Increasingly recognised as a great destination for holidays with the with kids, this Atlantic island is a year—round spot with blissfully warm summers and mild winters and lively schedule of festivals and events that will help immerse you in daily life on the island, including the Flower Festival at the end of April or in early May. It’s also just less than four hours' flying time from Ireland...
The scenery is the true star here, and you can discover it by hiking the famous levadas (water channels following natural contours, bringing rainwater off the hillsides), mountain-biking on world-class trails, kayaking or SUP paddleboarding along the stunning coastline, taking a boat trip out to see dolphins and other marine life, investigating the rock pools at Porto Moniz, blue-marlin fishing and riding a cable-car up to Monte and the Botanical Gardens (and perhaps coming back down in a wicker toboggan).
Further options with kids include discovering the compact city of Funchal with its colourful market full of local specialities to sample and 3D Fun Art Museum. Another day-out option on the island is the Parque Temático da Madeira in Santana, with animals to meet, a boating lake and an array of attractions showcasing the islands’ history, including crafts, baking, music and traditional thatched cottages.
There are sandy beaches for lazy days in the sunshine, including those on the neighbouring island of Porto Santo. Aside from your hotel or villa pool, there’s also aquatic fun in store at the Madeira Aquaparque in Santa Cruz, with pools, water slides, a children’s splash area and more besides, and golf for all ages on several highly reputed courses.
It’s worth taking advantage of younger guests having fun and making new friends in your resort kids’ club to learn about this island’s unique fortified wine and also its table wines and visit some of its top venues. Madeiran wine has been globally recognised for almost 600 years; it began exporting wine to other places in Europe 25 years after being discovered by the Portuguese in 1419. Local wines all have an acidity and salinity derived from the ancient volcanic soil, the wind that hits the vines, the mountain altitude, the natural pollination and the copious sunshine.
The Madeira Wine Route embraces wine bars, restaurants, hotels, wine shops and producers, meaning you can take as much time as you like to discover what this island has to offer. They include Pereira D’Oliveira in the centre of Funchal, founded in 1850 and a local institution where you can taste three-, five-, 10- and 15-year-old wines produced from the Tinta Negra variety. The family also has a vast collection of Frasqueira wines, the noble Madeiran varieties Sercial, Verdelho, Boal, Malvasia and Terrantez, and even a very rare Moscatel. Another island institution is Henriques & Henrique, with a vineyard history dating back as far as the 15th century. Among the best wine shops, meanwhile, are the super-friendly Pérola Dos Vinhos in the historic centre of Funchal, with a huge array to choose from to take home with you as a very special souvenir of your stay here.
To book your family holiday to Madeira, get in touch today.
There are so many great reasons to experience certain destinations in the shoulder seasons – that sweet spot between a region’s peak season and off-season. Think fewer crowds and queues for major attractions, better-value flights and other travel, and a more authentic experience of the destination. We’ve put our heads together to share a few of our favourite places that can be just as good or even better outside of high season.
Seeing the world, or parts of it, by cruise is more popular than ever as people realise just how fantastic it can be to float from place to place, discovering more than one destination in a single trip. Our Travel Counsellors say, ‘There’s a cruise ship to suit everyone, and yes you can get off at every port, as many times as you like!” If you’re in any doubt over whether a cruise is right for you, there are mini cruises of just a couple of nights that will help persuade you.
