When Shannon Airport announced a new direct flight to Madeira, I didn’t hang around – truth be told, I booked our flights the very same day. The sound of exploring a Portuguese island of mountains, gardens, dolphins, and sunshine sounded just up our street.
We flew out late on a Wednesday evening and returned on a Sunday night, a perfectly timed 12-day break. At just 3.5 hours’ flight time, Madeira feels surprisingly close given that many people have never heard of it, or don’t have a clue where it is!
Where We Stayed
Instead of staying in the busier capital, Funchal, we decided to hire a car and head west to Calheta. Known for its slower pace, sunshine, and one of the island’s only sandy beaches (sand imported all the way from Morocco!), it was the perfect choice for us.
Madeira has microclimates, and we struck gold – warm, sunny weather for the entire trip. Calheta has a pretty marina lined with restaurants, water sports, and a small supermarket, and it’s just a 35-minute drive from Funchal.
After much research (not like me really 😂) I found our dream villa online: a traditional Madeiran Quinta with three bedrooms, gorgeous gardens, and the most stunning views. And the best part? A private heated pool – which honestly made the trip for the kids. Morning swims, afternoon splashes, and floaties everywhere – the dream.
Getting Around
We hired our car from Madpoint Car Hire (top tip: you can bring your car seats for free on Ryanair). Madeira’s roads have a bit of a reputation for being steep and winding, but the reality is that the island’s 182 tunnels and well-kept motorways make driving far easier than you’d expect.
We drove to Calheta most days – technically walkable, but the return journey would be a serious uphill challenge – and ventured to Funchal, the airport, and different corners of the island.
Parking: Free parking is easy to find across the island, and even the paid multi-storey car parks in Calheta and Funchal were great value.
What We Did
Whale & Dolphin Watching – Lobosonda Tours
A three-hour boat trip from Calheta marina turned into one of the highlights of our holiday. With only 14 passengers, it felt more personal than some of the bigger tour operators. We spotted rough-toothed dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, a couple of sharks, and even flying fish. Our guide was brilliant, chatting to each family and teaching us about the wildlife we were seeing.
Safari Madeira 4×4 Tours
If there’s one thing you do in Madeira, make it this! We booked the west tour first, loved it so much that we went back for the east tour a few days later. Imagine an open-top jeep, off-road trails, insane viewpoints, and the chance to stand up while driving through scenery you’d never dare navigate in a normal car. Our guides Nico and Rodrigo made the trips unforgettable – both were 10/10 experiences. We explored places like Camara de Lobos, Fanal and Porto Moniz on our first day. During our second excursion we visited Santana, Laurissilva Forest, we did the Vereda dos Balcões hike (short and very manageable with kids), Guindaste Viewpoint, Porto da Cruz and finally Ponta de São Lourenço.
A Day in Funchal
We took the cable car from Funchal to Monte Palace Gardens – a 15-minute ride with views for days. At the top, we had lunch at Land, a little gem serving great food, coffee, and cakes.
Monte Palace exceeded all expectations – colourful flowers, bridges, historic buildings, live music, and even flamingos. The kids got in free; adult tickets were €15 each.
We skipped the famous Monte toboggans (€85 for 10 minutes felt steep, especially with a long walk back) and instead visited the church before taking the cable car back down.
Back in Funchal, we ended the day at the CR7 Museum – a must for Ronaldo fans. Kids under 10 are free, and adult tickets are €5 (including an €8 pizza voucher for the adjoining CR7 restaurant – essentially making it free!). The space is packed with trophies, medals, and memorabilia – the boys were in heaven.
Shopping
We’re not big shoppers on holiday, but we popped into a few souvenir shops and visited the Forum shopping centre in Funchal (short-lived – the kids’ enthusiasm for retail is minimal!).
My personal favourite? Continente Modelo near Ribeira Brava – nothing like a little supermarket sweep in a foreign country to make my day!
Where We Ate
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Golden Calheta (Calheta)– grilled mussels and beef carpaccio were both outstanding.
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Restaurante Marina Azul (Calheta)– their steak on the stone was incredible.
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Manifattura Di Gelato (Calheta)– great pizzas and even better ice cream.
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Land (Monte) – perfect for lunch after the cable car, with views to match.
- Sea View Rooftop (Porte Moniz) – absolutely stunning views of the sea and a great menu.
Final Thoughts
Madeira absolutely blew us away – the scenery, the food, the people, the adventures, and the glorious 27–30°C sunshine every day. I do think that opting for our own villa with pool made it feel like the ultimate family holiday. It was the perfect balance of relaxed chilled days at the pool, family time together and incredible adventures. Would we go back? In a heartbeat.
Obrigada, Madeira – you were everything we dreamed and more.
If you’re looking for some more family travel inspiration, click here.
