Madeira with kids — a quick start guide
Everywhere I travel, I end up writing a little guide, whether I'm paid to do so or just for fun — I love sharing these knowing they might come in handy for other people. When I found myself travelling for a few months to the semi-autonomous Portuguese island of Madeira with a child in tow, I knew I'd end up putting together something like this, and as always, it's a combination of recommendations and tips from other people in the know alongside stuff I find out myself. As the title suggests, this is just a brief guide and not meant to be comprehensive, so I apologise if I've left something out, but hey — just make your additions in the messages below!
Overview:
Portugal is exceedingly kid-friendly; people in general absolutely love kids. In Madeira, there are parks with playgrounds everywhere, 99% of restaurants will welcome children with open arms and most have high chairs. My only complaint would be using a stroller in old town Funchal — alas, cobblestone streets were laid long before strollers were invented. Outside of old town, I haven't had (m)any stroller issues, unsurprising, given how many babies and stroller there are on the island.
Car seat laws:
An age- and weight-appropriate car seat or booster seat is required for all children up to 135cm tall or 12 years of age, whichever happens first. The child must be irn the car seat/booster in a back seat. This doesn't apply to taxis, where car seats/restraints are not required at all. BUT it does apply to Bolts (ie. Madeira's version of Uber), if you're going by the book. (I don't know if a Bolt driver would necessarily reject you if you didn't have one though...) Btw if you're staying for longer, I personally do think you should get a car.
Food:
I'm more or less a "granola mom", so this section pertains mostly to organic and direct-from-farm produce. The larger supermarkets in Madeira (Pingo Doce, Continente) don't tend to stock much organic (Continente is slightly better in that there is a dedicated aisle/area for organic items, but it's mostly dry pantry goods).
For baby/kid specific organic food, Celeiro (an organic/health food chain) is your best bet. If you need formula, they stock Holle (supermarkets and pharmacies sadly only stock industrial brands like Nestle). Celeiro is located right in the centre of old town Funchal opposite the main cathedral, at Rua do Aljube 15.
Some pharmacies stock a small selection of Holle baby food, including some Wells, the pharmacy attached to most Continente supermarkets.
For fresh produce, I've tried ordering/buying from growers these two ways:
1) Quinta Pedagogica da Camacha — farmer Bruno takes orders via WhatsApp, DM me if you want his number.
2) Expo do Agricola Ponta do Sol — weekly farmers' stand, and you can register on their website to order online beforehand to pickup every Saturday: (you can join their WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal from their website). expoagricola.pt
Diapers, wipes etc.:
Major supermarkets and pharmacies will have everything you need, unless you need a specific brand.
However, if you need replacements/accessories for reusable diapers, you'll need to bring your own because I haven't seen much of those.
Gear:
Major kid's stores like Zippy and Chicco will have most things you need, from clothes to high chairs to car seats. They're both in old town Funchal (Zippy in Plaza Madeira shopping mall; Chicco on Rua do Bpo 20), and both in the shopping mall MadeiraShopping.
Leroy Merlin, the hardware/home improvement store has a small section of baby proofing items lime gates and electrical outlet covers. Address : Rua do Engenho Velho 4, Funchal.
Kid to Kid near Forum shopping mall is an excellent little shop for mostly second-hand kids' clothes, as well as new and used toys, furniture, and general kids' stuff. Address: Rua do Vale da Ajuda N23, Funchal.
Origem is a fancier baby store (and pre- and postpartum centre and baby spa) in Ajuda (Funchal) if you're looking for higher-end clothes, utensils, strollers etc. Address: Avenida do Amparo 20, Funchal.
Healthcare:
Fortunately, I've not had much experience in this regard, but from what I've read, Hospital Particular da Madeira (a private hospital) has paediatricians and 24-hour A&E. Address: Avenida Mário Soares 143, Saõ Martinho, Funchal.
EU citizens can use the public system like locals (free or low cost), but depending on the issue, wait times are said to be long.
The emergency number is 112 (fire, ambulance, police).
Community resources:
Unfortunately, but for good reason, I'm going to ask you to fire up your defunct Facebook account and join the English Mom's Club in Madeira group. It's the most active easily-accessed moms' group for any questions before and during your time in Madeira, and listings like playgroups and hobby classes. The search tool can also be helpful for past responses.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/616876859250889/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT
If you're interested in Alternative Education (unschooling), get in touch with A Place To Be and join their community for meetups and more (at time of writing, the project is in soft launch)
https://www.aplacetobe.me/
Schooling/education:
I don't have any first-hand info on schools — at time of writing my kid(s) aren't school aged, but I've seen some posts on English Mom's Club about it, so have a search there to get you started.
Parks:
There is no shortage of parks in Madeira, and I've barely scraped the surface — I'm pretty sure that wherever you choose to stay, there'll be a good park nearby. Some to start you off: Santa Caterina near the centre of town, big grassy area and swings that face the harbour — best seats in the house! Decent duck pond and cafes (one at the duck pond and another out further on the edge near the cruise terminal). Nazaré, a more modern urban park with its own parking and a neat little cafe overlooking the play area. Ajuda, basketball courts, kids play area, grass, and a dog park all in a neat package. Garajau, out east in Caniço, with giant slippery slides for big kids (and adults!) as well as the usual kids stuff and a cafe too.
Got more? Comment away!
#momstr #madeira #portugal #SovEng
Gigi (npub1der…xzpc) nielliesmons (npub149p…722q) PABLOF7z (npub1l2v…ajft)
j@nostr.me
npub1es…kvllf
2024-02-22 21:05:40
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"content": "Madeira with kids — a quick start guide\n\nEverywhere I travel, I end up writing a little guide, whether I'm paid to do so or just for fun — I love sharing these knowing they might come in handy for other people. When I found myself travelling for a few months to the semi-autonomous Portuguese island of Madeira with a child in tow, I knew I'd end up putting together something like this, and as always, it's a combination of recommendations and tips from other people in the know alongside stuff I find out myself. As the title suggests, this is just a brief guide and not meant to be comprehensive, so I apologise if I've left something out, but hey — just make your additions in the messages below! \n\nOverview:\nPortugal is exceedingly kid-friendly; people in general absolutely love kids. In Madeira, there are parks with playgrounds everywhere, 99% of restaurants will welcome children with open arms and most have high chairs. My only complaint would be using a stroller in old town Funchal — alas, cobblestone streets were laid long before strollers were invented. Outside of old town, I haven't had (m)any stroller issues, unsurprising, given how many babies and stroller there are on the island.\n\nCar seat laws:\nAn age- and weight-appropriate car seat or booster seat is required for all children up to 135cm tall or 12 years of age, whichever happens first. The child must be irn the car seat/booster in a back seat. This doesn't apply to taxis, where car seats/restraints are not required at all. BUT it does apply to Bolts (ie. Madeira's version of Uber), if you're going by the book. (I don't know if a Bolt driver would necessarily reject you if you didn't have one though...) Btw if you're staying for longer, I personally do think you should get a car. \n\nFood:\nI'm more or less a \"granola mom\", so this section pertains mostly to organic and direct-from-farm produce. The larger supermarkets in Madeira (Pingo Doce, Continente) don't tend to stock much organic (Continente is slightly better in that there is a dedicated aisle/area for organic items, but it's mostly dry pantry goods). \n\nFor baby/kid specific organic food, Celeiro (an organic/health food chain) is your best bet. If you need formula, they stock Holle (supermarkets and pharmacies sadly only stock industrial brands like Nestle). Celeiro is located right in the centre of old town Funchal opposite the main cathedral, at Rua do Aljube 15. \n\nSome pharmacies stock a small selection of Holle baby food, including some Wells, the pharmacy attached to most Continente supermarkets. \n\nFor fresh produce, I've tried ordering/buying from growers these two ways:\n\n1) Quinta Pedagogica da Camacha — farmer Bruno takes orders via WhatsApp, DM me if you want his number.\n\n2) Expo do Agricola Ponta do Sol — weekly farmers' stand, and you can register on their website to order online beforehand to pickup every Saturday: (you can join their WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal from their website). expoagricola.pt\n\nDiapers, wipes etc.:\nMajor supermarkets and pharmacies will have everything you need, unless you need a specific brand.\n\nHowever, if you need replacements/accessories for reusable diapers, you'll need to bring your own because I haven't seen much of those.\n\nGear:\nMajor kid's stores like Zippy and Chicco will have most things you need, from clothes to high chairs to car seats. They're both in old town Funchal (Zippy in Plaza Madeira shopping mall; Chicco on Rua do Bpo 20), and both in the shopping mall MadeiraShopping. \n\nLeroy Merlin, the hardware/home improvement store has a small section of baby proofing items lime gates and electrical outlet covers. Address : Rua do Engenho Velho 4, Funchal.\n\nKid to Kid near Forum shopping mall is an excellent little shop for mostly second-hand kids' clothes, as well as new and used toys, furniture, and general kids' stuff. Address: Rua do Vale da Ajuda N23, Funchal.\n\nOrigem is a fancier baby store (and pre- and postpartum centre and baby spa) in Ajuda (Funchal) if you're looking for higher-end clothes, utensils, strollers etc. Address: Avenida do Amparo 20, Funchal.\n\nHealthcare:\nFortunately, I've not had much experience in this regard, but from what I've read, Hospital Particular da Madeira (a private hospital) has paediatricians and 24-hour A\u0026E. Address: Avenida Mário Soares 143, Saõ Martinho, Funchal. \n\nEU citizens can use the public system like locals (free or low cost), but depending on the issue, wait times are said to be long. \n\nThe emergency number is 112 (fire, ambulance, police).\n\nCommunity resources:\nUnfortunately, but for good reason, I'm going to ask you to fire up your defunct Facebook account and join the English Mom's Club in Madeira group. It's the most active easily-accessed moms' group for any questions before and during your time in Madeira, and listings like playgroups and hobby classes. The search tool can also be helpful for past responses.\nhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/616876859250889/?ref=share\u0026mibextid=NSMWBT\n\nIf you're interested in Alternative Education (unschooling), get in touch with A Place To Be and join their community for meetups and more (at time of writing, the project is in soft launch)\nhttps://www.aplacetobe.me/\n\nSchooling/education:\nI don't have any first-hand info on schools — at time of writing my kid(s) aren't school aged, but I've seen some posts on English Mom's Club about it, so have a search there to get you started.\n\nParks:\nThere is no shortage of parks in Madeira, and I've barely scraped the surface — I'm pretty sure that wherever you choose to stay, there'll be a good park nearby. Some to start you off: Santa Caterina near the centre of town, big grassy area and swings that face the harbour — best seats in the house! Decent duck pond and cafes (one at the duck pond and another out further on the edge near the cruise terminal). Nazaré, a more modern urban park with its own parking and a neat little cafe overlooking the play area. Ajuda, basketball courts, kids play area, grass, and a dog park all in a neat package. Garajau, out east in Caniço, with giant slippery slides for big kids (and adults!) as well as the usual kids stuff and a cafe too.\n\nGot more? Comment away!\n\n#momstr #madeira #portugal #SovEng\nnostr:npub1dergggklka99wwrs92yz8wdjs952h2ux2ha2ed598ngwu9w7a6fsh9xzpc nostr:npub149p5act9a5qm9p47elp8w8h3wpwn2d7s2xecw2ygnrxqp4wgsklq9g722q nostr:npub1l2vyh47mk2p0qlsku7hg0vn29faehy9hy34ygaclpn66ukqp3afqutajft ",
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