Madeira Is The Sub-Tropical European Vacation Of Your Dreams

There’s a great big beautiful world out there, and deciding on where to go – especially when you’re traveling with children. Recently, I was invited to visit the island of Madeira, and I must say it’s a strong contender for my next family vacation.

Why Madeira?

Madeira, a sub-tropical island about 400 miles off the coast of Morocco, was discovered (no really, no one was living there) by Portuguese sailors in 1419 and settled a few years later. Created by a now extinct volcano, it is a verdant, temperate paradise boasting lush, terraced mountainsides, picturesque valleys, stunning ocean views, majestic waterfalls, and centuries old cities full of classic Portuguese architecture going back to the 16th century. Beaches on the island tend to be pebble rather than sand, though there are a few sandy beaches, including several black sand beaches.

All this to say: Madeira offers the opportunity to have an oceanside vacation, hiking vacation, and European culture vacation all at once, and the island is small enough that you can do a bit of everything in one visit.

While Madeira has been a tourist destination since the 1800s, boasting famed visitors like Winston Churchill and Empress Sisi – and a pirate destination before that (you can visit the city gate that kept them at bay in the 1700s) – post-pandemic Madeira has seen a tourism boom, mainly from folks in northern Europe, and I can only see it getting more popular in the coming years.

Where To Stay

Dreams Madeira is an excellent option for families who want to appreciate the beauty of this gem in the middle of the Atlantic. Styled after a Portuguese village, it has breathtaking views of the Atlantic and nearby marina, plenty of pools (including an oceanside pool built into the rocky coast and filled by rising tides), and a vibrant family-friendly atmosphere perfect for fostering daily rituals and fun.

Full disclosure, I went to Madeira at the invitation of the resort, but while there are a slew of beachfront hotels in Funchal, the island’s largest city and center of most of the action (more on that in a minute), I would actually recommend staying away from the action for a number or reasons.

For one, Dreams Madeira is located on the drier, rocky eastern coast of the island: a far cry from the lush mountain crags to the west. It is also far more isolated than basically anywhere else between its location (Caniçal) and Funchal, which is only about 30 minutes away. And in that drive (there’s a daily shuttle between the resort and the main city), you are going to be able to get a far better sense of the geography, beauty, and many (many, many) microclimates of the island than if you stayed in one spot.

For another, Dreams Madeira is all inclusive, which is helpful when you’re budgeting a family vacation. It boasts eight restaurants – ranging from traditional Portuguese to Japanese – along with a healthy smattering of cafés, bars, and even an ice cream shop. Kids will love the thrill of just walking up to a counter and indulging in as many sweets, snacks, and drinks as their little hearts desire. (As an adult, I also enjoyed this.) That is, of course, when they’re not having fun splashing in the pool or hanging out with other vacationers in one of two kids’ centers (one for tweens and teens and one for younger children).

The resort also has partnerships with a number of excellent local guides – including Lokoloko – and activities to truly introduce you to all the island has to offer. Speaking of which…

What To Do

• Hike Through The Laurissilva Forest

A UNESCO World Heritage site, these ancient forests feel like traveling to another world. I went on a five mile hike through the hauntingly beautiful twisted, mossy trees and then on to a levada walk – a steep climb down along the island’s network of irrigation channels, complete with waterfalls and tunnels. The hike isn’t easy, but it’s not so difficult that a family with children in good shoes and a walking stick can’t manage. (We saw plenty of little children doing it.)

• Taste Madeira’s Famous Wine

Madeira wine, which the Founding Fathers used to toast the Constitution, helped put Madeira on the map and after drinking it for a week I get it. Rich and ranging from dry to quite sweet, it’s delicious and I cannot recommend making yourself a Madeira Spritz strongly enough. We visited Blandy’s, one of Madeira’s oldest wine lodges dating to 1811, and had the opportunity to taste a number of different varieties. We also got to taste some of the brand’s table wines. They were the first to make table wine on the island 30 years ago.

• Explore The Capital City Of Funchal

Funchal is a small but vibrant city with art walks, farmers markets, gorgeous architecture (Colégio Church, dating to 1629, is a must see, IMHO), and tree-lined boulevards. If you’re a soccer fan (or are raising one) you can even visit the CR7 Museum dedicated to the most famous Madeiran yet, Cristiano Ronaldo.

I’d also definitely recommend taking some time to shop along one of the main commercial streets – Rua Dr Fernão de Ornelas – particularly the embroidery shop, Bordal. Embroidery is a traditional Madeiran craft and the artisans at Bordal are masters. You can even take a tour of the small factory above the shop, where some of the employees have been working for more than 50 years.

• Go On A Whale Watch With Madeira Sea Emotions

Madeira is located in waters frequented by a number of whale and dolphin species, making it a great place to see these beautiful creatures in the wild where they belong. Conveniently located right next to Dreams Madeira, Madeira Sea Emotions tours are loads of fun even if you don’t see any animals… ask me how I know. (Yes, my group was among the unlucky 7% or so that didn’t see anything on their trip.) Our guide was so friendly and entertaining that the lack of whales was hardly an issue, and they made up for the dearth of cetaceans by showing us some of the island’s most stunning, secluded coves and sea caves.

What Else To Know

Madeira really does have something for everyone, and families will be enchanted by the culture, food, natural beauty, and people found there. It speaks volumes that unlike many other tourist destinations I’ve been to, especially island destinations, almost everybody I met in Madeira was from Madeira. “Why would I leave here?” many of them asked.

Why indeed…?