Sledge Ride. This is the traditional way the locals would go down the hill back in the day and now they use it as a touristic attraction. Just bear in mind that if you do this you will not be taken all the way down to town center. You will be dropped off half way to town and taxi rides are priced for tourists so a ride down could be quite expensive.
Where to Eat: Cantinho dos Amigos
Day 5
It's your last full day and let's face it before having a hole day of travel all you can think about is relaxing, so we know the perfect town for you to visit: Machico.
Here there is a the other imported yellow sand beach that is absolutely perfect for families with young children. The sea in Praia de Machico is very calm and shallow. So you can relax in the sun while your kids play in the sand and use up their energies.
Where to Eat: Galã
AFTERNOON
We recommend visiting Caniçal in the afternoon.
There is a lovely promenade here that you can go for a nice stroll. There is also the whale museum here that can be a great hit with kids.
And lastly, you can visit Ponta de São Lourenço which is the furthest East point of the island. Here is where the island is mostly dryer compared to the rest of the island so its quite interesting to see.
DINNER: Aquarium
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Thank you for reading and we hope you enjoyed it.
TFA Fam
xoxo
