How to enjoy the best 24 hours in Funchal

I stayed in Madeira for over a week and during this time, I spent most of my time hiking, driving around the island and exploring some off the beaten path locations. I only dedicated a day to exploring Funchal, the capital of Madeira, and although it felt brief, it was more than enough to get a feel of what this great city has to offer. If you have more time, there are lots of things to do in Funchal, so you can definitely keep busy for a long weekend.

Funchal is a laid-back city with a great community of friendly locals, who look forward to teaching travellers about the Madeiran way of life. Funchal also has amazing food, a beautiful (and famous!) botanic garden and tons of winding streets, which take you up and down the hills. Each street and house in Funchal looks so different and adorable, that even an aimless walk around the capital of Madeira is a journey in itself.

So how do you allocate a day exploring Funchal whilst making sure you really see everything which will enrich your inner traveller? Well first, start by wearing comfortable shoes. It’s going to be an exciting and hot day. Here’s what to do in Funchal.

Funchal Market

Kick start the day by visiting the fresh fruit and flower market in Funchal. This is a great place to sample local produce and take lots of colourful pictures first thing in the morning. Don’t feel pressured to buy anything and be aware when you buy passion fruit from some vendors. Although some are honest market sellers, others have been known to add sugar and fruit juices to the samples they offer you, to make you believe their product is better than in reality.
Have a wander around the fish section and admire the scary scabbard fish, as well as the giant freshly caught seafood.

Passion Fruit Madeira

Monte Cable Car

Wait in line for the Funchal Cable Car which will take you up the mountain, and offer you some crazy beautiful views of the city. The Cable Car is open from 9 am until 5:45 pm and it costs 10 euros per person, one way. If you wish to get a return, the price goes up to 15 euros. I recommend you buying just a one-way ticket because I have something else planned for your return journey. I promise it will be more fun.

Beyond Madeira Cake Funchal Streets Hills Gardens

Monte Palace Tropical

The Monte Palace Tropical botanic garden is incredibly beautiful. It has a ton of oriental influence, including cute torii gates, a Japanese bridge, a beautiful mini Kyoto garden and even some Chinese architecture. It’s like stepping into an Asian world, whilst being on an island in the Atlantic. The whole experience was magical. Towards the end of the garden, you can sit down and enjoy breathtaking views over Funchal, stretching all the way to the ocean and beyond. Included in the ticket is a small glass of local wine for you to sample. If you are hungry, I recommend getting a bite from the cafe, alongside a latte so you have the energy to carry on with the day. There is still plenty left to do.

Botanic Garden Funchal Madeira

Ride the sledges back to Funchal

It’s time to leave Monte behind and head back into the heart of Funchal. For this, you need to be brave and take the sledges back down. The sledges will get your adrenaline going as you are racing down the hill in a wooden box. It’s like being in Venice, but on a mountain. Definitely a weird, but super fun adventure which you cannot miss in Funchal.

Beyond Madeira Cake Funchal Streets

Praca do Município

Once back in Funchal, make your way to Praca do Município, a small square which will allow you to explore some winding streets of Funchal. Allocate a couple of hours to explore this district, and start by taking the R. Câmara Pestana. Don’t forget to stop from time to time to admire the boutiques and buy some Madeiran sweet and pastry specialities. No journey around Funchal is complete without the Portuguese superstars Pastel de Nata (custards tarts).

Madeira Food Pastel de Nata

Old Town

In the afternoon, stroll and photograph the beautiful old town. Enjoy Rua de Santa Maria, which was my favourite street, as it was very narrow, and leading to various networks of even smaller streets. A local told me that the government invested money into getting talented art students to transform the facade of the old town into something more modern. You will notice that each door around the area has a different theme.

Madeira Weather Old Town Funchal

Restaurante do Forte

By the end of the day, you would have wandered a lot, and I can only hope you would have enjoyed Funchal just as much as I. There is no best place to end the evening than in a fancy restaurant overlooking the ocean: Restaurante do Forte. Make sure to order the cheese platter which really left an impression. It was served alongside giant grapes and delicious relishes.

Madeira Food Cheese Platter

Old School Car

There is no better way to end your evening than hiring an old school car to take you back to your hotel. I loved feeling like a bit of a star, having my own driver. These cars are beautiful and classy, but if you ask me, I’d rather rent a Tesla for a night and be taken around in an environmentally friendly, drop dead gorgeous looking car.

Sunset Funchal Madeira

Overall, I absolutely loved Funchal and if anything, I regret not spending more time around. However, being an adventure lover, there is no surprise that I wanted to conquer Pico Ruivo, enjoy driving around Madeira and have the chance to photograph Madeira’s wildest cliffs, Ponta do Pargo.

What do you think of Funchal? Would you go there for the markets, the restaurants or the gardens? Leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts.

Cory Cliffs Madeira Ponto do Pargo
Share this post
Cory from You Could Travel entering Senso-ji in Tokyo, Japan

Cory Varga – Cory is a published travel writer and award-winning photographer. She travels full time with her husband and is passionate about creating in-depth travel guides. Cory published her first book on Japanese customs and manners because she’s obsessed with everything Japan. She has visited hundreds of destinations and has lived in 7 different countries. Cory is multilingual and an alumna from The University of Manchester.

Comments

11 responses to “How to enjoy the best 24 hours in Funchal”

  1. Lisa Sloodts Avatar
    Lisa Sloodts

    Beautiful pics and lovely article! Thank u for this help 🙂

  2. Love this article! I am flying there on Monday! So excited about it ! When have you been there? I am a bit worried about the weather.

    1. Hi Alexandra,
      Glad you found it useful. Don’t forget to get in touch with the ladies from Madeira Food on Foot. Their tour was the best ever. We had soooo much food and drinks.
      We went in June and the weather was nice. To be honest, the weather is very similar. Expect to wear a cardigan during day time and long jeans during the evening. It’s a bit like mid Spring. It’s not really beach weather though.
      Let me know if you have any questions, I’m happy to help. I LOVED Madeira!

      Have lots of fun,

      Cory

  3. joan galasso Avatar
    joan galasso

    we will be there for only one day of our transatlantic cruise. the cable car sounds like fun but the sled back down have me worried. we are all 50+ yrs old but adventurous and active. any advice?

    1. Hi Joan,

      Please do not worry, so many people do it and it’s a lot of fun. We could see many over 50 years old doing it and enjoying it a lot.
      I’m sure you are going to have a blast and if in doubt, you can always get the cable car back as well.

      Enjoy Funchal!

  4. All of your articles on Madeira have been very helpful! My fiance and I just booked a trip there as part of our Honeymoon to Portugal! We will be staying at Belmond Reid’s Palace. Do you have any good restaurant suggestions off the property and Restaurante do Forte for honeymooners? Thank you again for all of the information.

    1. Hi and congrats on your wedding!
      I’m sure you will love your honeymoon in Portugal.
      We went on a beautiful food tour with Madeira food on foot.
      Although they are a tour operator, they might have some special recommendations for you.
      We spent most of our time doing the trails, hence we don’t know any other restaurants 🙁

      Wishing you the best of time in Funchal.

      Kind Regards,

      Cory

  5. Very helpful for our upcoming trip with a cou[ple of places I hadn’t thought of visiting. Thanks

  6. seamus ogrady Avatar
    seamus ogrady

    We are hear for week what is best way to get north of the island

    1. Hi Seamus,

      Renting a car is the best and easiest way to access the north. Alternatively, you can rely on some local buses, although the timetable can vary from area to area.

  7. Angela Swallow Avatar
    Angela Swallow

    We have booked our 1st trip to Madeira for late March. I have loved reading and travelling with you on your explorations & experiences on the island. I love your laid back but informative style. Happy & safe travelling – will defo try our your many suggestions including your walking trails – will be bringing along my new (as yet used Xmas pressie) walking poles as I have a dodgy knee,! Any suggestions for easy cycling on the island – have enjoyed watching hairy scary mountain trails defo not for me tho! Take care from snowy and windy ??

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *