Sights and attractions in Funchal

San Pedro area in Funchal

The Parish of San Pedro is a hive of cultural activity. One of the second largest populated areas of Funchal, San Pedro was built in the 16^th century, and although it now houses many modern cafes, bars, restaurants and shops, its streets still ooze tradition and local colour. If you want to experience local life simply head to any of the areas streets such as Rua da Mouraria, Rua das Pretas Rua do Surdo or Rua dos Netos. Here, between bustling squares and shady sidestreets you can unwind and watch life go by from one of the multitude of cafes, or shop in any number of local independent retailers. Much of the original architecture is still prevalent throughout these historic streets. Also, there are many other attractions to sample. The aquarium located on Rua da Mouraria is definitely worth a look, as is the Dr. Frederico de Freitas museum and the covenant of

Calçada de Santa Clara. The atmospheric and traditional Rua da Carreira has also been home to many famous artists and writers over the centuries and the bohemian feel of the street has been maintained through its traditional restaurants, colonial houses and bars.

São Pedro Church
Designed in 1590 and finally completed in the 18th century, the church of San Pedro is comprised of one large church with three smaller chapels situated around it. It’s interior is covered in glazed tiles, paintings, carvings and furniture from the 17th to the 20th century and is a must for anybody interested in history, local cultural or for visitors simply wanting to escape the glare of the midday sun and wander through the cool interior of the church. Walk a little further up the hill and you can really see the church in all its glory.

São Pedro Palace
This beautiful 18^th century structure housed some of Madeira’s most important dignitaries through the centuries such as the Counts of Carvalhal and Lombada. Today it houses Funchal’s Natural History museum and aquarium as well as its regional archive of historical documents.

São João do Pico Fortress
This fortress offers stunning views over Funchal. Built in the first half of the 17^th century it sits at the extremely steep Rua do Castelo, just off the Calçada do Pico. A beautiful place for anyone interested in history, or simply those who want to take a walk with their camera and find one of the best places in the area to photograph Funchal.

Santa Maria area in Funchal

Santa Maria is located to the East of the centre of Funchal and was one of the first established settlements in the area around 1430.  Originally the area of Santa Maria was a worker’s settlement, where men who worked on the sugar cane plantations lived. Visitors to Santa Maria can see a striking similarity and unison in the architectural style of the workers houses that make up the area, which are a quaint and curious factor given the extremely large and varied demographic of its inhabitants.  It was due to the relative economic stability of the area’s population that no major re-building or reconstruction ever took place in the area, making it perfect for visitors wanting to experience a more traditional way of life.

Santa Maria Maior Mother Church/Santiago Menor Church
This impressive baroque church was built (similarly to many others in Funchal) in the 18th century. Many catastrophes hit Funchal during the 15th century such as the 1538 earthquake and a subsequent outbreak of pestilence due to poor drainage systems. To protect the town, its heavily religious occupants gathered in the Sé Cathedral and decided to adopt a new patron saint and build a giant church in his honour. Saint Tiago Maior was chosen as the city’s protectorate and work on the church began quickly. The church was built using wood and stone from Madeira and the exquisitely carved doors represent one of the best examples of craftsmanship seen anywhere on the island. The chapel was re-modelled greatly over the centuries but much of the original stone remains.

Santiago Fortress
The Santiago fortress is not just an amazing example of military architecture that was used to defend Funchal from pirate attacks throughout the centuries. Built in 164 and used by Madeiras military right up until 1992, the impressive structure now houses Funchal’s Contemporary Art Museum where a huge variety of cultural events take place through the year.

Boa Viagem Chapel
This chapel is worth a visit for visitors to Funchal who are interested in art, as it used as an exhibition centre for works of art by 19th century Henrique and Francisco Franco and contains a small but very impressive collection of oil paintings.

Sé Catedral
The Sé Cathedral was the first church built in Funchal. After a heavy series of setbacks, re-building and enlargement, the church was finally finished in 1517. The architecture of the cathedral is simply beautiful. It’s a mix of many influences including Gothic, Moorish, Flemish and Madeira and is extremely foreboding, with a long line of Gothic arches underpinning the structure, and rose tinted windows that seem to trap the sunlight inside the vast, ancient structure. This figurehead structure for the city also housed many of Funchal’s most important sacred relics, which has now been transferred to museums around the city, such as The Museum Of Sacred Art. The cathedral is the perfect place to escape the sun and wander through the vast chambers, listening to your footsteps as they echo across the ceilings.

Câmara Municipal (Funchal Town Hall)
Also near to Sé Catedral is the old town hall, purchased from a rich family of landowners in 1883. This incredible structure located on Rua dos Ferreiros is a perfect example of Madeira colonial architecture, with its giant carved doorways, its multitude of balconies and winding interior staircase that leads out into the forecourt. There is also a giant statue here, depicting Leda and the Swan, the Greek myth that inspired W.B Yeats’ poem of the same name. A few streets further on you can also see the Sacred Art museum, located at Largo do Município, where many religious relics are displayed.

Rua da Alfândega and Rua dos Tanoeiros
These streets have been the centre for independent commerce and small business owners since the 16th century. And nothing much has changed. Once the home of Funchal’s fish market and slaughterhouse, these antique cobbled streets now bustle with wine shops, grocers, cafés and locals. The sunny streets and colonial architecture are a goldmine for photographers and anyone looking to escape the reach of chain hotels, adventure activities and family entertainment.

João Gonçalves Zarco Monument
Madeira and Porto Santo’s founding father and honorary “captain” by royal decree is celebrated in a giant bronze statue at the cross-section of Avenida Arriaga and Avenida Zarco.

Palácio de São Lourenço
After a long string of attacks by pirates looking for easy vessels to pillage along the coastline Funchal’s first fortress was built. What started out as a bare and somewhat primitive structure underwent several huge changes during the 16th and 17th century. Later it included the Palace of São Lourenço, which housed military personnel and was declared a national monument in 1993. Today part of it houses important museum pieces and artefacts relating to Funchal’s military command. The other half is reserved as a palace of residence for the Prime Minister, and can even be visited if prior appointments are made.

The Lido & Coastal Promenade

Recently opened, the palm-lined promenade area has opened up Funchal’s already extensive Lido area into a beautiful scenic path along Funchal’s coast. Stretching the length of Funchal, with the botanic gardens at the Eastern edge, and Praia Formosa beach at the west, this relaxing stroll offers beautiful sea views, shady benches, a multitude of restaurants and bars, and the chance to swim in one of the many swimming pools in the area. The Lido swimming pool is the largest of these and is filled with natural sea water. There is also the Clube Naval, and the brand new Ponta Gorda swimming pool which has many facilities such as sports activities, separate children’s pools, sea access and snack bars.

Quintas and Gardens in Funchal

Monte Palace Tropical Garden
This impressive tropical garden is well worth a visit. Opened in 1991 it contains a wildly diverse selection of flora and fauna from all over the globe. Interestingly, it also houses one of the most important tile collections in the world. The tiles collected from palaces, churches, chapels and Portugal’s colonial mansions represent the many ages of the Portuguese empire and colonies. The tiles themselves are exhibited unobtrusively and are blended into the palace’s tropical plants, flower beds and wandering peacocks. Monte’s tiles and are often beautifully illustrated with Portuguese murals detailing the social, cultural, historical and religious history of the colonies. The palace also has a beautiful koi pond where visitors can relax from the bustle of Funchal and watch the koi carp as they break the surface and disappear again.

Quinta Magnólia
Equally impressive (and somewhat larger) are the gardens at Quinta Magnólia. Packed full of a dizzying array of tropical plants, this beautiful area and country club also has many leisure facilities such as an open-air swimming pool, a tennis court. It also has a children’s play park complete with its own swimming pool. The pool is also located next to a café, which provides the perfect place to sit and unwind as your children splash about!

Quinta das Cruzes
The old manor house and gardens of Quinta das Cruzes house important archaeological discoveries found in Funchal and several impressive sculptures including two beautiful basalt carvings. It also houses a vast orchid collection, camphor trees and Australian eucalyptus. This place is a must for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the perfumes of wild flowers as they drift through the summer air.

Quinta Vigia
The beautiful villa of Quinta Vigia has housed some of the areas most important dignitaries through the ages, such as the Russian royal family, the Duke of Leuchtenberg, the Empress Dona Amélia and her daughter, Princess Dona Maria Amélia and Nicolau Tulière. In 1984 it became the residence of the regional president of Funchal. It’s huge tree filled gardens where exotic birds dart through the branches and the sweeping views out over the harbour make this a beautiful place to visit.

Municipal Garden
These 8300 square metre gardens house exotic specimens from all over the world and are centrally located within the city of Funchal. The grounds once belonged to a Franciscan and also have a beautiful pond where visitors can see black swans gliding through the water, or stroll to the amphitheatre where theatrical events often take place.

Santa Luzia Public Gardens
The gardens at Santa Luzia have recently been opened to the public and are part of the Funchal government’s new initiative to create green spaces. Created on the grounds of an old sugar factory, they are located on Rua 31 de Janeiro, in the Eastern part of Funchal and also contain several different themed gardens (Amphitheatre, tropical, water, terraced) and an impressive waterfall.

Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro
This house and gardens has some of the island’s most valuable exotic flora. It is a very special place for botany lovers, photographers or visitors just wanting to unwind. It also has a beautiful and extensive Camellia garden, which is in full flower between November and April. It also contains a beautiful baroque church and breathtaking views over central Funchal.

Quinta do Bom Sucesso
This absolutely enormous botanical garden is located 3km from Central Funchal at Quinta do Bom Sucesso. It is owned by the science and cultural trust of Funchal and contains more than 2000 specimens of flora. There are several sections of the park. The first is indigenous flora, where visitors can see plants which are common to the Portuguese colonies. The next is a tree garden, housing beautiful specimens from all over the world. The next section is for succulents and cacti originating from South America. After that visitors can wander through an area which displays medicinal and cultivated specimens of importance to Madeira such as avocado, papaya, coffee and sugar cane. The final section is dedicated to parrots. The botanical gardens is a moderate walk from the Centre of Funchal and the hotel zone, but due to its size and the incredible diversity of its specimens, should be given an entire day to explore.

Jardim Orquídea (Orchid Garden)
Everyone coming to Funchal should visit this amazing place. With an amazing collection of orchids it is more than just another garden! Wander through tropical hothouses and see an amazing array of orchids which has been cultivated and preserved with the help of many generations – from tiny purple blooms, to sprawling walls of leopard orchids, this place is simply beautiful.