Daytrip guide to Funchal – A Day in the capital of Madeira
Welcome to the beautiful capital of Madeira, Funchal! A city framed by a spectacular backdrop consisting of beautiful, lush mountains on one side and the vast Atlantic Ocean on the other. If you are planning a trip to Madeira, you definitely don’t want to miss out on Funchal and the many interesting things you can do here!
After spending some time on Madeira, you can find more about that in our Extensive Sightseeing Guide to Madeira, we decided to give you more information about the capital city as well.
So, in this guide, we will provide you with everything you would want to know and want to see when you’re doing a daytrip to Funchal.
How to spend a magical day in Funchal
Take a stroll around the port
First things first, walk towards the beach and Funchal’s lovely port. Large sea walls separate the port area from the sea. You can walk on these walls, which will offer you a first stunning overview of the city and the surrounding mountains.
This place is perfect to escape the busy streets of Funchal, enjoy the calm atmosphere and just sit on a bench nestled between the masts of the boats docked in the port. You can even visit the old Forte de São Tiago, an old fortress built in the 17th century to protect the city against pirates.
Fun Fact: Up until the Second World War many great ocean-liners stopped at the Funchal port thanks to its strategic mid-Atlantic location. The port was therefore an important port of call for various routes between Europe, Africa and America. Today mostly cruise ships stop here.
Funchal’s stunning Old Town (Zona Velha)
Funchal’s Old Town, also called Zona Velha is situated only one street away from the port. It is famous for its many colorful doors. They are all part of the so-called “Projecto artE pORtas abErtas” or the arT of opEN doors project, which are doors from old, abandoned shops and houses redesigned to introduce the city of Funchal to art and culture. It is mainly focused one the Rua Santa Maria.
The project resulted in really beautiful artworks on the doors and building walls of this area of the city. The artist’s name is usually indicated on a sign next to the door.
Get a good view over the city – The viewpoint Miradouro do Lazareto
We consider this next spot a hidden gem because apart from us no other tourists seemed to have found their way here, but we were there during rather quiet times so maybe that was only our impression. If you simply follow the Rua de Santa Maria and the following street always further up the hill, you will reach a beautiful viewpoint called Miradouro do Lazareto.
We actually found this viewpoint randomly on Google Maps and wanted to check it out, so we followed said street up the hill. The street is leading you through more residential areas along the shore. The viewpoint is actually a small parking lot that is situated directly above the sea. The platform is framed by a wall that looks out to the sea as well as towards the city center and the port. The views are absolutely stunning! So, go sit on the wall there and soak in the views!
The Botanical Gardens of Funchal
The Botanical Gardens of Funchal can be found further up the hill. You can reach them by taking the Teleferico Funchal-Monte or if you have a car, there is a parking space near the entrance. The Entrance fee is 6€ per person and the gondola (Teleferico) coasts around 13€. There are actually two gondolas you have to take which are included in the 13€. The first goes from all the way down up to Monte, the second one goes from Monte a little bit further up to the Botanical Gardens.
The Gardens offer a lot of beautiful flowers from all over the world as well as some amazing views over the whole city. Be sure to check them out when visiting Funchal.
Things we missed
In general, we still missed out on a lot of things. The gondolas were closed when we were visiting the city (maybe pandemic related) and so we did not do the Monte area of the city and the famous wooden sledges. Other than that, we have to properly visit the Mercado Lavradores again. We went there to late in the afternoon. So be sure to visit it in the morning, when it is still more lively.
Bonus Tip: Chocolate
Located in the city center of Funchal is a really great chocolate shop called UauCacau. The shop is often crowded, but with some luck you will pass it during less active times. The chocolate is really good and they have a huge variety and all kinds of flavors to offer. If you are a chocolate fan, this is a must try.
