Funchal top tips – experience Madeira’s capital

No, Funchal is not a “pearl”. From a distance, the island capital of Madeira looks as if the depression between the coast and the hilly hinterland had been filled with white houses. It has hardly any “landmarks” that emerge as landmarks. Only the huge cruise ships, which anchor in the port of Funchal on a daily basis, seem to go beyond the small-scale scale. Even though the true beauty of Madeira unfolds in the lush green hinterland, you can still reserve a day for a trip to the capital. Even though the spark didn’t jump over to me right away, Funchal was finally able to inspire me with its very own charms.

8:00 a.m. – Garten Eden im Farmers’ Market

At the first attempt, we found the market hall Mercado dos Lavradores by no means colorful and lively. At the few stalls, tourist junk was sold at extortionate prices and there was a yawning emptiness in the courtyard of the market. I could hardly contain my disappointment. Isn’t this supposed to be the meeting place for the locals? Here they stock up on all the delicious products that ripen in the fertile fields of Madeira. When I later confessed my disappointment to a local, he had to smile. Classic beginner’s mistake. The locals do their shopping in the morning hours, in the afternoon only the “tourist version” is operated. And so, on the very last day, we made our way to Funchal again – especially for the market hall – and lo and behold, all the vegetable and fruit stalls loaded to the last centimeter now filled the courtyard.

10:00 – Promenades of Funchal

The core of Funchal is mostly traffic-calmed and designed as pedestrian zones with the black and white paved paths typical of the island. Avenida Arriaga is a classic pedestrian street lined with cafés and restaurants between the Zarco monument and the Rotunda do Infante. But the other alleys between the waterfront and the town hall also invite you to take an entertaining walk through the city.

12:00 – Lunch under the arcades

Diagonally opposite the town hall, under the arcades of the former bishop’s palace and in front of the entrance to the Museu de Arte Sacra, is the Café do Museu. A popular meeting place for locals for a quick espresso or a light lunch. I had a very tasty salad with stuffed mushrooms.

14:00 – Street art in the harbour area of Funchal

With the art project “Arte Portas Abertas”, the run-down Rua de Santa Maria in Madeira’s old fishing district has been steadily upgraded over the past few years. Since its launch in 2011, around 200 art projects by various artists have been realized along the road. In the meantime, the artistically painted doors have become a fixed item on the program of the guided group tours of the cruise ships. Depending on the timing, there may be bottlenecks in the narrow alley. Nevertheless, a worthwhile detour.

16:00 – On the Monte gondolas

A classic is the gondola ride from the harbour to the Monte (10 euros one-way). Once at the top, we took a quick look inside the church of Nossa Senhora do Monte and watched the hustle and bustle at the starting point for the basket sleigh rides. The basket sleds were originally used in the mid-19th century as a fast means of transport from Monte down to Funchal. Today, the sleds serve a purely touristic purpose. But the four-kilometer drive should be a lot of fun, a colleague assured me.

18:00 – Pflanzenpracht im Botanical Garden

Instead of the slide, we went one station further to the Jardim Botanico, which is also above Funchal. At first we wanted to do the route on foot. There are two possible hiking routes, but both require a few meters of elevation gain. And so, without further ado, we decided to take a second gondola ride (8 euros / combined ticket Monte and Jardim Botanico 15 euros). At the Botanical Garden, we can expect not only a beguiling floral scent, but also a fantastic view over Funchal. Bus lines 29 and 31, which stop right in front of the Botanical Gardens, will take you back to the city centre.

20:00 – Meat on a spit over Funchal

Or you can stay true to the hillside location for the end of the day. Not far from the Botanical Garden on Rua Conde Carvalhal (No. 136) is the Zarcos restaurant, which boasts a panoramic terrace with a great view over the city centre of Funchal. We end our day of sightseeing with the garlic bread «Bolo de caco» and «Espetadas», which are typical of Madeira. If you like meat, you will love the tasty meat skewers, which are practically the national dish of Madeira.