Funchal



Funchal is the capital and main city of the autonomous region of Madeira, on the island of Madeira, in its south between Santa Cruz and Câmara de Lobos. In 2021, it was home 106,000 people.

Understand
The name Funchal (foon-SHAHL, /fũ.ˈʃaɫ/) comes from the abundance of fennel (funcho) found on the island. It was an important shipping centre during the 15th–17th centuries. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal.
 * Visit Funchal website

By plane


There are several daily flights from most major cities in Portugal (Lisbon, Porto). Flight time from Lisbon is 1½ hours.

Also, there are good connections from London (mostly Gatwick, but also Heathrow) with TAP/Air Portugal and British Airways; its flying time is estimated at 3½ hours.

By car
Funchal is served by highway ER101 which runs along the coast. An easy way to get to the city centre by car is to take exit 11 and head downhill towards Funchal. Continue on this road (ER103) until you pass under an overpass. Immediately on your right is a large parking garage (closed on Sundays). From here it is only a few minutes walk to Mercado Dos Lavradores / Sé Cathedral.

Get around
The city centre is small enough to explore on foot. Orange city buses can take you around and up to Monte (lines 20, 21). Giro cards can be bought from the office for €2.20, which are pre-loaded with two journeys, and can be topped up with additional journeys for €1.50 each. A single ride costs €1.90 when bought from the bus driver. Most city buses start from the waterfront area. If you are lucky, you can acquire a bus timetable for the local and regional buses starting in Funchal at the tourist information office. Timetables and a map are also available.

By motorcycle and moped
Madeira as a small island is very convenient for exploring by riding motorcycles. Funchal is well connected with the rest of the island and there are a lot of hidden gems that could be discovered along the coast roads. Using a moped is a common practice around the island as it’s a lot more convenient. Finding a place to rent a scooter or motorcycle is not difficult and there are several companies, most of them are located within the town centre.

See




Do

 * Visit the fair/market, old port and gardens.
 * Football: Funchal has two pro soccer teams:
 * Football: Funchal has two pro soccer teams:
 * Football: Funchal has two pro soccer teams:
 * Football: Funchal has two pro soccer teams:

Buy
Flowers & fruit (check with the airline/ship if they can be brought abroad).

The island is world-famous for its wines. Several stores offer varying selections.

Eat
Funchal has an abundance of good, if not necessarily cheap, eating places. Most places serve traditional Madeiran and Portuguese food, which is well-prepared and tasty, but not terribly exciting. One of the most typical dishes and served almost everywhere, is espada com banana (scabbard fish with banana). It is usually served with fresh salad and potatoes. A bit more expensive is bacalhau (dried, salted codfish), which is also served in many restaurants. One of the more common and best varieties is "bacalhau com natas" (codfish in cream sauce).

Drink
Not the party capital of the world: most bars are very quiet, except during a football match.

Budget
During low season (winter) prices may drop significantly, e.g., from €50 to 35. Time around Christmas is high-season.



Connect

 * Internet Access - There exist various free public Wi-Fi hotspots sponsored by the Madeiran government. One can find such locations by looking for blue and white boards with the Wi-Fi logo on them. A lot of bars and cafes offer Wi-Fi which is usually sponsored by an ISP called "Zon". These are usually password restricted but the owners are usually very friendly in providing them. One of the larger public squares called "Praca do Municipio", for instance, has free Wi-Fi. Other locations include Avenida Arriaga (2 x around the Golden Gate Café and the Cathedrale) and Praca de Colombo.
 * Post Office - Stamps are rarely available at vendors selling postcards. There is a post office (CTT Correios) near the cathedral in the Avenida Zarco and the Rua Calouste Gulbekian, near the Casino. Postcards to EU countries are €0.72 (June 2015).

Go next

 * Porto Santo — A wonderful quiet beach community, Porto Santo is a small island on the North-East of Madeira can be reached by either boat or plane. It is well worth a visit for it's nice small restaurants, it's long beach, and the Christopher Columbus house.
 * Anywhere else on the island of Madeira — Numerous guided day-tours around the island offer pick-up from Funchal hotels. In addition, Rodoeste buses connect Funchal to points westward, and S.A.M. buses connect to points eastward.