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1. The Old Town (Zona Velha)
Funchal's oldest quarter, with cobbled lanes, small restaurants and the famous painted doors of Rua de Santa Maria, where local artists turned the old doorways into an open-air gallery. Allow 30–45 minutes on foot.
2. Mercado dos Lavradores
The farmers' market, opened in 1940, with stalls of exotic fruit, flowers and spices upstairs and the fish market downstairs — look out for the long black scabbardfish (espada). It is busiest and most lively in the morning.
Fruit sellers will offer tastings. They are delicious, but ask the price per kilo before you buy — the exotic fruit is sold at tourist prices.
3. The Cathedral (Sé)
Built in the late 1400s and early 1500s with money from the sugar trade, Funchal's cathedral looks simple outside, but inside it has a carved and painted wooden ceiling that is one of the finest of its kind in Portugal.
4. The marina and the CR7 Museum
Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Funchal. His museum and statue are on the seafront by the marina, a short walk from the cruise terminal and the city centre.
5. A viewpoint above the city
Funchal is built like an amphitheatre on steep hills, and the best views are from above. Viewpoints such as Pico dos Barcelos or the hills above the Old Town show the whole bay — but they are a hard climb on foot.
See it all in a short visit
The sights are close together, but the viewpoints are steep. Our Funchal City Tour takes in the Old Town, the market, the cathedral, the yellow São Tiago fort, the stadium and the city viewpoints by tuk tuk, with free pickup at your hotel or the cruise port.
