Best of Funchal private walking tour with local specialities tasting

Avenida do Mar is Funchal’s main seaside landmark attraction. The avenue boasts an impressive number of kiosk cafés and local restaurants, all lined up overlooking the sea. There are also some other sightseeing spots worth visiting on this avenue. The harborside features light brown sand, loads of yachts and ships, with pleasant places for a comfortable sit down to watch the crashing waves.

The Church of Our Lady of Monte is the main church in the Freguesia (Parish in English) of Monte (Funchal), Madeira. In 1470 a chapel (dedicated to Nossa Senhora da Encarnação) was built on this site by Adão Gonçalves Ferreira, the first man born in Madeira. On 10 June 1741, the first stone of the current church dedicated to Our Lady of Monte was laid. A few months after the church was completed, the Church was seriously affected by an earthquake on 31 March 1748. It was rebuilt and on 20 December 1818, the Church was finally consecrated by the Archbishop of Meliapor and administrator of the Diocese D. Frei Joaquim de Meneses e Ataíde. Emperor Charles I of Austria died in exile on Madeira and was laid to rest in the church.

The Santa Clara Convent was built in the late 16th century, by order of the second captain-major of Funchal, João Gonçalves da Câmara, in the vicinity of his father's residence, to gather the daughters of the local nobility. The set of buildings of the Santa Clara convent is a valuable heritage for its furnishings, but more importantly for having reached the present day with the same mission that it was built for: A Convent for Franciscan Sisters. In the Convent we can visit: the Courtyard, the São Gonçalo de Amarante Chapel, possibly built in the 17th century, an access porch to the Choirs and Cloister, and the Lower and Upper Choir, with a beautiful panorama of the interior of Santa Clara Church.

The Cruzes Viewpoint is located in São Pedro, Funchal, right next to the Quinta das Cruzes. This is one of the oldest sights of Funchal, which opened in 1936. This viewpoint has a panoramic view of the downtown Funchal.

The Mercado dos Lavradores (Farmers' Market), which was designed by Edmundo Tavares (1892-1983), opened its doors on 24 November 1940. A testament to the architecture of the Estado Novo regime, the grandiose design of the building reflects its intended role as the main supplier of goods to the city. Huge panels of tiles painted with regional themes by João Rodrigues and produced by Faiança Batisttini de Maria de Portugal in 1940 adorn the facade, the main entrance and the fish market. Inside, the space is organised into small “Plazas”, “Squares”, “Streets” and “Little Stairways”, where all types of products are sold. Here you will find a feast of colours, sounds, smells and people.

The exact date, when the construction of this fortress was first started, is not yet known. Although, it is believed that the construction had already begun in 1606, the fortress was only finished during the second half of the 17th century. At around that time its name was also changed to São Filipe, then in the 19th century to São Miguel and later back to São João again. In the 20th century the fortress was ceded to the Navy, which installed their communications centre here. Classified monument of public interest in 1943, this fortress (Fortaleza do Pico) offers a magnificent view over Funchal to all those who made it up the steep alley!

Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 111,892, making it the sixth-largest city in Portugal, and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries. Because of its high cultural and historical value, Funchal is one of Portugal's main tourist attractions. It is also popular as a destination for New Year's Eve, and it is the leading Portuguese port on cruise liner dockings. The name is from the Portuguese word "funcho" (fennel) and the suffix "-al", to denote "a plantation of fennel". The Funchal city of today is very different from its fennel growing, pirate days of old. It is in fact a modern, cosmopolitan, rejuvenated city, well known for its many top class restaurants, stunning new 4 & 5-star hotels, warm all year round climate, incomparable natural beauty and, of course, its most famous ‘export’, world-class footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. In short, it is known for its style as well as its substance.

From the cable car, hovering over the city, where buildings rise alongside gardens and kitchen-gardens, you can enjoy Funchal’s amphitheater and bay in a scenario of blues, greens and oranges.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Sé, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Funchal, which encompasses all of the Autonomous Region of Madeira. The late fifteenth-century cathedral is one of the few structures that survive virtually intact since the early period of colonization of Madeira. The patron of the cathedral is Our Lady of the Assumption (Portuguese: Nossa Senhora da Assunção). The cathedral is designed in a Gothic style and has three naves. The building was constructed using thousands of blocks of volcanic rocks carried from the cliffs at Cabo Girão, namely trachybasalt, trachyandesite, trachyte, tephrite, and ashes, lapilli and breccia tuff. The facades are predominantly plastered and painted white, with stonework corners. During the 1490s, Manuel I sent architect Pêro Anes or Gil Enes to work on the design of the Cathedral of Funchal. The cathedral was structurally complete in 1514. Prior to completion, however, by 1508, when Funchal was elevated to the status of a city, the cathedral was already being used for the celebration of Mass. The spire of the bell tower and a few additional details were finalized in 1517-1518.

The Funchal Town Hall Building is located in what was once the palace of Count Carvalhal and it is a harmonious example of late 18th-century architecture. This building was commissioned in 1758 by the Count of Carvalhal to be his residence and then passed through several owners and tenants. In 1883 it was acquired by the Funchal Municipal Council to serve as Town Hall, due to the development of the city, which forced the authorities to look for a larger place to hold its headquarters. The building has undergone adaptations and changes over the years, but kept it's original architecture. This palace is a harmonious example of late 18th century architecture, which contains an interior landscaped courtyard, coated with Batisttini tiles executed at the Maria de Portugal Factory in 1940, as well as a fountain decorated with a marble statue of "Leda and the Swan", work of Germano José Salles.

Cobblestones, Old buildings and much more… Stroll through Funchal´s Old Town, one of Funchal´s main tourist hotpots, popular for its historical, architectural, gastronomical and artistic aspects. Become enchanted by a picturesque setting of narrow cobblestone streets lined by aged buildings (some dating back to the 15th century) in an environment that is full of life and spirit, with a variety of shops, bars, and restaurants.

The Jesuits College is, by its historical importance, one of the most emblematic buildings of the city of Funchal. Founded by decree by King D. Sebastião, on the 20th of August 1569, the Jesuits College of Funchal marked the life of the whole island of Madeira over the centuries. For over 400 years it had several tenants, from the Jesuits who built the historical set to spread Christian faith, to the English invaders, the military who settled here for over a century, to the present day as Madeira University’s headquarters. The Students Association of Madeira University, an institution currently integrated into this architectural ensemble, provides information to both locals and visitors of Madeira island regarding this important secular monument, namely through: - Autonomous visiting circuit to the exterior of the building, in which is provided a free leaflet in 7 languages (Portuguese, English, French, German, Spanish, Russian and Mandarin); - Guided tours and periodic exhibitions; - Coimbra fado soirees organized punctually. If you are visiting Madeira island, don’t miss this magnificent building.

If you want to experience one of the most colorful streets of Funchal, you have to visit Rua de Santa Maria. One of the most colorful streets of Funchal, over 200 doors are plastered with eye-popping paintings of all kinds. Rua de Santa Maria is one of the oldest and most colorful streets in Funchal on the island of Madeira. Located in the old town (zona velha), this street leading up to the church of Santa Maria Maior is wide enough only for pedestrians and is lined with restaurants, cafes and the odd art gallery or two.

Built in the early 17th century, as a fortress to defend the port of Funchal, Saint James Fort is an urban fort of military architecture. This fort in military-style architecture influence is located above the seafront in Funchal Old Quarters commonly known as Zona Velha. The Santiago Fort was built to defend the port of Funchal in the early 17th century.

Open to the public since 1991 this masterpiece located in Monte was put together by José Berardo and includes one of the most important tile collections in Portugal. The tiles exhibited amidst the tropical vegetation represent several ages, coming from palaces, churches, chapels and private houses throughout the former Portuguese empire. Most of them describe social, cultural and religious events. From these we point out a door from the 18th century, framed by a chapel’s frontispiece, with two lateral figures holding the stones of the 10 Commandments and a sword; and 40 tile panels telling the Portuguese history, beginning with the kingdom of Dom Afonso Henriques and ending with a panel dedicated to the Third Republic.