Funchal attractions

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The bustling, picturesque capital city stretches along the ocean coast in the south of Madeira. It rises through gorges and rocky slopes in stepped terraces, its streets punctuated by a network of winding roads and tunnels. The mountains approachs to the city. They are covered in "malachite" forests.

Pico dos Barcelos Viewpoint, Funchal

Funchalis the capital of the Portuguese island of Madeira. It is the most important commercial and industrial center. The jewel in the city is the lively seaport, where are moored white yachts and cruise ships.

Funchal attractions map

1. Barcelouche Peak Lookout
3. Funchal market
4. Blandy's Wine House - Madeia Wine Museum
5. Quinta das Cruzes Museum
6. Monastery of Saint Clara
7. Funchal Municipal Square
8. Funchal Cathedral
10. Cableway Funchal-Monte
21. The beach of São Tiago
22. Bajairinha bathing complex

Madeira Botanical Garden

Madeira Botanical Garden by engineer Rui

The exotic Jardim Botanico, which blooms in all seasons, is located in the historic part of the city. It occupies 8 hectares of coastal amphitheater with an altitude difference of 200-350 m. More than 3,000 specimens of plants are planted here and most of the flora is provided with explanatory tablets. The fanciful green sculptures and huge floral panels are a delight for the eyes. The Jardim Botanico can be reached from the city center by two cable cars.

Funchal Town Hall Square

Praca do Municipio is covered with black and white mosaic paving stones made of volcanic stones. There is a fountain in the center of Praca do Municipio. Along the perimeter there are 18th century buildings, among them are the Municipal Building (1758), the Church of St. John the Evangelist (or the Jesuit College), the three-story Bishop's Palace, where today the Sacred Art Museum is open. The Palace Gallery of paintings is considered one of the richest in Portugal.

Funchal Cathedral

Funchal Cathedral (Se do Funchal)

Se do Funchal was built at the beginning of the 16th century. The austere three-nave building on the outside kept its Gothic appearance with elements of mudejar. It has a magnificent Manueline-style interior with mosaic vaults, a carved gilded altar, antique paintings by Flemish masters on the walls. The sacred relic of Funchal Cathedral is a silver cross, a gift from Manuel I the Lucky.

Lavradores Market

Funchal Farmer's Market

Mercado dos Lavradores is a farmer's market in Funchal. It is a huge shopping space, occupying about 10,000 square meters.

Funchal market courtyard

The two-story market building with courtyard, built in 1940, was an exemplary example of Portuguese Art Deco. The main facade is decorated with huge panels and azulejos with narrative paintings by Joao Rodrigues. Inside there are separate shopping areas: Plazas, Squares, Streets, Little Stairways. They are given to local fishermen, gardeners, vegetable growers and artisans. They trade in outlandish fruits, vegetables, plant seedlings and dried herbs, meat, fish and shellfish, and artisanal handicrafts.

Azulejo on the walls of the Funchal market

Museum of Madeira Wine and Winemaking

One of the oldest wine cellars in Funchal (photo: Ian Jacka)

The Museu da Madeira Wine Company is open in the oldest cellar in Funchal, under the baroque building of a former Franciscan monastery from the 19th century. Three museum rooms display barrels and vats, equipment for corking bottles, historical documents and an ancient pressing press. The Vintage room keeps a collection of old Madeiran wines made by the traditional method of canteiro.

Tropical Garden and Monte Palace Museum

Monte palace and tropical garden

Jardim Tropical Monte Palace is a park and exhibition space occupying 70,000 square meters on top of a mountain. On its territory you can see exotic plants from all around the world. Ducks and beautiful swans and ducks swim around the central lake. Peacocks walk peacefully along the garden paths. Along the paths made panels of Portuguese and Spanish-Moorish ceramics (collection of tiles XV-XX centuries), there are African statues.

On the territory of the garden pavilions are built, fountains are installed, small pools with aquatic species of flora are equipped. In the three-story museum, there are expositions of sculptures and minerals from Africa, Portugal, Brazil, and Latin American countries. There are more than 300 samples of precious and semi-precious stones.

Quinta do Paleiro Ferreiro Garden

Blandy Gardens (photo: Emmanuel PARENT)

Quinta do Palheiro Ferriro is known on the island as the "Blandy Gardens". It is one of the most beautiful green areas of Madeira and the world. It is located on the eastern edge of Funchal. It extends along the slopes of a hill about 500 m above sea level.

The grounds of the private Blandy Estate are accessible to visitors. It is divided into several themed areas. A tea house is built here, spectacular hibiscuses, camellias, delicate bougainvilleas are planted. The landscape is decorated with mini lakes, "Lady's gardens" with green sculptures of peacocks, rose gardens, a "sunken garden" with underwater vegetation.

St. Clara Monastery

Santa Clarion Monastery (photo: Steve)

The Convento de Santa Clar is an active monastery of the Franciscan sisters founded in the fifteenth century. The monastery has been reconstructed several times, but it retains its late medieval coloring. The coffered wooden vaults of the monastery church are painted with images of angels, trees, sailboats; the walls are faced with azulejo tiles. An authentic Gothic portal is preserved.

Funchal beaches

Swimming pools instead of beaches

There are four free public beaches in Funchal: Sant Tiago, Gorgulho and Formosa. There is another one without a name, but in the center, right in front of the Funchal-Monte cable car station. Only Formosa is sandy beach. The others are covered with pebbles.

Praia do Gorgulho (photo: Antik Varia)

In the city are very common bathing complexes with an equipped descent to the ocean, swimming pools with sea water and a lot of beach services: Barreirinha, Lido, Ponta Gorda, Doca do Cavacas. They are all for a fee.

Dock Kawakas Tidal Basin

Events

New Year

Fireworks in Funchal (photo: Falk Fischer)

The brightest holiday in Funchal is Fim-de-ano. The Gulf of Funchal, the entire city and the surrounding slopes are lit by hundreds of thousands of lights from the beginning of December to January 6. There are nativity scene exhibitions, holiday performances in the city garden, and sports tournaments. In the harbor, captains hold "ship singing." The local New Year's fireworks display is considered the largest pyrotechnical show in the world: it's listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Madeira Carnival

Trapagliau Parade (photo: Phil)

The Carnaval da Madeira takes place in mid-February. A week of unbridled merriment fills Funchal. Each year the carnival has a new theme approved by the organizing committee. Festivities and parades are scheduled on a daily basis. Bands play, and there are performances in the Municipal Square one after the other.

The main carnival parade takes place on Saturday. On Tuesday, there's the merry Trapalhao, a parody show with funny masks and costumes. Traditional malassadas are sold in the streets. Funchal restaurants and bars prepare a special menu for Carnival week.

Flower Festival