Funchal is the capital and main city of the autonomous region of Madeira, on the island of Madeira, in its south between Santa Cruz and Câmara de Lobos. In 2021, it was home 106,000 people.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
The name Funchal (foon-SHAHL, /fũ.ˈʃaɫ/) comes from the abundance of fennel (funcho) found on the island. It was an important shipping centre during the 15th–17th centuries. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Portugal. Visit Funchal website
The city centre is small enough to explore on foot. Orange city buses can take you around and up to Monte (lines 20, 21). Giro cards can be bought from the office for €2.20, which are pre-loaded with two journeys, and can be topped up with additional journeys for €1.50 each. A single ride costs €1.90 when bought from the bus driver. Most city buses start from the waterfront area. If you are lucky, you can acquire a bus timetable for the local and regional buses starting in Funchal at the tourist information office. Timetables and a map are also available. Madeira as a small island is very convenient for exploring by riding motorcycles.
1 Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro Park (Jardins do Palheiro), São Gonçalo, Palheiro (about 5 km from downtown), ☏ +351 291 793 044. M-F 09:00 - 16:30. The Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro Park is a typical example of a manor in British colonial style. While the manor is private and can't be visited, you can enjoy the public park. On first sight it looks like an English park, with old Platanes forming a long alley from the main gate to the gardens. But when you look closer you see all the tropical plants that build the basis, completed by hundreds of plants from all over the world, so all year round there are plants blooming.
1 Madeira Casino (Casino da Madeira), Avenida do Infante, ☏ +351 291 140 424. Su-Th 15:00-03:00, M-F 16:00-04:00. The only casino on the island. The building's unusual shape was designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, and indeed looks a bit like Brasilia Cathedral with a haircut. Casino da Madeira offers table games such as Texas Hold 'em, blackjack, baccarat and American roulette (with 0 and 00) and slots. Outside of gambling there is the Palm bar, the Rio casual restaurant, the formal Bahlia restaurant and the Copacabana nightclub that hosts live musical performances (just like the Barry Manilow song).
Funchal has an abundance of good, if not necessarily cheap, eating places. Most places serve traditional Madeiran and Portuguese food, which is well-prepared and tasty, but not terribly exciting. One of the most typical dishes and served almost everywhere, is espada com banana (scabbard fish with banana). It is usually served with fresh salad and potatoes. A bit more expensive is bacalhau (dried, salted codfish), which is also served in many restaurants. One of the more common and best varieties is "bacalhau com natas" (codfish in cream sauce). 1 Restaurante Beer Garden, Estrada Monumental 462, ☏ +351 291 764 377, beergardenfunchal@gmail.com. M–F 11:00–18:00, Sa Su 11:00–17:00.
Not the party capital of the world: most bars are very quiet, except during a football match. 1 Bar Amazónia, Rua de São Filipe 19. A pleasant little bar. 2 Café do Teatro, Avenida Arriaga (Ed. Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias), ☏ +351 924 437 951, grupocafedoteatro@gmail.com. M–Th 08:00–23:00, F 08:00–00:00, Sa 09:00–00:00, Su 09:00–23:00. (updated Apr 2021) 3 FX Restaurant & Sports Bar, Rua das Fontes 1–9, Avenida do Mar, ☏ +351 291 618 358. Su–Th 10:00–01:00, F Sa & holiday eves 10:00–02:00. (updated Apr 2021) 4 Palm Bar, Casino da Madiera, Avenida do Infante, ☏ +351 291 140 424, casino.madeira@pestana.com. Su–Th 15:00–03:00, F Sa & holiday eves 16:00–04:00.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
Top-rated tours and tickets from €38 — book ahead for the popular ones.
Tours and tickets provided by Viator (a Tripadvisor company). Some links earn Stayonomy a commission.
In Jul, Funchal typically sees ~24°C daytime highs and 3 rainy days.
Cheapest destinations travellers searched recently — refreshed daily.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-07-21. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.