The City of Funchal, Madeira
OVERVIEW – On this page you can see information about the city of Funchal, Madeira and some suggestions of Things to Do. We reflect on our visits where we have seen the city at different times of year. We visit a folkloric night (on two occasions), take the cable car and enjoy strolling the city.
Video(s) of our visit(s) accompany at the foot of this page.
ABOUT
Funchal is the capital city of Portugal’s Madeira archipelago. Founded in 1421 by the Portuguese navigator Joao Goncalves Zarco it was briefly under Spanish (1580–1640) and British (1801, 1807–14) control.
It is backed by hills, and known for its harbour, gardens and Madeira wine cellars. The centuries-old Funchal Cathedral, which mixes Gothic and Romanesque styles, is notable for its carved wooden ceiling. Fronting the harbour is the São Tiago Fortress, built in the 1600s. It now houses the Contemporary Art Museum, with a large collection of Portuguese works.
Population in 2023 was approximately 106,000.
Currency is the Euro.
THINGS TO DO
There is so much to see and do on this beautiful island it is a job to know where to start.
There are trips in jeeps, mini buses, helicopters which all give fantastic insights into the island and some right over Europe’s highest cliffs at Cabo Girao. You can also go to see the pre-historic laurel forest or the Monte Palace Tropical Garden.
Add to that list the Funchal Cable Car, Toboggan Ride, Santa Catarina Park, Boat trips around the harbour, walking tour of the old city and of course a visit to the famous Blandy’s Madeira wine cellar.
OUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO
If you hadn’t guessed already, Funchal is one of our favourite places to visit. We were lucky enough to go there several times, on our own and with family. Ken has been up in a helicopter with his mum to see the sights. Meanwhile, his dad and Lindsey stayed safely on terra firma with a coach tour into the hills and through the clouds before stopping for coffee and some delicious Madeira cake. Ken also took his dare-devil mum on a toboggan trip which she loved – his dad and Lindsey headed to Blandy’s!
Evening Entertainment
If you are lucky enough to have a late, or overnight, stop in this beautiful port then why not consider booking a folkloric night. It is something we did with Ken’s dad and it was enjoyed by us all. Transported to a restaurant high above the city we had great views. There was a supper included and then a display by local musicians and dancers. Of course there was an opportunity to join in too – fortunately our efforts were not caught on camera!
Folkloric Night – the return
We had such a good night there that some years later we had opportunity to return. Our ship, Ventura, had an overnight stop in port and we eagerly waited to see if there would be ship excursion. That did not happen so we booked independently through Viator. A great option as trips tend to be cheaper, locally organised and with a good backing.
We eagerly waited in the rain to ease and then met our driver who took us to the same venue we had been at all those years ago – A Parreira. Our wait was rewarded as we some great local food, local wine (beer or soft drinks) and even local rum liqueur. On top of that local dancers again provided entertainment and of course Ken joined in, as indeed his dad would have done.
It was an evening not to be forgotten again and certainly one we would do again should opportunity arise.
Visit on P&O Ventura
So to our visit in November 2023 on P&O’s Ventura. At the port we docked alongside Azura, the sister ship of Ventura. It was nice to see them together as we strolled along the shoreside. We walked past quite a few structures being erected ready for the Christmas celebrations. Shame that we were a few days too early to see them lit. However we made for the cable car to head up the into the hills. A word of warning, the queues are very long but they do move along quite well.
Lindsey dislikes heights but the trip up was uneventful (Lindsey held her breath!) and it was nice to see the views. Ken did consider the toboggan trip back down – but Lindsey’s done that once and has no desire to do it again. Instead it was a ride back down in the cable car. This time we had a car all to ourselves and could take in the views even more.
After all that ‘excitement’ it was time to head back into the town (thankfully!) for a well earned coffee and Pastel de Nata – well it would be rude not to. After a short walk further into the town we happened upon the Golden Gate Grand Cafe (its not far from Blandy’s) which had very inviting outdoor seating. It was here we stopped for a local beer and a cheese plate – and very nice it was too.
As always a delightful day in Funchal – so much to do there and we look forward to our next visit.
Festive Funchal
Visiting the island at any time of year is a joy but timing it with the Festive Period is even better.
Christmas and all that goes with it is very important to the Islanders and they take their decorations and celebrations very seriously. The result, if timed right, is a feast of decorations and lights.
Our visit in 2025 should have given us a good view, but it rained – well a better description was deluge!
However our spirits weren’t dampened and we made the most of strolling through the city. There was also an impromptu concert by a choir who took shelter close to where we had done the same.
Additional photographs
Accompanying Videos
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