The island of Madeira has been crowned one of the most attractive visits on the planet. Its capital, Funchal, offers everything you need for an exciting adventure.
Traveling to the “best island destination in the world” is something that should be on the list of every self-respecting traveler, and according to the prestigious accolades given by the World Travel Awards, Madeira is that destination. Therefore, in case you still do not know Madeira or if, on the contrary, you have already visited it, but plan to return to continue discovering everything it offers, we are going to describe its capital, Funchal, whose beauty and charm undoubtedly influence this renowned recognition.
The city itself sits in a large natural basin, facing the Atlantic and surrounded by rugged mountains. Funchal has long been known outside its borders for its fennel fields and for its stories of pirate attacks, but today, far from that past, it has become a modern and cosmopolitan city, famous above all for its Incomparable natural beauty that irresistibly fell in love with renowned international personalities such as the Empress Sissi or the English Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and that continues to captivate everyone who visits it.
Its beautiful old town
We start with its picturesque old town Zona Velha, which houses very special places and monuments such as the Mercado dos Lavradores, a place full of exotic colors and charged with the wonderful aromas of the Atlantic. Built in 1940, it is the largest market on the island. It is a beautiful building with large walls of Battistini ceramic tiles by Maria Portugal, which decorate the façade, the entrance and the fish market with regional themes. Some of the characteristics of this market is its dynamism and the persistence of tradition and folklore, which is why many vendors are dressed in the representative Madeiran costume, full of bright colors, joy and character.
The colorful markets are one of the highlights of Madeira PHOTO: Dreamstime
A few steps from the market is Rua Santa Maria, the most popular street in the Zona Velha, which runs through the historic center from one end to the other and where bars, restaurants and souvenir shops abound, and on the where the vast majority of the famous “decorated doors” that are part of the “Open Doors” project are concentrated, which emerged in 2010 to reinvent and revitalize this neighborhood, and today, thanks to this street art initiative, one of the the unmissable visits in Funchal. At the end of Rua de Santa Maria there is another obligatory point in this city: the Capela do Corpo Santo, in which the fishermen commended themselves to God before going out to fish.
Nearby, the Madeira Story Center museum offers a unique and fascinating experience, as it presents 14 million years of history of the archipelago in a playful and interactive way, something that is ideal to obtain a broad and complete vision of how special this destination is. Travel. Not to be forgotten as a prominent place in Zona Velha is Forte de São Tiago , which was built in the early 17th century as a defensive bastion against constant pirate attacks. Today, the fort houses the Museum of Contemporary Art and a restaurant, and offers impressive views of the city.
Mount, from where you can enjoy the best panoramic views over the bay of Funchal
Let’s move on to one of Funchal’s most popular attractions for travellers: the cable car that connects the lower area of ​​the city with Monte, one of Madeira’s tourist icons. The journey, of about 15 minutes, is a magical fusion of brilliant colors and magnificent views; runs through the old part of the city and crosses up the Ribeira de João Gomes. As you go up, you can see the blue sea, the bay of Funchal, the houses, the impressive banana orchards and the connection between the urban area and the outskirts of the city. This is the best way to see the natural beauty of Madeira, as well as its geography and topography. Although it is not the only cable car on the island, it could be said, without a doubt, that it is one of the most spectacular.
Once in Monte, the highlight is the Nossa Senhora do Monte Church, where the tomb of Charles I of Habsburg, the last emperor of Austria, is located. From here we recommend a visit to the Botanical Garden, which can be reached by cable car in about nine minutes. It is a floral jewel and a spectacular viewpoint with views of the Ribeira de João Gomes valley, the capital of Madeira and the Atlantic.
On your way back to Monte, a visit to the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens is a must . They are an Eden where nature brings together more than 10,000 plant species from around the world and impressive lakes with black and white swans swimming in their waters. The site is also home to the Palace Hill Museum, which houses an important collection of contemporary sculpture from Zimbabwe and minerals from around the world.
One of the most typical attractions of Funchal are the so-called “basket cars”
Let us now stop at one of the most popular and characteristic attractions of Funchal: the descent from Monte to the lower part of Funchal in the so-called «basket cars». These carts are run by so-called carreiros, men dressed in white with Madeiran straw hats who have existed in Madeira since 1849 and were used to transport food and other things quickly to Funchal. Nowadays, the job of the carters has resulted in the fun and peculiar experience for the tourist of going down steep slopes mounted on the aforementioned baskets and propelled by two carts. It is, as we have said, an activity so typical of this city that it could be considered mandatory on a trip to Funchal.
