Madeira keeps children busy as long as you match the day to the child. Cable cars, lava pools, a forest walk that ends on a balcony over the mountains, dolphins off Funchal and, for bigger kids, sliding down waterfalls on a rope. Below they are grouped by the kind of day you need, so you can choose over breakfast.
In short
- Easiest wins: the Monte cable car and the Porto Moniz pools.
- Best short walks: Balcões and Queimadas, both about an hour and a half or less.
- Wildlife: a morning dolphin trip, or snorkelling at Garajau.
- Older kids: beginner canyoning, from 7 or 8 depending on the company.
- Keep a rainy-day plan ready. The north can be wet when the south is dry.
Days in the air
The Funchal to Monte cable car. A quarter of an hour over the rooftops with the bay opening up behind you. It costs €16 one way or €22 return for adults, half for children aged 7 to 14, and nothing under 7 (2026). At the top are the Monte gardens and the wicker toboggans, steered back down the road by two drivers in straw hats (Monday to Saturday, €30 for one, €40 for two, €60 for three, from May 2026). Cruise-ship mornings bring long queues, so go early. A second cable car runs from Monte across to the Botanical Garden.
Achadas da Cruz. For children who like a thrill, the steepest cable car in Europe drops almost straight down a cliff to a strip of fields by the sea. Even from the viewpoint at the top it is impressive. Our Far West drive stops here.
The Garajau cable car. A short ride down the cliff to the Garajau marine reserve, where the water is clear enough to snorkel from the pebbles and see fish at once. It runs from 10:00, until 20:00 in summer and 18:00 in winter.
Days in the water
Porto Moniz lava pools. Seawater pools in black lava, topped up by the waves. The municipal pools have changing rooms, sunbeds and a bar, and cost €3 a head for anyone over 3 (2026). The free pools next door are wilder and not for toddlers. Our North-West drive ends here. If it rains, the Madeira Aquarium is a few steps away, in a rebuilt fort with tanks of local Atlantic species, open daily 10:00 to 18:00, €7 adults and €4 for ages 5 to 14.
Dolphin and whale watching. A morning catamaran from Funchal is the family option: steady, shaded, a toilet on board, and bottlenose dolphins on most days. Give the kids a seasickness tablet before boarding, not after.
Beginner canyoning. For water-happy children from 7 or 8 upwards (it depends on the company, and some go by height and weight), this is the one they will talk about at school. A guide lowers you down small waterfalls on a rope, then you shoot down natural rock slides into pools. Jumps are optional. A private trip lets your family set its own pace.
Days in the forest
The Balcões path. A short, level walk through the laurel forest from Ribeiro Frio to a railed viewpoint over the central peaks, about 1.5 km each way. Small birds come close in the hope of crumbs. Go early, when the peaks are clear and the path is quiet. Back at the start there are cafés and the trout hatchery by the road, where children can look into the tanks (Visit Madeira lists €3 for over-12s, free for younger children).
Queimadas. A level stretch of levada above Santana, built so that buggies and wheelchairs can get into the forest. Afterwards, the thatched houses of Santana are close, and so is the Madeira Theme Park: island history, a traditional house, gardens and space to run. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00, and closes on Mondays (2026). Our Wild North Coast drive passes through Santana.
Quinta do Santo da Serra. A large, quiet park in the east with picnic lawns, mini-golf, a viewpoint towards Machico and paddocks with peacocks, fallow deer and small Garrano horses. Over-12s pay €3, younger children go free. The village has also been known for its Sunday morning market; check it is on before you plan around it.
Days off road
A jeep tour on the forestry tracks reaches waterfalls and viewpoints a hire car cannot. Several operators run shorter family versions. Children tend to love the rough ride. Anyone who gets car sick will not.
Days when it rains
- 3D Fun Art Museum, Funchal: optical illusions you step into. It exists for silly photos.
- CR7 Museum, Funchal: Ronaldo’s trophies and memorabilia. Football fans lose track of time.
- Madeira Aquarium, Porto Moniz: small, but local species you will not see from the beach.
- Drive south-west: when Funchal is grey, Ponta do Sol and Calheta are often in sunshine.
Putting a week together
Start near Funchal while everyone gets used to the mountain roads: the cable car, Garajau, a dolphin trip. Then give one long day to the west for Porto Moniz, and one to the north for Balcões and Santana. Save canyoning for the second half, when the children have found their feet.
The drives are where younger children get bored. Our road tours give the car a voice that tells them what they are looking at, which helps more than you would think.
Questions people ask
What is the best family activity in Madeira?
For most families, the cable car up to Monte and the lava pools at Porto Moniz. Both suit almost any age and need no planning beyond the day.
Which levada walks are easy enough for children?
The Balcões path at Ribeiro Frio and the level Queimadas stretch above Santana. Both are short, and Queimadas was built so buggies and wheelchairs can use it.
Can children go canyoning in Madeira?
Yes, on beginner routes, from 7 or 8 years old depending on the company, some of which also set a minimum height and weight. A guide and full kit are included.
What can families do in Madeira when it rains?
The aquarium in Porto Moniz, the 3D art museum and the CR7 Museum in Funchal, or a drive to the south-west coast, which is often dry when Funchal is not.