Funchal, the historic capital of Madeira, is nestled in the lush hills overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. With a blend of natural beauty and cultural heritage there is lots to do like exploring the historic centre with its charming cobblestone streets, admire the stunning botanical gardens, or indulge in the local cuisine. There are lots of reasons to love this Portuguese gem.
Where is Funchal located
On the southern coast of the Portuguese Island of Madeira, 805 kilometres (500 mi) southwest of mainland Portugal.
How to get to Funchal
Plane: There are frequent flights from Lisbon and Porto with TAP and from many other European cities.
Getting Around
Car Hire: Hiring a car is the best option for getting around Madeira if you plan to get out and explore more of the island as it gives you the freedom to go everywhere you want at your own pace. There are many car hire companies at the Funchal Airport and around Funchal.
Local Bus: Horários do Funchal is a local bus service that will take you to some of the out of the way places like the Botanical gardens and the Monte area. You can by single trip tickets or GIRO travel pass. You can find more details here
Taxi/Ride-share: Taxi or Bolt(only ride-share available) is a good option also to get to some of the further away attraction around Funchal. To request a Bolt ride you will need to download the Bolt app and for taxis you can hail them! they are bright yellow you cant miss them!
When is the best time to visit Funchal
Funchal has nice warm weather all year round thanks to a combination of the mountainous interior, warm ocean currents and cool wind.
Summer (June–September): The peak tourist season with dry and warm weather with temperatures averaging between 18 °C (64 °F) – 25 °C (77 °F).
Spring and Autumn: Shoulder season with milder weather and temperatures averaging between 14 °C (57 °F) – 23 °C (73 °F).
Winter (December–February): Low season with the most rain and milder weather with temperatures averaging between 14 °C (57 °F) – 20 °C (68 °F).
Our Verdict: Shoulder or peak season is the best weather wise. For those looking to save money and avoid the crowds low season still has nice weather, just expect a bit of rain to get in the way at some point.
FUN FACT: Due to it's all year round good weather Madeira is also known as "The island of eternal spring"
Where to stay
The most convenient place to stay is somewhere within walking distance of Zona Velha so you are close to all the attractions and restaurants. Perfect if you are only staying a day or two in Funchal.
If you are after a bit more of an experience stay somewhere up in the hillside neighbourhoods of Funchal where you will have breath-taking views of the city and Atlantic Ocean. Those views will come at an inconvenience of having to travel everywhere but if you are in Funchal for a 3 days or more it will be worth it.
Things to do in Funchal
Monte Palace Madeira
Monte Palace Madeira is located in the Monte area high up in the hills of Madeira, to get there you can ride the Teleferico cable car (marked on map) for 18 euro round trip or you can take the local bus or taxi and it’s also possible to walk if you are up for it. If you’re feeling adventurous consider coming back down with the Carreiros do Monte the wicker sleds!
The Mote Palace was built in 1897 as a residence and was later turned into a the Monte Palace hotel. Today this area has been turned into a lush garden filled with exotic plants from all over the world.
There are several areas to explore including a Chinese garden and some other exhibits, but the central pond area is definitely the best! Here it is a bit of a fantastical area with a cascading waterfall and swans swimming in the water with the palace in the background and bunch of flamingos! they and they don’t seem to mind everyone being around and grabbing selfies with them.
This place really surprised us as it not the normal kind of place we would visit but it was pretty epic! Also by the monte palace you get some awesome panoramic views looking back over Funchal.
Funchal Old Town
Zona Velha, or the Old Town, is a beautiful historic district in the centre of Funchal. Its narrow, winding cobblestone streets, are filled with historic buildings with wrought iron balconies, giving you a sense of stepping back in time. Along Rua de Santa Maria during the day you will find colourful artwork painted on the doors and the evening you will find it a lively hub of activity as the streets are lines with seating as people enjoying the evening.
This historic district is a treasure trove of architectural gems, including the 15th-century Capela do Corpo Santo and the imposing São Tiago Fortress, a yellow coloured fort built in the 17th century to defend the city from attacks by pirates
Carreiros do Monte
Funchal is home to the very unique form of transport wicker toboggan sled rides. These sleds help people get down the steep hillside area of Monte to the city centre.
CR7 Museum
The man the my the legend and no.1 export from Madeira. The Cristiano Ronaldo museum is a must stop for any lover of the beautiful game.
Funchal Cathedral
Built in the 15th century the church and is the main church in Funchal. Make sure you pop inside for a look at the detailed interior.
Madeira Botanical Garden: Beautiful botanical gardens with amazing views of Funchal.
Miradouro do Lazareto: Beautiful ocean viewpoint accessed by a nice walk through Madeira.
Blandy’s Wine Lodge: Learn all about Madeiran wine and its history in a historic building and have a tasting at the end!
TRAVEL TIP: All of these places and more are marked in the handy map above!
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Hiking
Madeira is a hikers paradise and Funchal is no exception! there are a number of trails dotted around the city for you to take advantage of. Check out the handy dandy map below for ideas!
Day Trips from Funchal
There are loads of day trips options from Funchal where you can hike the Levada’s high up in the Madeiran mountains or explore beautiful seaside villages. Some places to consider are:
Valley of the Nuns: Spectacular valley surrounded by towering cliffs and lush greenery.
Cabo Girão Skywalk: Viewing platform on the second tallest cliffs in the world overlooking the Atlantic ocean.
Ribeiro Frio: Beautiful lush mountainous area that contains a number of beautiful hiking trails.
Ponta de São Lourenço: Amazing seaside trail that takes you out on the peninsula to the most eastern part of the island where there are epic panoramic views.
Where/What to Eat & Drink
You will find most bars and restaurants in the Zona Velha area particularly along Rua de Santa Maria. This street comes alive in the afternoon and evening as the restaurants open up and fill the streets with tables and chairs. You really can’t go wrong around here just choose the place that has the vibe you are after and enjoy the ambience of this beautiful historic area.
Bar Maltez: Little local bar where they serve home made Poncha and amazing buttery octopus sandwich.
FUN FACT: Poncha is an alcoholic drink made from a mix of Madeiran rum with citrus fruits (orange and lemon) and local honey.
Restaurante Embaixador Madeirense: Serve excellent Madeiran food and they made point to not serve French fries but vegetables cooked in the traditional way. The food here was delish!
Grilled Limpets: Grilled limpets is a Madeiran speciality it’s a simple yet delicious seafood dish of limpets grilled and smothered in garlic butter. We tried the dish at O Piano Restaurant but you will find it all over the place.
Our Experience
Funchal is a charming little city that is easy to get around and a joy to explore. One of our favourite things is that it is so close to nature you can go from the city to the mountains in minutes! We only had one day here and think that to get the most out of it you should spend at least 2 days. Funchal is also a great place to base yourself to explore the island as there are loads of attraction within a short driving distance and a lot of them can be accessed by public transport if you don’t have a car.
Next Stop:
- Levada das 25 Fontes: Madeira’s most beautiful Levada hike!
- Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo (PR1)
- Ponta de São Lourenço
Also check out our YouTube video below 👇
