Madeira: mountains, ocean and island life, for families and couples
Where to stay, how to handle the new trail bookings and the mountain roads, and what is really worth seeing on Madeira, from the levadas to the natural pools, with kids or as a couple.
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Who this guide is for
Families with kids and couples going to Madeira for the first time, planning 5 to 10 days and wanting more than a city break: the mountains, the walks and the ocean too. We explain how to travel with a rental car and how to manage without one.
It’s not the right guide if you’re after long sandy beaches and want to spend the whole trip lying by the sea. Madeira is an island of mountains and walking trails, and it only has a handful of sandy beaches.
What’s inside
Twelve chapters. We start with which part of the island to stay in and when to go, then cover the roads, renting a car and the buses. Next come the walks and the new booking rules for them, Funchal and Monte, day trips around the island, beaches and natural pools, and the lesser-known places. We finish with hand-picked stays for three budgets, what to eat and where, a real week’s budget for a family and for a couple, and the tips people rarely tell you. Every place is also on one map.
The twelve question marks are the places we’d plan a Madeira trip around. They open, with names and photos, in the full guide, together with a Google map of every place, walk, beach and stay we mention.
Prices checked in September 2026 for the 2026–27 season.
Want a plan built around your dates, your kids’ ages and your budget? Order a custom trip plan.
The full guide opens after purchase
You’ll read it online in your account, on your phone or laptop, and every price update is included.