Family holidays to Madeira

Our family holidays to Portugal’s island sibling, Madeira, match child-friendly hotels with culture-filled towns.

Friendly hotels

Our family-friendly hotels lay out everything from kids’ clubs and sports to evening shows and swimming pools with children’s sections. The Eden Mar Suite Hotel is a great choice, thanks to its offering of studio rooms with self-catering extras. The five-star Belmond Reid’s Palace in the capital of Funchal, meanwhile, dishes up a spa for adults and a pick of swimming pools for children.

Beach days in Madeira

There aren’t too many sandy spots in Madeira, so Calheta had a brainwave and shipped in soft, golden sand from Morocco. It sits in a sheltered bay, so it’s great for snorkelling, too. Elsewhere, Prainha Beach serves up volcanic dark sand and Praia Formosa is a skinny strip of shingle with sunloungers and lifeguards.

Waterparks in Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz waterpark has 10 slides to pick from, including the all-guns-blazing Black Hole. Alternatively, go for a dip at the lidos in the centre of Funchal. There are two big seawater pools, plus a play area for children.

Fancy taking the whole clan to Portugal? Consider a family holiday to Madeira.