Free walking tours in Funchal and what to see

Must-sees

Funchal, the capital of Madeira, spreads like an amphitheatre from the sea up to the mountains. Down low, the Mercado dos Lavradores gathers tropical fruit, flowers and fish such as black scabbardfish. The cathedral, the Sé, has a carved wooden ceiling, and the Old Town, with doors painted by artists, is packed with restaurants.

A cable car climbs from the Old Town to Monte, home to the Church of Nossa Senhora do Monte and the Monte Palace garden. From there you can ride down in the traditional wicker toboggans, sliding through the streets. Funchal also has the botanical garden, the Cristiano Ronaldo museum and Madeira wine lodges.

Free tours and guided visits

The Funchal free walking tour covers the centre, the market and the Old Town, and tells the story of the island, from sugar to Madeira wine. It is a good way to get your bearings on the first day.

Many trips leave from Funchal: 4x4 tours to Santana, Pico do Arieiro and Ponta de São Lourenço, the north of the island with the natural pools of Porto Moniz, Curral das Freiras, and whale and dolphin watching by catamaran.

How long to spend

You can get to know Funchal in one or two days, but Madeira deserves at least five or six to explore the island, walk the levadas, the irrigation channels with paths alongside, and climb the peaks. The climate is mild all year; in the mountains it can be cold and foggy even when it is sunny below.

Where to stay

The centre and the Old Town let you do everything on foot, with restaurants and the cable car next door. The Lido hotel area, to the west, has big hotels with seawater pools and a promenade along the ocean. On the slopes there are historic quintas with gardens, quieter but with hills.