"Amphitheatre around a beautiful bay." Top 5 Page for this destination Funchal by Jerelis

Funchal Travel Guide: 500 reviews and 1,020 photos

Beautiful view from the fortress at the city. - Funchal
Beautiful view from the fortress at the city.
Capital of Madeira

Funchal city is the capital of the island of Madeira. It's a city of white rows of houses that climb up the hills, like an amphitheatre around a beautiful bay of blue sea. We loved to explore the city, and therefore we saw a lot of old and characteristic churches, mansions, palaces and monuments.

Pretending to know where you are ...

The compact town of Funchal is easy to get around, and the ideal place to explore on foot. Funchal is Portugal, and yet it is a culture unto itself. Historical buildings to stroll around include the 15th century cathedral, numerous churches, elegant colonial houses and the charming cobbled streets reveal delights at every turn. Nature lovers will appreciate the rich array of tropical plants found throughout Funchal. Time to explore it!

We can honestly state that the best way to explore Funchal is by foot and the second best way is also by foot! Besides giving you the opportunity to roam the narrow streets and the cosy squares, it is the quickest way too. If you really want to, you can cross the city in approximately 45 minutes. Remember that sometimes it might be quicker (and nicer!) to take a few short-cuts into picturesque alleys instead of following the masses of tourists. Maybe this is easy for us to say as we stayed for a longer period of time and not like most of the tourists only for one day. But even when your stay is rather short, do try to get away from the crowds and just have a 'look around'. Funchal is simply a perfect place to walk for a few hours and pretending to know where you are.

Madeira Island
Cultivated terraces at the hills of Madeira. - Funchal

Cultivated terraces at the hills of Madeira.

Don't forget to have a look at our Madeira Island page.

Madeira is a small archipelago of volcanic origin in the middle of the Atlantic. The weather is mild throughout the year. The landscape is luxuriant, irrigated by cascading streams, while mountain peaks seem to rise abruptly from the ocean.

  • Last visit to Funchal: Jul 2002
  • Intro Updated Aug 30, 2007
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Reviews (46)

Lunch at this beautiful mansion. - Funchal Facing the Praça do Municipio. Restaurants (3)

Funchal, the capital city of the island of Madeira, is a fascinating and unique town. This historic town, dating back... more travel advice

Beautiful flowers in the streets of Funchal. - Funchal Hiking - "Zona Velha", the Old Area. Sports & Outdoors (3)

Take time to meander - losing yourself in the maze of alleys, streets and lanes is one of the "Zona Velha", the Old... more travel advice

Relinde and Iris hiking in Funchal. - Funchal Hiking - Our game plan strategy. Sports & Outdoors (3)

Most people try to rush Funchal on a budget so they end up missing some of the highlights in a whirlwind. The key to... more travel advice

The courtyard of Palácio de São Lourenco. - Funchal Palácio de São Lourenco - National... Things to Do (12)

In the beginning of its history the Fortress de São Lourenco served as residence for many captains and governors of the... more travel advice

Comments (15)

  • Reply
    freddie18's Profile Photo
    Jul 27, 2007 at 7:22 PM

    Great tips and useful information on Funchal. Thanks for sharing.

  • Reply
    atufft's Profile Photo
    Jul 3, 2007 at 12:37 PM

    Thoughtful coverage of Funchal and Madiera. Thanks also for visiting Flores. Happy Traveling with your family.

  • Reply
    yooperprof's Profile Photo
    Apr 2, 2007 at 11:37 AM

    I love those toboggans! This is a place that I would dearly love to visit some time.

  • Reply
    tini58de's Profile Photo
    Feb 2, 2007 at 4:38 AM

    Great page with lots of useful information and great pictures! Thanks!

  • Reply
    CHAMPY's Profile Photo
    Jan 14, 2007 at 3:04 AM

    Nice pictures of MADEIRA and comments too. We can learn something in your HP. Cheers !

  • Reply
    Maurizioago's Profile Photo
    May 23, 2005 at 1:11 AM

    Very useful tips. Ciao!

  • Reply
    onecut's Profile Photo
    Dec 12, 2004 at 12:42 PM

    we went a year ago it was wonderful

  • Reply
    hunterV's Profile Photo
    May 11, 2004 at 10:57 AM

    Those are wonderful places worth visiting, of course...I wish I could go there, too...

  • Reply
    ettenaj's Profile Photo
    Mar 10, 2004 at 8:25 AM

    Brilliant and accurate description of this fantastic place.

  • Reply
    Feb 23, 2004 at 12:09 AM

    Very accurate update on this Funchal page. Great to see the addresses and directrions present. Keep it going!

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