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Madeira Recs?

Posted by (Boston MA) on

Hi! We’re traveling to Madeira in August with our 8, 10 and 12 year old kids. Was hoping to gather some recs!

First, we have our daughter’s 12th birthday while we’re there and would love to plan a fun tween meal or excursion that day. Any suggestions would be great. I was thinking of a beach restaurant or a place that has a little more of a spectacle for a fun special occasion dinner.

Second, we are hoping to find tours that are great for families with guides who can make the content fun for kids and adults alike. We hope to do some hiking, touring and spending time on the water. So a tour guide or organized tour company rec would all be appreciated!

Finally, would love your must sees and dos! We are active and enjoy all sorts of touring from museums to hikes. Don’t love crowds, so any tips on how to avoid the largest crowds at tourist attractions and beaches/hikes or walks would be great.

Thank you so much!

Posted by
5790 posts

I spent a week in Madeira in October 2022. I posted some of the things that I enjoyed on this thread:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/portugal/madiera-without-a-car

In particular, I think the jeep tour I took would be fun for kids. You can book this as a private tour and that might be the best way to do it as a family because they could probably tailor more to the things kids would enjoy.
https://adventuremadeira.com/en/

They might also enjoy whale watching.

With regards to crowds, the main tip I have is to check the port schedule to see if there are any large ships in port. Avoid taking the cable car to Monte Gardens on those days. Otherwise, Madeira isn’t terribly crowded.

Posted by
1769 posts

The most fun thing I did in Madeira was the toboggan down the hill. It’s easy to find the info by google search. Your children would also love it.

The Mercado is also very nice with fruits very unfamiliar to most Americans. Some of the vendors give tastes.

The jeep and regular tours of the island are everywhere. We just booked through our hotel.

There are black sand beaches in Madeira that would be interesting for your children, too. Again, ask your hotel.

And, yes, watch the cruise ship schedule and choose those days to get out of Funchal.

Posted by
27618 posts

Levada walks are fun and gorgeous. It has been 30+ years since I've been to Madeira, so I don't have a company name for you, but just prior to the pandemic there was a company doing guided levada walks. You don't generally need a guide (I did it on my own), but the transportation provided to the beginning point of the hike avoids the need to figure out bus schedules and navigate from the nearest bus stop.

I think you can find at least one guide book for levada walks on Amazon; if not, one or more should be readily available in Funchal shops. You can use that to identify one or a few walks that sound most interesting to you. Some might be problematic for a person with a fear of heights.

Madeira is so beautiful that just hopping on a bus headed to a different part of the island is worthwhile. The pronounced vegetation changes from the coast to the heights are interesting to observe.

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