Funchal is Madeira’s capital and the easiest base for exploring the island, whether you’re stopping for an afternoon off a cruise ship or staying for a fortnight.
I spent two weeks here as a solo traveller, and worked my way through the best of what the capital has in store, and using it as a base to explore the rest of the island.
Here is my pick of the best things to do in Funchal.
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1. Join a guided walking tour
I’m a huge fan of joining a guided walking tour soon after arriving in a city. It gives you the lay of the land and expert local tips, and is one of the best ways to meet other travellers, especially as a solo traveller.
I joined this excellent and affordable walking tour run by students of the Jesuit college. It covered the culture and history of the city and the island through Funchal’s landmarks.
2. Stop at Praço do Municipio
Paved with a mosaic of black and white stones – limestone from the mainland and Madeiran basalt – Praço do Municipio is Funchal’s elegant main square. It is home to a trio of important buildings.
The 16th-century Igreja de São João Evangelistica do Colégio (Collegiate Church) is on its northern side. The Museu de Arte Sacra (Museum of Religious Art) occupies the former bishop’s palace opposite the Collegiate Church.
Finally, the Cámara Municipal (Town Hall) takes up the eastern edge of Praço do Municipio.
3. Climb the tower of the Jesuit Collegiate Church (Igreja de São João Evangelistica do Colégio)
Climb the 84 steps to the tower of the Collegiate Church for beautiful views over Praço do Municipio and beyond. During the tower climb, there is lots of information about the art and history of the church.
There is a small fee to visit the tower and you can buy your ticket from the Sacristy or at the church’s entrance.
Inside, the main chapel is one of the finest examples of Madeiran wood carving. Portuguese glazed tiles cover the walls and a trompe l’oeil ceiling adds a sense of space. The church is open daily and free to visit.
4. Pay your respects at Funchal Cathedral (Sé)
The Sé or cathedral is Funchal’s principal landmark. Built between 1493 and 1517, it is one of the few survivors of the early days of colonisation.
Don’t be put off by its plain exterior. Inside is a lavish confection of Gothic and Moorish architecture with gilded altars and azulejos (the Blessed Sacrament Chapel is spectacular).
Visit between 9 am and 9.30 am when the lights are switched on to reveal the inlaid cedar ceiling. Entry is free.
5. Ride on the Cable Car to Monte
If there is one must-do on your first visit to Funchal, it’s the cable car ride to the hilltop town of Monte. The Madeira Cable Car (Teleférico do Funchal) takes 15 minutes between the base station on Funchal’s seafront promenade and Monte, with a bird’s eye view of the bay, red rooftops and kitchen gardens along the way.
You can check current prices and opening hours here. Getting to Monte by bus is way cheaper, but it is nowhere near as much fun.
6. Visit Monte Palace Tropical Garden
Next to the cable car’s upper station is the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, home to exotic plants from across the globe across 70,000 square metres. But it is more than a dazzling display of flora.
Monte Palace Museum has two outstanding collections: the Zimbabwe Sculpture Collection and the Mineral Collection. Throughout the garden, there are tiles depicting religious scenes and historical events.
At the heart of the garden is a spectacular central lake with a man-made waterfall. Two large Oriental gardens, complete with stone lanterns, bridges, Buddhas and koi carp, complete the picture.
Monte Palace Tropical Garden is open daily from 9 am until 6 pm (until 7 pm in the summer months). The museum is open from 9 am to 5.30 pm. The ticket price for adults is €18 in 2026.
7. Take a wicker toboggan ride down from Monte
At the beginning of the 19th century, wicker toboggans were used to carry freight down the steep 3-mile (5 km) hill to Funchal. A British merchant living in Monte hit upon the idea that these toboggans could be easily adapted to transport people, and one of the world’s most unusual forms of transportation was born.
Today’s wicker toboggans cover 2 km of the original route, steered by two carreiros, wearing traditional straw boaters. From the endpoint, it’s an easy walk back to Funchal.
Toboggans set off from the Church of Our Lady of Monte and don’t run on Sundays. You can check ticket prices here.
If you’re also planning to visit the Nuns’ Valley, it’s worth considering this day tour that combines both.
8. Wander Funchal Old Town and count the painted doors
With its breezy seafront promenade and more restaurants that you can shake a stick at, Funchal Old Town (Zona Velha) is tourist central. But this former fishermen’s quarter was not always the visitor magnet it is today.
Its fortunes were transformed by the Painted Doors Project. In 2010, photographer José Maria Zyberchem invited artists to paint the doors along Rua de Santa Maria and the neighbouring streets.
Today, around 200 doors in Funchal Old Town are painted.
9. Check out the local produce at Mercado dos Lavradores (Workers’ Market)
Mercado dos Lavradores marks the western edge of Funchal Old Town. Stalls in this Workers’ Market are stacked with fruit and vegetables, and women in traditional dress sell flowers at the main entrance.
It’s open Monday to Saturday, but visit on a Friday or Saturday, when the lower floor fills with produce from across the island. A note of caution: rental costs push prices up, so it’s not the cheapest place to buy fresh produce in Funchal, though as a sensory experience it’s hard to match.
10. Taste Madeira wine at Blandy’s Wine Lodge
Well. It would be rude not to.
Madeira’s fortified wine comes in several styles, so pick a favourite at Blandy’s Wine Lodge, a Funchal institution. Tour the lodge and finish with a tasting, or simply go for the tasting itself.
11. Order espada, the local fish speciality
Spend enough time in Funchal and you’ll struggle to avoid espada (black scabbardfish), the toothsome, eel-like fish caught in the waters off Madeira. It’s on the menus in restaurants across town.
It tastes far better than it looks fresh off the boat. Most places serve it fried with banana, though I preferred it without.
12. Join a food and wine walking tour
There are few better ways to get to know a place and its culture than through its food. I joined this excellent walking tour, where our local guide Leonor, introduced us to typical Madeiran food and drink alongside stories of the island.
13. Go whale and dolphin spotting
The waters off Madeira are among the best in Europe for spotting whales and dolphins. April to October are the peak months for whales, though they’re seen in winter too, and dolphins turn up year round.
Join one of the popular catamaran cruises, or look at the sunset cruises for something extra special.
14. Drink a poncha like a local
Poncha is a delicious drink that belies its ferocious base. Aguardente , distilled from the island’s sugar cane, is a mighty spirit best avoided neat unless you’ve opted for the aged, brandy-like version. Mixed with lemon juice and honey, it becomes quaffable poncha.
Drink it at one of Funchal’s poncha bars. Rei da Poncha is hugely popular, while Bar No. 2, in Old Town near the cable car station, is quieter.
15. Try Madeira’s honey cake at Fábrica Santo António
Don’t leave Funchal without trying Bolo de Mel de Cana, a dense confection of sugar cane honey, cinnamon, anise, cloves, walnuts, almonds and orange zest.
The best place to try and buy it is Fábrica Santo António, which has been trading for nearly 130 years. It tastes as good as it looks and makes a good present for those back home, or for yourself.
16. Pair chocolate with wine at UAUCACAU
Take a seat on the outside terrace at UAUCACAU, Madeira’s premier artisan chocolate maker. Made with Belgian cocoa and local flavours, these are small works of art, and even better paired with Madeira wine.
There are two branches in central Funchal, one on Rua da Queimada de Baixo and a smaller shop inside Mercado dos Lavradores. You’ll also find them in Duty-Free at Funchal Airport.
17. Have tea and cake at Loja do Chá
Just behind the cathedral is Praça Amarela (Yellow Square), one of the loveliest corners of Funchal and home to one of my favourite cafes. As a Brit, I like a decent cup of tea, which Loja do Chá serves on its sun-filled terrace. The cakes are worth ordering too.
18. Shop for handmade gifts at Lillie Ceramics
If you are looking for tasteful gifts, Lillie Ceramics is a good bet. Everything is hand-made at this friendly pottery shop, with designs ranging from tableware to jewellery.
19. See the Cristiano Ronaldo statue
What can I say that hasn’t been said already about this striking bronze sculpture of Funchal’s favourite son? Created by the artist Ricardo Veloza, it has gained infamy for its hard-to-miss trouser equipment. You can find it next to Museum CR7 near the cruise port.
20. Watch the sunset at Barreirinha Bar Café
This bar on the eastern edge of Old Town Funchal was my local during my stay. It’s a laid-back spot for a drink at any time of day, but with its uninterrupted ocean views, it’s the perfect spot for a sundowner.
There’s live music or a DJ on Friday and Saturday nights.
21. Climb Fortress São Tiago
The weather-beaten mustard-yellow building next to Barreirinha Bar Café is Fortress San Tiago (Fortaleza de São Tiago).
Built in the 17th century to protect Funchal from pirate attacks, this picturesque fort is home to a well-regarded restaurant. It’s worth climbing to its upper levels for views of the marina to the west and towering cliffs to the east.
Also, check out the vintage cars parked in the courtyard.
22. Stroll along Funchal’s waterfront and marina
Funchal is a city made for strolling, hugely helped by its seafront promenade.
Avenida do Mar runs from Funchal Marina to the cable car station at the edge of Old Town, from where you can continue east to Fortress São Tiago. To the west is Praça do Povo, a landscaped garden with ocean views and the starting point for boat excursions.
23. Visit the Botanical Garden, Madeira (Jardim Botãnico)
Set in the grounds of a quinta that once belonged to the Reid family (of Reid’s Palace Hotel), Jardim Botânico holds around 3,000 exotic species from every continent. I loved the geometric patterns of purple and green acanthus in the formal garden.
There are four main areas across its terraces: indigenous and endemic plants, an arboretum, succulents and a tropical and medicinal section where I spotted sugar cane, avocado trees and coffee bean pods. There are also resident lizards, butterflies and terrapins, and a small self-service café.
It’s open daily 9am to 6pm. Check opening times and ticket prices here.
24. Relax in the Municipal Garden and Santa Catarina Park
Spread across 8300 square metres, Funchal’s lovely Municipal Garden showcases flowers, plants and trees indigenous to Madeira as well as exotic species from across the globe. Ducks and swans glide across its small pond and there is also a café and amphitheatre.
From the hilltop of Santa Catarina Park, there are expansive views over the marina and cruise port. As well as the lawn and flowerbeds there is a lake, a collection of bronze statues and the Chapel of Santa Catarina. This was built in 1425 by the wife of João Gonçalves Zarco, the Portuguese explorer who discovered Madeira, in honour of Saint Catherine of Alexandria.
25. Step back in time at Quinta das Cruzes
Built in the 15th century and rebuilt after an earthquake in 1748, this is Funchal’s finest quinta open to the public. Its most famous resident was João Gonçalves Zarco.
Quinta das Cruzes is now a museum of Portuguese and European decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries, much of it reflecting English influence in Madeira. The modest entrance fee buys you finely engraved silverware, jewellery, ceramics, military uniforms and paintings of picnics in the Madeiran sun. My favourites were an ivory carving of the life of Mary and a writing cabinet with an oratory.
Information sheets in English are in every room, and the garden, home to a small chapel and archaeological park, is free to visit.
26. Visit the small museums: Religious Art, Photography and the City of Sugar
These three small museums are worth an hour each if you have the time.
Museu de Arte Sacra, housed in a 17th-century palace on Praço do Município, is known for its Flemish paintings and sculptures, plus a tiled belvedere tower with fine views over Funchal. I nearly skipped it but was glad a local guide talked me into going.
Museu de Fotografia da Madeira, founded by Vicente Gomes da Silva in 1865 in a former photographic studio, holds 150 years of photographs documenting island life.
Museum A Cidade do Açúcar, on Praça Amarela (Yellow Square) and free to enter, tells the story of the sugar industry that once funded Madeira’s palaces and churches, and how the island was divided between three families. Ask for the free audio guide at reception.
27. Step inside a few more of Funchal’s historic churches
If you have time to spare, a handful of smaller churches are worth a quick look.
- Santa Clara Convent: a 15th-century convent, now a school run by Franciscan nuns, which has reopened after renovation
- St Peter’s Church (Igreja de São Pedro): walls lined entirely with blue and white azulejos, a painted wooden ceiling and a gilded altar
- Santa Maria Maior: a 16th-century church rebuilt in the Baroque style, with columns of red, green and beige marble and tiles depicting New Testament scenes on the altar
- Chapel of S. Antonio da Mouraria: easy to miss and rarely listed in guides, this small former Customs House chapel holds a gilded wooden altar from the late 17th century
- Chapel of Corpo Santo: a 15th-century chapel dedicated to the patron saint of fishermen and sailors, though it wasn’t open when I visited
Where to Stay
Stay in Funchal Town Centre or Old Town to be close to the main attractions. There are gorgeous properties in the hills above Funchal, but your calf muscles will pay for it.
Most high-end hotels sit on the road heading west out of town, right on the ocean but a fair walk or bus ride into the centre.
Apartamentos Sousa – I stayed in this lovely apartment with sea views on the eastern edge of the Old Town, a ten-minute walk to the cable car station. It’s spacious, comfortable, very affordable and has that all-important washing machine.
Here are a few other highly-rated places that I have found that may suit other tastes and budgets:
Sé Boutique Hotel – Located a stone’s throw from Funchal’s Cathedral, this chic hotel has a swimming pool and rates include a good breakfast.
Castanheiro Boutique Hotel – In an excellent location just off Funchal’s main square, this 4-star hotel has an outdoor pool and hot tub.
Plan the rest of your trip to Madeira
If you have found this article helpful, check out my other destination guides to help you plan your Madeira vacation:
- A Week in Madeira Without a Car: An Easy 7-Day Itinerary
- Solo Travel in Madeira: The Ultimate Guide
- How to Visit Monte Palace Tropical Garden in Madeira
- How to Do a Day Trip to Câmara de Lobos, Madeira from Funchal
- How to Visit the Sensational Valley of the Nuns, Madeira from Funchal
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.