"Funchal - You can feel nature all around... " a Funchal Travel Page by salinhopt

Madeira's almost five century old capital is said to have been named 'Funchal' because of the abundance of fennel (funcho) that was growing there.

Funchal is located in an absolutely unique area. The almost 'amphitheatre' like formation it rests in begins on the beach and rises almost 1200 metres on gentle slopes. This provides a natural shelter and was what attracted the first settlers.

The best harbour and the best climate, together with the excellent geographical position, allowed Funchal to have a rapid population growth.

Today Funchal is a very modern city with over 120.000 inhabitants. This does however mean that traffic congestion in the centre can become almost unbearable.

The city can easily be explored on foot and no matter where your hotel is located (as long as it is in the Funchal tourist area) you will find no difficulty in walking into the main city to delight at its sights and sounds.

There are a wide variety of gardens and parks that are carefully maintained and exhibit a vast array of flowers, plants and trees. In 2000 Madeira received a gold award for Funchal entitled 'European Flowering City 2000'. This prestigious award which is much sought after by many a European city, has deservedly been presented to one of the most beautiful gardens in the world.

Welcome to Funchal! Welcome to Madeira!