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City
Funchal is situated in a bay bathed by the Atlantic Ocean and is located on the southern coast. It is the largest city on the island, considered the main tourist, commercial, and cultural hub of the archipelago.
Designated as a city in 1508 by D. Manuel I, the city’s history has been intertwined with traditions, culture, and tourism for centuries, never losing its unique characteristics.
The municipality comprises ten parishes: “Imaculado Coração de Maria”, “Monte”, “Santa Luzia”, “Santa Maria Maior”, “Santo António”, “São Gonçalo”, “São Martinho”, “São Pedro”, “São Roque”, and “Sé”.
The city offers a wide range of options catering to all tastes. Concentrating most of the historical monuments, museums, restaurants, gardens, beaches, viewpoints, leisure spaces, and a diverse cultural agenda, Funchal has everything you need for a memorable experience.
Explore our parks and gardens that will surely impress you with the variety of flowers and plants you’ll encounter. Some gardens you can visit include the Madeira Botanical Garden, Funchal Municipal Garden, Monte Palace Tropical Garden, Ajuda Garden, Santa Luzia Garden, and Santa Catarina Park.
If you are a fan of art museums, history museums, traditional museums, football, or even natural history, you will find all the options here. Our local museums are an asset and a must-visit to get you to know our city better. Some of the museums you can visit include the “Casa Frederico de Freitas” Museum, CR7 Museum, Blandy’s Madeira Wine Lodge, Funchal Museum of Sacred Art, Funchal Natural History Museum, Embroidery and Handicraft Museum, “Quinta das Cruzes” Museum, Nucleus Museum of São Lourenço Palace, among others.
Visit our chapels and churches to contemplate a variety of architectural styles from different periods in the history of the Madeira Archipelago. Some suggested churches and chapels to visit includes, the Chapel of “Corpo Santo”, the Collegiate Church, the Chapel of “Nossa Senhora da Ajuda”, the Church of “Santa Luzia”, and the Church of “Santo António”.
Viewpoints are one of the great attractions of the island, providing magnificent panoramic views of the sea and the surrounding nature. Some viewpoints you can enjoy include “Castelo do Pico” Viewpoint, “Achada” Viewpoint, “Quinta Vigia” Viewpoint, “Vila Guida” Viewpoint, “Babosas” Viewpoint, and “Neves” Viewpoint.
For those seeking entertainment, Funchal is full of life and entertainment. Participate in festivals, cultural events, and the city’s nightlife. Don’t miss out on the beaches and natural saltwater pools or the iconic wicker toboggans and cable cars.
Come and explore Funchal, we have much more to offer!