Children on a boat trip off the Madeiran coast

Madeira with Kids

Family travel here is about picking the right version of each activity: the short levada rather than the ridge, the morning boat rather than the afternoon one, the sheltered beach rather than the dramatic one.

Where to go

  • Base yourself low

    Mountain villages are beautiful and cold in the evenings.

  • Book boats early in the day

    The sea gets choppier as the wind builds.

  • Plan around rain

    The south stays dry when the north doesn't.

  • Bring a carrier

    Pushchairs and levada paths rarely mix.

Book it

Guided options

Family-friendly sailing boat on calm water off Madeira
2 hours Funchal Marina

Family Boat & Swim Trip

A shorter, calmer sailing trip built around a swim stop in a sheltered bay — the easiest way to get small children onto the water.

Dolphins swimming beside a small boat in the Atlantic off Madeira
3 hours Funchal Marina

Dolphin & Whale Watching from Funchal

A marine-biologist-led catamaran trip into the deep water south of Funchal, where pilot whales and three dolphin species are resident year round.

Volcanic natural swimming pools at Porto Moniz filled with turquoise seawater
8 hours North West

North West & Porto Moniz Day Trip

Seixal's black sand, the Véu da Noiva waterfall and swimming time in the Porto Moniz volcanic pools.

Guides on this subject

Family boat trip on calm water off the Madeiran coast

Family

Madeira with Kids

Which walks, beaches and boat trips work with children, and how to pace the week.

8 min read