Madeira with a Toddler

Ever wanted to explore the “Hawaii of Europe”? Known for it’s lush landscape, world class hiking, and scenic drive – Madeira, Portugal has it all. Despite its remote location in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Madeira is easily accessible from many major European cities, and now the USA. You may be wondering if this idyllic island is the right place to visit as a family and we’re hear to tell you: Yes, yes and yes! Read on for our tips, itinerary and full guide on exploring Madeira with a toddler. We believe that adventure travel doesn’t stop when you have children and this itinerary shows it. For those seeking immersion in nature and lots of hiking, you’ve found the perfect destination. Now let’s get to the nitty gritty!

Our Favorite Travel Gear

How to get to Madeira

Getting to Madeira Island from Europe is very easy as there are many direct flights from major European cities. We took a 4 hour flight from London Gatwick Airport with EasyJet. However, if you don’t live near one of these cities, it is a bit more challenging. For us, it was about 13 hours of plane travel, not including layovers. Even from Lisbon, it is about a 2 hour flight. Check flightconnections.com for the best flight paths for your family. We spent a couple days on each end of the trip in London to split it up.

Where to Stay

I felt very strongly about having two home bases during our time in Madeira, because I really wanted to explore as much of the island as possible. So, we stayed at the Saccharum Resort in Calheta for 3 nights and at an Airbnb in the outskirts of Funchal for 5 nights. The hotel in Calheta was very nice and the girls loved it. That being said, I truly don’t believe you need more than one base, as every thing on the island can be accessed within an hour’s drive. It just didn’t make sense to not be somewhere more central. If you really want to split up the trip, I’d recommend staying in Seixal or São Vicente. Mostly because they are adorable towns with a lot of immediate attractions and hikes. I felt like Calheta was not really central to anything even though it was on the Northwestern part of the island, every thing was still at least a 20 minute drive, which is really 30 minutes for us non-mountain drivers.

Funchal is an excellent base with plenty of restaurants, shops and entertainment. You can get anywhere within a reasonable amount of driving time. A lot of travelers recommend Ponta do Sol or Riviera Brava, which are cute beach towns and are a little more central. Those are great options if you want to avoid Funchal. Traveling to Madeira with a toddler is already a journey, make it less stressful and just stay in one spot. Even though there’s endless spots to explore, the island is really not that big!

Stay in Funchal or Outskirts?

We loved our Airbnb. It was quiet but still close to downtown Funchal. There were pros and cons to the location. We got more bang for our buck, but the walkability factor wasn’t great. There’s a market and a couple cute cafes about a 10 minute walk, but thats it. Funchal is an easy taxi or uber away. Parking in Funchal is absurd. DON’T DO IT. Just take a cab. Overall, if you want to walk everywhere, stay in Old Town Funchal. If you don’t mind taking a taxi into town and want something bigger and nicer, stay on the outskirts of Funchal.

8 Night Itinerary

Certainly, the most challenging part of planning a trip to Madeira with a toddler is finalizing a daily itinerary. There are ENDLESS options from hiking trails to scenic viewpoints. It’s impossible to see the whole island. Despite having over a week to explore, there was so much of my list that we did not see. Ultimately, with small children it’s just not feasible to jam pack your days like before. Try to stick to planning maybe one hike a day and one other activity and leave your schedule free to fill as you go (if you have time). There is still a bit of driving each day, that will eat in to your schedule.

Also, consider that you’re likely not waking up at the crack of dawn each day to hike. This is going to significantly decrease the amount of time you have in the day and leave you with more crowds to deal with. As much as I love a golden hour hike, I’m not going to drive unknown mountain roads and put my children at risk during nighttime hiking at this stage. In a few years, we’ll be in a better spot to hike at these stunning times of the day. This was the biggest struggle for me because I love a good sunrise/sunset and Madeira has some of the best. Do what’s best for your family, but always put safety first.

Below is our 8 day, fun-filled itinerary for visiting Madeira with a toddler. To my surprise, we actually did quite a bit each day. There’s a few days I switched around based on our experience and what I would recommend to families. Enjoy and happy planning!

Day 1

Check in

If you’re arriving midday after a long journey to Europe, you’re probably going to want to take the day to settle in. By the time we picked our car up at the airport and drove to our hotel in Calheta, it was about dinner time. Take today to get unpacked and freshen up. Maybe check out the local area you’re staying in. If you’re based in Funchal, this is a great opportunity to walk around the city and get a feel for where you are. Also, there’s a million restaurants and shops to explore! If your family is arriving early and you have lots of time on day one, consider heading to an epic viewpoint to catch the sunset. Keep in mind, in the summer the sun sets around 9 PM and you may not want to stay up too late if you have a big day planned tomorrow. When visiting Madeira with a toddler, you do need to keep all these things in mind.

Day 2

Seixal Natural Pools & Seixal Beach

Ok. So your first day in Madeira is jam packed, but you’re all jet lagged and trying to get the day rolling. This is not the day to plan a long drive followed by hours of swimming and expect to complete a hike by sunset. If you couldn’t tell, this was my expectation that was a complete joke. We made it to the natural pools in Seixal by about 10 AM and we loved it so much that we didn’t want to leave. This also meant that there was not enough daylight left for a big hike. That being said, I would recommend spending the entire day in Seixal. It’s such a cute town, parking is a process and there’s a bit of walking to do.

The pools and beach are incredible and you could hang here all day. I would get to the beach early, get some epic photos grab breakfast at Avista Navios (awesome spot with stunning views) and then head to the pools. Seixal beach and the natural pools are on opposite sides of the town, so you may want to repark if you’re not in the mood for lots of walking uphill. Alternatively, you could park somewhere in the middle of the town and walk down to each spot. This is a nice hike too!

Piscinas Naturais do Seixal

These natural pools are a must do when in Madeira with a toddler. There’s nothing to not love about lava-formed natural pools filled with ocean water. So unique! The water here is extremely calm and protected from the raging Atlantic Ocean. There’s two sides: one is busier because of the small beach, but a little crowded. The other is less busy and has access to the snack bar. I actually think this pool was more ideal for snapping a cool photo of you floating in the water. There is also a cute little pool with fresh water next to it. Maya and Luna had an absolute blast in this “baby pool”. Be aware, this water is pretty refreshing (aka freezing) as it’s coming directly from the mountains.

Porto Moniz Swimming Pools

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I do not think you need to visit the Porto Moniz pools. They are more developed and have facilities, but the line was atrocious (our fault for arriving late) and they don’t give you the unique, adventurous impression that the Seixal pools do. If this is a must for you, make sure to arrive before the tour buses, which is usually around noon.

Seixal Beach

Seixal Beach is one of those magical places that you can’t describe until you see it. Even from the road, I thought it looked small and underwhelming. However, when we stepped onto the shore, I saw what all the hype is about. You truly feel like you’re in Hawaii – surrounded by lush cliffside and a waterfall that flows into the ocean. It surely is a spectacle and a must do when in Madeira with a toddler. Your little one will love the black sand beach and running into the crashing waves. If they’re brave enough, stand under the waterfall amongst slippery rocks.

Tip: The hoses and showers to rinse off sand are very cold. We recommend washing your little one off in the ocean and try to make sure they don’t get sand anywhere but their feet afterwards. We battled with sandy, crying kiddos and it was not a great way to end our beach day.

To end your Seixal adventure, we suggest heading to São Vicente for dinner. If time and moods permit, stop at Miraduoro do Véu da Noiva for a glimpse of the classic Madeira waterfall plunging into the ocean viewpoint. We sadly were always rushing to our next hike/destination each time we were in the region and did not get to stop here. However, we did have a nice view of the waterfall from the Avista Navios snack bar.

Day 3

Fanal Forest & PR6.2 Levada do Vento

On Day 3 we planned on going to the Fanal Forest in the morning and then heading to the Porto Moniz swimming pools afterwards. We arrived at the Fanal Forest closer to 11 AM because we were up later the night prior. I would advise to get here earlier because there was no fog. Personally, I felt like it’s useless to go later in the day if you don’t have kids. The whole purpose is to witness the eeriness of the forest with the fog. This is best first thing in the morning, but the girls absolutely loved running around the forest, climbing trees and hanging with the cows. I will say that your driving to the top of the island and the roads covered in fog would have been quite the sketchy drive. So, if you do this, don’t drive it in the dark and make sure to take your time on the way there. It will most likely take you about an hour to drive to from the opposite side of island.

Because we arrived so late to Fanal, the lines at the Porto Moniz pools were insane by the time we got there and parked. It truly wasn’t worth it in my opinion. If you can get there before 10 AM or so, then maybe check them out if it’s high on your bucket list. I just thought the Seixal natural pools were so much better and would’ve rather spent a second day there. The town of Porto Moniz is like a giant tourist trap anyway. IMO, I would avoid these pools and just stick with the natural ones.

We decided to abort the pools and head to a hike for an epic end to the evening! One of our favorites afternoons was spent hiking the Levada do Vento trail (PR 6.2). This is accessible from the same parking lot as the popular 25 Fontes waterfall hike. The reason we chose this hike over the other is that it’s much less populated and a fun trail for small kids to enjoy. There are a couple sections that you need to be confident in your child. For example, there’s some drop-offs to be aware of. They are either covered with trees or have a guard rail, but I would still exert caution. That being said, Maya crushed this hike and walked almost the entire way.

Unfortunately, the sun was beginning to set so we had to rush back to the parking lot (I was not about to do the return drive home in the dark). So, we did not quite make it to the waterfall, which was a bummer. Luckily, the girls could catch a glimpse of it towards the end of the trail.

PR 6.3 Lagoa do Vento

Some takeaways from the Levada do vento hike: as mentioned above, be cautious with your little one around steep drop-offs. Only you know they’re hiking and balance skills. Maya is a very good listener and pretty aware of her surroundings for a toddler. Luna on the other hand only walked the safer levada portions with wide paths. Secondly, there is quite a bit of steps going downhill around the last 0.9 miles. We unfortunately walked most of the way before realizing we wouldn’t have time to make it to the waterfall and back before sundown. It wasn’t a risk we were willing to take with no headlamps or backup gear/food. This is still an amazing family-friendly hike and a must do when traveling to Madeira with a toddler! Your little one is going to absolutely love the small staircase up the levada (pictured below)!

As far as the start of the trailhead goes, from the PR 6.1 (25 fonts) parking lot, you’re going to start walking to the right (facing away from the road) after parking. You literally can’t miss the lot because there’s an obnoxious number of cars here. If you walk opposite the crowds, you’re probably heading in the proper direction 🙂 I’d advise doing this hike first thing in the morning on late afternoon like we did. It was much quieter and we found parking in the lot itself easily. Because the Levada do vento is a relatively short hike, you can do this in the afternoon. I’d recommend starting by 2 PM so you can leisurely make your way down to the waterfall without rushing. As you may have learned, hiking takes twice as long with toddlers. But let’s be honest, it’s more fun!

Day 4

Faja dos padres fruit farm tour, Cascada dos anjos, Funchal night out

Cascata dos Anjos

Start the day off by admiring the beloved Cascata dos Anjos – a waterfall that flows onto the road. (Note that the actual road is closed off, but locals and some tourists who don’t care still drive under the waterfall. Not going to lie, I was tempted to drive under it, but there is an avalanche risk. I guess standing under it isn’t any smarter, but we did it anyway! The Cascata dos Anjos is located just off the main road leading from Calheta to Ponta do Sol. So, this is a great stop if you’re heading to Seixal or the northern part of the island from the southwestern region (Calheta, Funchal, Ribiera Brava). We actually went once in the morning and it was very quiet and another day just prior to sunset. The golden hour was spectacular and much busier for this reason. However, I think the girls enjoyed getting sprayed by the waterfall and it made for some great photos!

Fajã dos padres fruit farm tour

The Fajã dos Padres fruit farm tour and beach is a must if you’re in Madeira with toddlers! The tour itself is an hour long and we were running late (because of the waterfall stop, oops.), but it worked out nicely because I’m not sure the girls would’ve lasted an hour. Despite the tour length, the experience is wonderful. You take a

Stunning gondola down to the fruit farm and walk around the property learning about banana trees. After the tour, you’ll enjoy freshly prepared fruit for a tasting at the beachfront restaurant. To follow your tasting and lunch (reserve after purchasing tour tickets), head down to the beach and take a plunge in the bright blue waters! If visiting in the summer, you’ll be pretty toasty by the end of the tour at noon.

Pro Tip: Bring water shoes if you plan to visit the beach as the shore is all big rocks and no sand. Also, any floaties or swimming gear for the littles

Funchal

The girls played hard and subsequently napped hard on the car ride home. This was our first night in our Funchal Airbnb, so we headed to our new place for the next 5 nights and freshened up before a night in Funchal. This was our first time really exploring the capital and we wanted a casual dinner in order to prepare for our next big morning. We found ourselves at a recommended food court-style restaurant called Restaurante Sabores da nossa ILHA. The options were perfect for a family: traditional Portuguese grill, Mexican, pizza, and a few others. It was nice that everyone could order a different dish and the staff would bring it out to your table. It wasn’t busy at 6 PM, so the girls were able to roam and play. If you’re not staying in Funchal or walking distance, I would order a taxi/Uber over parking. There’s not much available during busy hours in the highly populate areas such as old town and the port.

Noteworthy Cafes in Funchal

You know we love a good latte and of course, we need to share with you our top spots in Funchal! Especially, when you’re on the go constantly with kids, it’s a must! Below are 3 of our favorite spots in Funchal:

Maia Coffee Shop

Art Food Corner Madeira

Boutique Lido

Day 5

PR16 Levada Fajã do Rodrigues, São Vicente

PR16 Levada Fajã do Rodrigues

This was by far my favorite hike on the island and super family friendly. I think this is a must do for active families visiting Madeira with a toddler. We saw quite a few babies and older children on the trail. I do need to preface by acknowledging that we did not complete this trail. Ultimately, what was our most daring and fun part of the hike was also why we turned around. There are tunnels on this hike with a levada in the center, which means you have about a foot width path to walk on. These tunnels are also not very tall and you have to bend down the entire time. The first two are relatively short and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, literally. Maya and Luna LOVED the tunnels and it was a highlight of our trip for sure! However, the last tunnel is about 1 km long and other hikers claimed the waterfall to not be worth the trek through.

Despite the fact that we came prepared with headlamps, it would’ve been very dark and uncomfortable walking for that distance and trying to pass others. If Luna was at least 4 years old and could walk the entire thing herself, I would’ve considered. We probably would’ve had to put her in the carrier and I wouldn’t want to risk decapitating by baby!!

The hike itself was incredibly scenic – picture water trickling down the moss-filled mountain walls, panoramic views of São Vicente, tunnels, levadas lined with lush greenery and waterfalls. I don’t think this needs to be completed to fall in love with the trail. The Levada Fajã do Rodrigues truly had it all (except glacier lakes, sorry). This should be on your itinerary regardless of who you’re traveling with, but especially if you have children. Just make sure you pack headlamps and light rain jackets! I recommend starting this hike first thing in the morning to avoid crowds, especially in the tunnels. Then, head to São Vicente to fuel up for lunch!

São Vicente

Deep down, I regret not staying in either São Vicente or Seixal. They are both such adorable mountain towns right next to one another on the northern coast of Madeira. Seixal is a very walkable beach town, where are São Vicente is more spread out. However, both have pros to each and I think either one would be a great option. I will say that São Vicente had far more options on Airbnb than Seixal. There was a really lovely farm stay in São Vicente that I wanted to stay at, but it was a little out of budget. In retrospect, I would have stayed there instead of the Saccharum hotel and split our time in Funchal.

This town gives you access to the PR 16 Levada Fajã do Rodrigues hike, some highly recommended Poncha bars and a cute seaside strip with local restaurants. Originally, we wanted to stop at Restaurante Caravela for recommended limpets, but the atmosphere wasn’t great and there was a churrascaria next store with an outdoor grill that looked incredible called Braseiro grill. The steak sandwich here was to die for. However, I would recommend splitting this because it was massive! The restaurant had plenty of options to chose from for the littles as well. Be sure to check out Corcoran bakery at the end of the strip if you can make room. If time permits, there’s also a playground in the same area if your kiddos are not exhausted from the PR16 hike.

After nap time, we decided to pop over to the Cascada dos Anjos waterfall for a sunset photoshoot. It was somehow even more spectacular than the ones we took the morning before. Keep in mind, there’s going to be many more people here for sunset than a random time in the morning. That being said, it was worth waiting a couple minutes for. After capturing some epic shots, head back to your accommodations to wind down early for the night. Day six is going to be an early rise to try and catch sunrise at Pico do Areiero (the most glorious place in all of Madeira).

Day 6

Sunrise at Pico do Arieiro or PR1.2 Achada do Teixeira to Pico Ruivo, Santana

Sunrise at Pico do Arieiro

This day was one of the most stressful to plan, despite it potentially being the most epic. I had trouble deciding what was the safest option for my family, without missing out on insane views. Ultimately, I had planned to drive up to Pico do Arieiro for sunrise and make the short 1.2 km journey to Miraduoro do Ninha da Manta (the full hike to Pico Ruivo, PR1.1, was closed for maintenance). Just past the stairway to heaven is when the hike gets sketchy and I definitely did not want to complete this portion with small children. However, I did want to do the first kilometer or so with the girls on our backs. Unfortunately, Maya struggled to get to bed early the night prior and was very sleepy/cranky during the sunrise at Pico do Arieiro. She kept complaining of being cold and trying to fall back asleep. At the time, completing this hike with the mood she was in just didn’t seem like the best parenting move. So after watching a glorious sunrise, we decided to head back into Funchal.

Aborting our hike plans left us with a lot of time in our day. We should have used our time more wisely and drove to another hike on the island, but instead we grabbed breakfast in Funchal and took entirely too long to change at the apartment. (Pro Tip: When traveling with small children, there’s no such thing as quickly going back to your hotel/apartment). Every time this takes entirely way too long and much of the day is wasted.

If I were to replan this day and we still weren’t hiking the beginning of the PR1, I would head straight to Santana. There’s many viewpoints, the Parque Florestal das Queimadas (little houses), a gondola and other hike/walk options (PR9 and PR9.1). This would’ve been much better use of our time, as we were already dressed appropriately for hiking and were on the northern side of the island. I feel like I tried so hard to complete the PR1 hike that we missed out on seeing Pico Ruivo entirely, which was a bummer.

PR1.2 Verada do Pico Ruivo

The tough part when traveling in the mountains is that even though on the map two places may appear close, there may be no way to cut through and you have to drive all the way around. This is the case with the PR1.1 and PR1.2 hikes. The PR1.2 Verada do Pico Ruivo hike, is on the OTHER side of Pico Ruivo than Pico do Arieiro. So, you essentially have to drive back down and around the mountain to get to the other side. This is why we didn’t do sunrise at Pico do Arieiro and then drive to PR1.2 to complete that safer hike. It is an about an hour from Funchal to Pico do Arieiro and another hour to Achada do Teixeira hike. Since the girls fell asleep in the car, we could have driven here, done the hike, and then checked out Santana afterwards. I would suggest making a full day out of it, bring a change of clothes, plenty of snacks and power through. We realized quickly that the girls would fall asleep in the car if they were truly exhausted.

Santana

Due to poor planning, this day was a bit of a waste after the sunrise at Pico do Arieiro and we never got the chance to check out Santana. Try not to miss this cute town! Below are spots we planned to check out, but never got around to it:

PR1.2 Verada do Pico Ruivo
Parque Florestal das Queimadas
PR9.1 Caminho para todos (a walk for everyone)
Baloiço da Fajã da Rocha do Navio
Miradouro do Guindaste

••PR9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde PR9 (I really wanted to do this hike, but after reading conflicting reviews on the safety, I decided there may be too many exposed areas with narrow paths. I did not think the risk was worth the reward. This hike may be more suitable for slightly older children > 6 years).

Day 7

Achada da Cruz, Camara de Lobos

This day was my birthday celebration, so we planned to go back to Seixal Beach and dolphin/whale watching cruise (which I don’t recommend since they told us they never see whales…). Use this day to check out any hikes or sites you missed on other days. It’s always nice to have one freebie day with no plans when traveling with kids. Someone is always sick, weather doesn’t cooperate or you over plan and it’s nice to make time to see what you missed out on earlier in the trip.

Achada da Cruz

If you want to have a solid plan in place, we missed out on Achada da Cruz in the northern region of the island. You can hike or a take a gondola down to the water and it’s extremely beautiful. Particularly, around sunset time, but keep in mind the last gondola ride to the top is at 6 PM. Also, be sure to check out Camara de Lobos, a unique fishing village just outside of Funchal. The streets are filled with hanging artwork, delicious restaurants and there’s a couple cute playgrounds for the littles. It is worth visiting for dinner and switching up the vibe. Our girls loved roaming the streets and playground hopping.

Câmara de Lobos

Ok, so this was one of the coolest towns we visited in our time in Madeira and it was not one that was on the itinerary, but I need to include it. You don’t need all day here, but give yourself a few hours to roam around the fishing village and grab dinner here. Despite not being able to see the physical sunset, the golden hour here was incredible and just as majestic. The unique street decor was still up from the St. Peter Festical (I believe?) and the girls absolutely loved it. Not to mention, there’s two great playgrounds and tons of grass to run around with ocean views. Câmara De Lobos was certainly our hidden gem from this trip and is a must when visiting Madeira with toddlers. See some of our fun photos below from our evening that saved the day!

Day 8

PR8 Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenco

End your trip with the PR8 Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenco hike! It was one of the best hikes we did was during our time in Madeira with toddlers. The girls absolutely loved the challenge. Not only was the entire path scenic, but it’s a relatively easy walk for all ages. The hike had a lot of Faroe Islands vibes being on the coast, which we loved! This hike would be so epic for sunrise or sunset if you have older children (or babies that don’t want to walk). Plan an entire day around this hike as it is long, especially if your kiddos want to walk the majority of it themselves. Prepare to take lots of photo and snack breaks!

Tips:

- - Pack a rain jacket/windbreaker
  - Enjoy snacks and drinks at the end of the hike at the snack bar
  - Bring bathing suits/water shoes if you want to jump in the water at the beach below
  - Sardine beach is along the way, which we did not detour to, but looks awesome
  - Rent a boat tour to take you into town on the way back. It’s a cool way to see the coast and not have to walk back (prebook online if your schedule is tight. Otherwise they come every 30 minutes)

Marina da Quinta Grande

Ok this is a hidden gem of a town and it’s where the boat dropped us off. The Dreams Madeira Resort is here and it’s incredibly family-friendly. There’s a water park on premises, an ice cream parlor, a grocery store, a few fancy shops and the resort itself is really lovely. This is a unique way to maybe spent a couple of nights and see the eastern side of the island. We did have to walk back to the parking lot afterwards because we couldn’t get a taxi or Uber to pick us up, but it was maybe half a mile walk. Not too bad. Definitely don’t skimp on checking out the Dreams resort during your accommodation search!

Most Toddler-friendly Hikes

There are endless hiking and walking trail options on Madeira Island. You could spend a week here and only complete a few! I’d love to come back one day and do some more challenging hikes when the girls are older. You are a bit limited to hikes when visiting Madeira with toddlers. I have listed a couple that we did not get to, but I personally spent hours of endless research on. At the end of the day, safety comes first and you want to make sure you’re not endangering your family. Respect your limits. Below are my recommended hikes that are family-friendly, even for the most timid of hikers:

- - PR8 Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenco
  - PR 16 Levada Fajã do Rodrigues
  - PR 6.1 Caminho para todos
  - PR1.2 Verada do Pico Ruivo
  - PR6.3 Legoa do Vento
  - PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes

What to Pack

Just like with any summer mountain trip, layers are key. In exposed areas, you’ll want to prepare for warmer temps and lots of sun. However, in shaded regions like the levada hikes, it may be chillier, especially in the morning. Below is a list of our basic summer hike packing list:

- - Child Hiking Carrier (we love the Osprey Poco line)
  - Hiking Poles
  - Hiking boots (water resistant)
  - Hat and gloves for the top
  - Warm base layers (merino wool is the best for temperature regulation)
  - Fleece jacket
  - Rain jacket (we love the Therm Kids SplashMagic jackets)
  - Water
  - Plenty of snacks (apples, PB&J, trail mix & snickers are our go to’s)
  - Diapers/Wipes
  - Milk bottle (if needed)
  - Portable changing pad (depending on age of child)
  - Sunglasses or hat (no shade)
  - Sunscreen for sensitive babies in the summer
  - Camera, Go Pro, Drone, Tripod (for the photographers out there)
  - Mini first aid kit (10% off KEEP>GOING kits)

The only disappointing thing on our hikes was the amount of tissues we saw along some popular trails. Please, be a responsible traveler and leave no trace on your hikes! Pack a small doggy or ziplock bag to contain any trash. Show your little ones how to respect Mother Nature and they will learn from watching you.

Toddler Tips

Parking is a nightmare in Funchal

This may honestly be the difference between what you consider worth staying in Funchal proper or not. Our Airbnb was on the outskirts, which meant we really couldn’t walk to much other than a couple restaurants. Even the supermarket was bit of a journey with all the steps. If you are looking for walkability, I would not recommend staying outside of Funchal. If you don’t mind taking a taxi or Uber, I would do that any time you went into Old Town or close to the port. These areas are extremely busy and parking can be very challenging. We actually missed our dolphin tour because we were running late and couldn’t find parking anywhere! Either walk or take a taxi anytime you are in Funchal if you can.

Rent a small car

Although driving a larger vehicle makes driving around a much more pleasant experience, particularly with children, stick with a small car. The roads in Madeira are comparable to our one way road width in the States. This makes mountain driving challenging and parking difficult. It may be tight especially when first arriving with all your luggage, but trust me, go with a small AUTOMATIC car from a trustworthy company. We used Avis and had a positive experience.

Stock up on snacks/food from the Supermarket

Except for the pastries, our girls can be picky eaters when we travel. Try to stock up on some familiar items from the supermarket. If hiking frequently, I would have bottled water and snacks in the car at all times. Especially with all the driving you’ll be doing. That being said, no place on the island felt so deserted that there wasn’t a cafe or gas station to pick up food during desperate times. But still, it was nice to always have something available.

Gas Station Supermarkets have diapers and baby food

There are gas stations with supermarkets attached in major towns where you can grab all of your baby needs. We also saw plenty of pharmacies around (find the universal pharmacy logo). No need to fret.

Don’t Overplan

This goes for any vacation, but important with destinations like this. There’s endless hiking options, viewpoints, and excursions. I would stick to planning one main hike each day and commit. Start you hike first thing in the morning so you are not rushing the afternoons. Then, spend your free time filling up with any other activities you want to do. Plans always change when traveling, especially with little ones. Someone always gets sick at least once for us, which ends up messing up one day of plans. Be flexible, but also create a schedule that you can move around if needed. Try not to plan the most anticipated activities towards the end of the trip. You can’t plan for bad weather or illnesses, so try to leave one day at the end of the trip free for any missed opportunities.

Final Thoughts

In review, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Madeira, Portugal. Despite it being a fairly busy and touristy island, we really loved it and found some areas less populated than others. The hiking opportunities were absolutely incredible. We appreciated the range in trail difficulty levels and the options for more quite routes. The buzzing energy of the island does add another level of fun to the trip too! Overall, I would highly recommend visiting Madeira with toddlers. There is endless amounts of outdoor activities, good food and poncha! Every drive you’re surrounded by stunning scenic views, you’ll never be upset on the road. Just be prepared for some sketchy inclines and small streets 🙂 I’d love to return here one day when our girls are older and do some more epic hikes like PR 1. Reasons to go back! As always, be sure to follow our journeys on Instagram and stay up to date with recommendations on the best family travel destinations.

Table of Contents

Our Favorite Travel Gear

How to get to Madeira

Where to Stay