14 Tips for Visiting Funchal

When Portuguese sailors rediscovered the archipelago in the Atlantic, the largest of the islands was covered by forests, so they named it Madeira, which means “wood”. Even when coming up with a name for the capital, they were not very imaginative. Since fennel grew everywhere around here (= funcho in Portuguese), the city founded in 1425 was named after this aromatic herb – Funchal. Today, more than 260 thousand inhabitants live here, the majority of the population of the entire island. The main source of income is tourism. So what are the most important attractions that make Funchal worth visiting?

(1) Sé Cathedral

Although it is not very tall, its dark tower is easily recognizable above the roofs of the houses. The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary symbolises the faith of the island’s first settlers. Their wealth was helped by sugar (in the 15th century Madeira was the largest exporter of high-quality sugar in the world!); they built beautiful houses in the city, bringing architectural styles and culture from foreign countries.

For the construction of the cathedral (completed in 1514), volcanic stones from the nearby Cabo Girao cliff were used in 26 color shades, which are very clearly visible on the facade. The construction was initiated by the Portuguese king Manuel I, who engaged the architect Péro Anes. There is also a rosette above the entrance and a cross of the Order of Christ at the top (you can find it on the flag of Madeira as well).

The pride of the cathedral is the impressive ceiling, one of the most beautiful in Portugal, made of Madeiran cedars with carved geometric patterns in Mudejar style and inlaid ivory details. Little light penetrates the interior of the cathedral, if you want to see the ceiling in its full glory, you need to come here at a time when it is specially illuminated (working days 10.45 – 11.00, Sundays 11.00 – 12.00).

The main chapel features saints, prophets and apostles from the 16th century, as well as details celebrating island life, such as cherubs carrying bunches of bananas and wineskins.

The main altar consists of twelve paintings from the beginning of the 16th century, depicting the life and suffering of Christ.

Embedded in the floor, there are seven tombstones with the names of bishops and Flemish sugar merchants (one of them is Joáo Esmeraldo, of whom we will hear more), who had the stone brought from Belgium for this purpose during their lifetime.

(2) The majority of the most important buildings can be found near the cathedral on Praca do Municipio (Town Square) with its beautiful black and white mosaic paving. On the north side, there is the former Jesuit college with the imposing 17th-century church Igreja do Colégio. The Jesuits were called in 1569 by the king of Portugal when he saw the Catholic faith threatened. Soon, however, this order had become so successful in the business of wine and Brazilian diamonds that two hundred years later, the Jesuits had to leave Madeira.

Four marble statues can be seen on the chalk-white front facade of the church, one of which is the founder of the order, Ignatius of Loyola.

The square was named after the Town Hall. It was originally the elegant home of Count Carvalhal Esmeraldo, at that time, his family was the richest in Madeira. Above the entrance gate, you should notice the coat of arms. There are five sugar cones on it, or better to say – containers in which sugar was transported, and four bunches of grapes – as the symbols of the island’s prosperity.

In the middle of the small courtyard, there is a fountain with a statue of Leda in an embrace with a swan, which is Zeus transformed into a bird.

There are also pretty azulejos on the building. Originally, azulejos came to Spain with the Moors, and King Manuel I, a great lover of art, brought them to Portugal. At first, they used to be decorated with geometric shapes, only in the Baroque period floral ornaments began to be used and whole walls full of various patterns were created.

The Museum of Sacred Art (Museu de Arta Sacra) is located in the former bishop’s palace. In its collection, you will see Flemish paintings, which between Funchal and Antwerp, the owners of sugar cane plantations and sugar traders obtained for their goods.

Smaller streets lead from the Town Hall Square. You will also discover interesting patterns of mosaics made of black basalt and white limestone on many of them. They are mostly various geometric ornaments, but if you look carefully under your feet, you will also find the coat of arms of the city or the ship on which Zarco arrived in Madeira. Just be careful when it rains, the stones are slippery.

(3) Gardens and Parks: While walking around Funchal, you will come across a fence over which branches grow, covered with flowers of striking colors. There are many parks in the city and even private gardens are open to the public. A visit to the Botanical Garden is one of the important points of every visitor’s itinerary, and a photo of the flower carpet cannot be missed in the Madeira photo gallery!

You can take the cable car to the Botanical Garden.

Read my detailed article: Gardens and Parks

(4) The city spreads out like an ancient theater in the bay, which is bordered by cliffs to the east and west and green mountains to the north – up to a height of 1200 m above sea level. Even a walk along the waterfront can be a pleasant addition to your day in Funchal. Several forts were used to defend against pirates. For example, the Fortaleza de Sao Tiago fortress on the eastern edge of the historic city center, already attracts attention from afar with its distinctive ocher-yellow color. It was built in 1614. During the Napoleonic Wars, over 3,000 English soldiers were stationed here as a defence against the French who had already invaded Portugal and threatened the interests of the English in Madeira. Later, the building housed a museum of modern art.

There is a pebble beach with showers and concrete sunbathing areas near the fortress.

(5) If you take a walk in the opposite direction, you will discover various interesting buildings along the former fortification walls, e.g. Palacio de Sao Lourenco with a brown roof and white facade, today the seat of the Prime Minister of Madeira. When you arrive at the port, fresh air and the smell of the sea wafts over you. It is a vibrant point of the city, whether during the day or in the evening, locals and tourists meet here. This is where the famous Madeira wine was once loaded onto ships to acquire its unmistakable taste during the long voyage. It used to be the “Gateway to the World” with trade and cruise ships to India, Europe and the New World. Today, there are yachts, sports boats and catamarans.

Among the modern ships, you will see the copy of the Santa Maria, on which Columbus first set out on his journey to America.

By the way, you can find the statue of the famous discoverer near the Park of St. Catherine. Columbus visited Madeira several times, first for the sugar trade, but later he married the daughter of the first captain from Porto Santo. Nearby is also a statue of the Grand Master of the Order of Christ Prince Henry the Navigator, a great supporter of discovery expeditions, although he never sailed anywhere.

(6) However, you can do more than just go for a walk around the port, you can also book a dolphin and whale-watching cruise. We sailed on a catamaran.

The front side of the ship is designed so that you can lie there and sunbathe during the cruise. Those lying there also had a better view of the dolphins swimming just in front of the ship.

We saw several whales, but they always showed only a piece of their massive body and their dorsal fin. At one point, we spotted one smaller fin that was moving very fast. Our guide’s voice suddenly sounded very excited. What we saw was a shark! Fortunately, far from the shore and from our ship, so after a certain time of sailing, we could swim in the sea.

More info: vmtmadeira

Do not forget to bring a windbreaker, towel, swimsuit, sunscreen, camera or cell phone.

(7) We will return to the city again. One of the most beautiful promenades is Avenida Arriaga. There are many shops, restaurants and cafes on both sides. At the beginning of summer, the whole street blossoms in blue. Majestic jacarandas bring color and pleasant shade here.

On the promenade, you will find the famous Ritz Cafe with interesting azulejo paintings of life in Madeira, a neoclassical theater with one of the best cafes in town, Café deo Teatro. The most famous winery, Blandy’s, is located here as well, run by the seventh generation of this family. Regular tastings of the famous Madeira wine are held here. More info in the article: Madeira – the Best Drinks to Taste

At the end of the promenade, you will see a statue. This is Joao Goncalves Zarco, who, on the instructions of Prince Henry the Navigator, went on an expedition in 1418. As they were caught by a storm, they landed on the uninhabited island of Porto Santo. However, they saw a dramatic cluster of clouds in the distance, therefore knew there was another island, and so during the second expedition a year later, they landed on Madeira.

(8) You can best feel the atmosphere of medieval Funchal in Zona Velha (Old Town). The oldest street is Rua de Santa Maria. Since it is located near the port, in the past, mainly fishermen lived here. Today, the basalt pavements are lined with shops, bars and restaurants. The street comes alive after one o’clock in the afternoon. The waiters are preparing the tables and chairs and the clinking of dishes is heard. The first guests examine the boards with the food menu. In the evening, it is very lively here, one balances between those coming and going in the narrow space. Guests enjoy a great meal outside by candle or lantern.

In 2010, the Spanish artist José Maria Zyberchema started a special street art project Arte de Portas Abertas here. Since then, local artists have been beautifying the doors of these houses with their paintings, thus constantly adding new pieces to this open-air gallery.

(9) The most famous delicacy, which must be tasted in Madeira, perhaps also on the Rue de Santa Maria, is the black fish espada. They say that you have to eat it first before going to see how it looks. Where? At the local market Mercado dos Lavradores.

The market building in the Art Deco style was built in 1937. To the right of the entrance, elderly women in typical Madeiran costumes are offering fresh flowers – strelitzia, proteas, lilies… Behind them, on the blue azulejos, you can see their predecessors passing by with baskets of flowers on their heads around the fountain with Leda and the swan (today in the inner courtyard of the Town Hall).

The market is best visited on Friday or Saturday. That is when it is the busiest. On the ground floor, in the courtyard framed by arcades, local farmers set up their stalls. The range of colorful fruits is amazing!

In addition to fruit and vegetables, there are shops with wicker and leather products and stalls where you can buy not only flowers for a vase but also seedlings that you can then plant in your garden or on your balcony at home.

Upstairs, you can still find an offer of herbs and spices, as well as wine and liqueurs, smoked hams, salamis and aromatic cheeses. Another part – just as attractive for tourists – is at the back. It is a fish market where men – like skilled surgeons – remove the black skin of espadas…

…or use big knives to cut huge tuna into smaller pieces.

(10) I believe that your visit to the market did not deter you from intending to taste either espada or tuna. If you would prefer to try smaller portions and more varied dishes, then I recommend one of the Food on Foot culinary tours (in different languages) in Funchal.

Our tour lasted almost four hours, during which we tasted up to 15 samples of typical local food and drinks in various places around the city. As a bonus, we got a lesson on the rediscovery of the island, the times when Madeira was the largest exporter of sugar in the world and lots of other interesting information about Madeiran cuisine, as well as the history and present of the island.

Contact: Food on Foot

You can read about what else to taste in Madeira in my article: Cuisine of Madeira

(11) Festive occasions in Madeira also include a nicely set table – with a pretty tablecloth with Madeira embroidery. Like wine, this embroidery is part of the island’s culture and history. Hand embroidery has been present here since the time of the first settlement, but it saw its greatest growth in the second half of the 19th century when it became a valuable exchange item and an important source of income for many families in Madeira.

Until then, embroidery was only a product for home use. Thanks to Elizabeth Phelps, the daughter of a prominent wine merchant, its way to the British market was opened. At that time, a radical change took place, embroidery became a commercial, highly valued commodity, which was in great demand in many countries. Embroidery houses began to appear on the island, products were constantly improved and adapted to fashion and the demands of the clientele.

Near the market, we visited the company Bordal, which currently employs about 400 women, the oldest is almost 90 years old. Unfortunately, the number of embroiderers is constantly decreasing.

In several rooms, we saw not only beautiful products (tablecloths, blouses, dresses, etc.) that were also ordered by European royal courts, but we also got to know the entire process of Madeira embroidery.

More information: Bordal

They keep up to 60,000 patterns, some of which are very old, and it is quite possible that Sisi also chose some of them for her imperial court in Vienna.

(12) Yes, the Austrian empress Elizabeth (Sisi) was one of the most prominent guests of Madeira. She visited the island twice. Her bronze statue stands near the casino, which was built from concrete by Brazilian star architect Oscar Niemeyer.

If you would like to feel at least a little bit of the atmosphere of bygone times, you can spend an afternoon having a cup of tea at the Belmond Reid’s Palace Hotel, where Sisi stayed during her second stay in Madeira.

You can find a detailed article about this experience on the blog: Afternoon Tea at Reid’s

(13) If you are a museum lover, you have several options in Funchal as well.

Lovers of sports, especially football, will definitely not miss a visit to the CR7 Museum, where more than 150 trophies of the famous native of Madeira, footballer Christian Ronaldo, are on display. The bronze statue, 3.4 m high, is an unmistakable symbol of his ego. I have to admit that I am not a football fan, so I preferred the Museu A Cidade do Acucar – the Museum of the Sugar City, which is dedicated to the history of the sugar industry on the island and approaches the time when sugar was considered “white gold”.

I was most interested in the forms on the sugar cones, but also sacred art, small furniture, jewellery and sculptures – all this heritage reflects what was achieved by the production and trade of sugar. You will definitely notice the house in which the museum is located. After renovation, its facade shines bright yellow. It is located on Columbus Square (Praca do Colombo). The name of the square is not accidental, it is the house of the rich sugar merchant Joáo Esmeraldo where Columbus stayed for a few days as a guest during his visit to the island in 1498 on his third expedition to America. In fact, only the foundations remained of the original house.

(14) A visit to Funchal would not be complete without a trip to Monte. Especially on a hot summer day, one will appreciate the fresher air at a height of 600 meters above the city. You can get here by car, bus or cable car.

What awaits you here:

– beautiful views of the city (even while riding the cable car)

– the pilgrimage Church of Our Lady of Monte (Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte), where the last Austrian emperor Charles I is buried.

– riding a wicker sledge

– Monte Palace tropical garden – 7 hectares with a wide variety of exotic plants and trees

Detailed information about the trip to Monte can be found in my article: Monte

Where to Stay: during our stay, we stayed right in the city in the nice urban 4-star Sé Boutique Hotel. The hotel has an interesting green dining room, but we enjoyed our breakfast outside in the alley from where we had a beautiful view of the Sé Cathedral. That is why our great breakfast was often complemented by the ringing of bells. A disadvantage of the hotel: you cannot get to the entrance by car and the hotel does not even have its own parking lot. We had to park the car in the city garage, for which the hotel has negotiated lower prices.

I recommend visiting at least the cool bar on the hotel’s terrace, from where you have a 360° view over the entire city.

Where to Eat: we tried several restaurants in the city. Their addresses and the pictures of the dishes we tasted can be found in the article: What to taste in Madeira?

How to Get Here: by plane. During the season, there are direct flights from Vienna. The airport in Funchal was built in 1964. Here, I want to share our personal memory: In September 2022, we had our suitcases packed and our tickets ready… Unfortunately, the first symptoms of the disease began to appear, and when the test results came back, instead to Funchal we flew back to Vienna. During the entire COVID pandemic, we were not sick, and then it struck at the most inopportune moment. We attempted a trip to Madeira a second time a year later. We could not believe it when the plane began to descend, the undercarriage extended and the coastal rocks were within reach… But then the plane took off again, the wheels retracted again, we made a big arc and only then started to descend again. Not only did we travel, but we also landed on the second attempt – which can happen to you too. It is said that pilots must have special training to land at the airport in Funchal.

A Final Word: Whether you go to Madeira for swimming, history or culinary experiences, you will not be disappointed. Madeira will surprise you with its diversity. I would come back here – even for a third attempt…