How to get the most out of your two-day visit to Funchal, Portugal (including Itinerary)

Welcome to Focus on the Journey, where we are excited to share our itineraries and hope you enjoy them as much as we did! In this two-day detailed Itinerary, we’ll be exploring all the experiences that are discussed in our post, “Top 10 Experiences in Funchal, Portugal”, as well as a few others. For some great recommendations on places to stay, eat, enjoy the city’s nightlife and much more, please read our post, “Tips and Recommendations, helping you create your own perfect journey to Funchal, Madeira, Portugal”. As well, for a delicious recipe of Madeiran Flat-Bread, enjoy our post “How to make Bolo do Caco (Madeiran Flat-Bread)”.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I would get a small commission if you decided to make a purchase through one of my links, at no extra cost to you!

Table of contents:

1. Walking directions into Town from the Hotel District
2. Itinerary Day 1
3. Itinerary Day 2
4. Optional Half-day Itinerary
5. References
6. The Wrap up

With a population of approx. 106,000 people, Funchal, the capital city of Madeira, has a lot to offer. It has interesting history, unique architecture, beautiful scenery, delicious food and a warm climate, what more could you ask for?

 So let’s get to it, this 2-day Itinerary is designed into 4 separate sections plus an optional half-day tour that you can either keep for another day while you’re visiting Madeira or use it instead of the Food Tour or Whale Watching Tour. The itineraries can be mixed and matched depending on how fast you go through them, or you can flip them, depending on closing days for some of the sites, for example the Mercado dos Lavradores (Market) and the Food Tour company are both closed on Sundays. As for the maps, there are keys on each of them to help give you a visual of the walking tour that we are suggesting. We go through how to get into town from the hotel district, the numbered points of interest guide you through the streets, it shows you where the walk starts and ends as well as extra optional sites (if interest and time permits). On some it will show you where to catch the cable car, start the food tour or find the boat for the Whale watching.

I would still recommend getting a city map from the tourist office as they would likely be more detailed as far as street names. The first map you’ll see here is two options on how to get into the town of Funchal from the hotel district, then we start you off with our Day 1 Itinerary!

Keep in mind, sometimes I mention, North/East/West/South for my directions. In Funchal the Ocean is always South the mountains are North, the main hotel district is West of town and Zona Velha (old Town) is to the East of town.

1. Walking directions into Town from the Hotel District

When staying in Funchal, a lot of the hotels and resorts are just west of the main town, along Estrada Monumental, if you’re staying in this area, this map will be helpful. It’s approximately 2 – 3 Kms or 15-30 mins walk into town, depending on where in this area you’re staying. It’s a pretty walk, with lots of restaurants, souvenir shops, and resorts to look at on the way. Hailing a taxi is also an option. Head east towards town, then once you cross over the Ponte Estrada Monumental (bridge) you have two choices for getting into town.

Option #1 is to go straight and follow the road all the way into town, (the road name changes to Avenida do Infante). You will pass more little shops, restaurants, cafes, little grocery stores, the Madeira Casino, and the Santa Catarina Park. When you get to the Rotunda do Infante (roundabout) you can either turn right and walk towards the ocean to the waterfront or continue straight and end up in the middle of town.

Option #2 after crossing the bridge turn right and follow Rua Carvalho Araujo all the way into town, (the road name changes to Avenida sa Carneiro) and passes by more hotel/resorts at first, then comes out closer to the water, it also passes by the Casino, Park and the CR7 museum. This road takes you straight into town, ending up along the main waterfront.

The CR7 Museum celebrates the history of Cristiano Ronaldo the famous football (soccer) player, who was born in Madeira. It’s open Monday to Friday from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

2. Itinerary Day 1:

This morning walk only covers about 1.5 kms and 25 mins of walking, but there is a lot packed into this area, so take your time and explore. You will be delighted by the old town area, visiting the main Funchal market, the old town pedestrian street of Rua de Santa Maria, walking by little shops, restaurants, chapels, churches, forts and enjoying beautiful views from a pretty lookout. Take note of some of the restaurants in this area, that you might want to try during your stay.

Day 1 – Let’s get started! The walking tour begins at the Mercado do Lavradores (Market) our #1 stop. The Market is located at Largo dos Lavradores 9060-158 and is open from 7:00am to 7:00pm Monday to Thursday, 7:00am to 8:00pm on Fridays, 7:00am to 2:00pm on Saturdays and is closed on Sundays. I would plan on arriving between 7:00am and 8:00am so you have a bit of time to wander around and explore all that this market has to offer. There is a lot to look at, including their very colourful local fruits and vegetables, herbs, flowers, chocolates, meats and seafood. They also sell some giftware and local wine.

Upstairs in the market building there is a nice rooftop café, called Macaronesia Café, this would be a great place for breakfast or a relaxing handcrafted coffee. They offer juices, smoothies, fruit plates, toasties, pastries and omelettes. They are open 8:30am – 6:00pm Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 2:00pm on Saturday and closed on Sunday.

Next on our tour is #2 Rua de Santa Maria in Zona Velha. This street is very interesting, with its “Art of Open Doors” project, almost every door along the main part of the street is painted by a local or international artist. This cobbled stone pedestrian street has lots of little shops, fountains, restaurants, cafes and night clubs, just walking through this area is a treat. This is where the original settlers of Funchal lived. Take your time and wander down Rua de Santa Maria and the other side streets in this area.

Next up is #3 Capela do Corpo Santo. This 15^th Century chapel is just off Rua de Santa Maria and is worth a look, although it has been updated over the years, parts of it are original, like the front doors. It is one of the oldest buildings in Funchal. After exploring the Chapel, continue east on the street that is on the right side of the Chapel (Rua Portao de Sao Tiago) this will basically take you right to our next stop.

#4 Sao Tiago Fort. This 17^th century fort was built on Funchal’s waterfront to protect the first settlers from pirate attacks, now it boosts great views and a café. It’s free to explore and great for kids to run around. When we were there, they had a few antique cars inside the fort walls, that were pretty interesting to see. 

After the fort, head north back up to Rua do Santa Maria and turn right. Head up to our #5 Igreja du Socorro and the Miradouro da Rua de Santa Maria (Church and Lookout). The lookout has a pretty azalea covered terrace and amazing views of the ocean. Across the street is the church that was originally built in the 17^th century and is one of the best examples of the Baroque style on the island.

After enjoying the beautiful views and exploring the church, head back down Rua de Santa Maria and turn left at the fort and head towards the ocean, turn right or west, onto Promenade Almirante Reis and walk along the waterfront, once you’ve reached the bridge you’ve come to the end of the morning walking tour.  At this point if you have the time and interest, you could visit the Madeira Story Centre and learn about some of the Island’s history. The Centre is located at the north/east end of the Jardim do Almirante Reis. 

Once you’ve finished the morning walk, this is a good time to grab lunch. You could either walk along the waterfront and find a restaurant or food truck with an ocean view or head north on Rua do Esmeraldo to Praca de Colombo (marked on the map), it’s a really cute square with restaurants and outdoor seating.

After lunch head back towards the water and over to Praca do Povo, the area where the whale watching cruises dock and meet up with your tour. We used VipDolphins Luxury Whale Watching tour and really liked them. They take about 17 people, so it’s a small group, they serve drinks and snacks and provide towels and snorkels, so you can swim in the ocean and they have a washroom on board. The staff were very knowledgeable and friendly. Explore other option with Via Tour

Once you return, walk back to your hotel, relax, swim, get ready for your evening out. For more information on where to eat out, please read my post “Tips and Recommendations, How to Create your own Perfect Journey to Funchal, Portugal”.

3. Itinerary Day 2:

Take an early morning walk into town, stopping along the way at a little café for breakfast or stop for a coffee at one of the food trucks along the waterfront. For recommendations on where to eat, please read my post “Tips and Recommendations, How to Create you own perfect Journey to Funchal, Portugal”.

Then continue all the way along the waterfront to the Cable Car Station, taking you to Monte, it operates from 9:00am to 4:45pm daily, the earlier you arrive at the cable car the better. The ride up takes about 15 to 20 mins, climbs 3200 meters and has beautiful views over Funchal and the ocean. The tickets cost 12.50 euros one way or 18.00 euros round trip for people 15 and up, 6.50 euros one way or 9.00 euros round trip for those 7 to 14 and free for those 6 and under.

Once you’ve reached the top, the entrance to the Monte Palace Gardens is just across the road from the Cable Car exit. The Gardens are open from 9:30am till 6:00pm. It costs 15.00 euros for those 15 and older and free for those under 15, with a paying adult. The Monte Palace Tropical Garden has a beautiful display of over a 100,000 different plant species from around the world. You can spend hours wandering around in this relaxing atmosphere, from the vegetation to the ponds, waterfalls, fountains, architecture, sculptures, precious stone display, museums, Japanese garden and beautiful birds, there is a lot to see here. I would probably give myself at least 2 to 3 hours to wander around. Also, if you take your entry ticket to the Terrace Café, located on the grounds, you will receive a free sample of Madeira Wine. Make sure you get the site map when you purchase your tickets.

Once you are satisfied with what you’ve seen at the Gardens and you’re ready to move on, I’d opt in for lunch at the Patio das Babosas. Head east down Caminho das Babosas, past the cable car station, it’s about a 3 mins walk. This café has great food, with indoor and outdoor seating and there are stunning views over Funchal and the ocean! After lunch, head back down towards the cable car station and follow the road Caminho das Babosas to the right (north) and follow up to the little town of Monte, it’s about a 600m/12 mins walk. Here you can take a look around the square and the pretty church, Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte, which will take you up 74 steps to reach it. There are public washrooms here as well.

Now you have a decision to make, are you going to take the cable car back down to Funchal, or are you going to take the Traditional Wicker Basket Toboggan Ride down? These wicker sleds originated in the early 19^th century as a means for residents of Monte to travel quickly downhill to Funchal. Since then, it has become a very popular tourist attraction and a must do for thrill seekers. The ride costs 27.50 euros for one person, 35.00 for two or 52.50 for 3. They are open from 9:00am to 6:00pm, with the last ride leaving at 5:45pm. You leave from the bottom of the Monte Church steps and follow downhill along Caminho do Monte reaching speeds of 30kms/hr and arriving in Livramento about 2 kms away. At the end of the ride, you can either take a taxi, bus or walk the rest of the way back down to Funchal. If you walk, it’s about a 2.5km downhill stretch, taking you about 30mins.

If you’ve opted out of the downhill ride and taken the cable car back down to Funchal, head west along the main waterfront street and turn right onto Rua do Esmeraldo and through the pretty Praca de Colombo, enjoying the architecture and views along the way. Once you’re through the square turn left onto Rua da Se and follow along to the Catedral Paroquia da Se (Funchal Cathedral). If you’ve taken the traditional wicker basket ride and walked back into town, you should end up around Rua 5 de Outubro, you should be on the south/west side of the Santa Luzia River. Turn right onto Rua do Aljube and follow it down until you reach the Cathedral.

The Cathedral is open Monday to Friday 7:15 to 6:30pm, Saturday 9:00am to noon and 4:00pm to 7:00pm and Sundays from 7:30am to noon and 4:00pm to 7:00pm. If you’d like to attend a mass, they are offered Monday to Friday at 8:00am, 8:30am, 11:00am and 5:30pm, Saturdays at 11:00am and 6:00pm and on Sundays at 8:00am, 9:00am, 11:00am, 5:00pm and 6:00pm. This is a beautiful catherdral in the Gothic style with Manueline elements, build between 1493 and 1517.

Once you have explored the cathedral head back down Rua da Se and turn left on Rua do Sabao. The address for the meeting point of the food tour we are suggesting is Rua do Sabao 65. This is the food tour we took and really enjoyed it. This would have to be booked ahead of time, we used Viator to book it, this is the food tour we took.

We are suggesting the 5:00pm tour, it lasts about 4 hours, you will defiantly eat enough to consider this your dinner! The tour ends on Rua de Santa Maria, so once you’re finished you could either find a spot along Rua de Santa Maria for a drink or head back towards your hotel and stop somewhere along the way. This will be a long day, so if you’re tired, you could simply walk back to your hotel for an early night!

4. Optional Half-Day Itinerary

I’ve created this half-day Itinerary for those who would like to opt out of either the Food or Whale Watching Tours and would rather see a little more of the town or can be used another day during your stay in Madeira. This walk covers just under 2.5 kms and about 35 mins of walking time, but take your time and enjoy.

If you are using this half-day Itinerary after your morning in the Zona Velha, Old Town or after your time in Monte and you’re coming from the cable car, walk west along the main waterfront street, then turn right onto Rua do Esmeraldo and head up to #1. Paca de Colombo. This is a very pretty square with little cafes, a tea house, shops and the Sugar Museum. Next, from the top of the square turn left (west) and follow along Rua da Se, until you reach #2. Catedral Paroquia da Se (main Funchal Cathedral). See above for opening times and masses. From here continue west until you reach #3. Palacio do Governo Regional and the Statue of Joao Goncalves Zarco. This is just a really pretty square with unique architecture and a statue of Zarco, who was a Portuguese explorer and in charge of the first settlement in Funchal, appointed by Prince Henry the Navigator. Next head north up #4. Avenida Zarco, this is a beautiful tree lined street. 

Continue walking up Rua das Pretas, then Calcada de Santa Clara towards #5. Convento de Santa Clara. This convent was founded in 1476. There are different buildings that make up the convent including the chapel with a beautiful, tiled steeple. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00am to 12:30pm and 2:00pm to 5:00pm. From here walk uphill and turn left on Rua das Cruzes. After a few minutes’ walk you’ll come to our #6. Miradouro das Cruzes, (lookout) with great views over Funchal and the Atlantic Ocean. The lookout itself is very pretty, with benches and planters made from tile work and beautiful flowering plants.

Next head back the way you came, passing the convent downhill to Rua do Surdo keep heading south towards the Municipal gardens and our #7. Blandy’s Wine Lodge. This Winery has been producing Madeira Wine since 1840! After being Europe’s main sugar producer for 150 years, the rich, sweet Madeira wine took over as their main export. At the Lodge you can take a tour, do tasting, shop or simply look around this amazing building, that used to be the Franciscan Friary. The Lodge also offers accommodations, check out their website for more information, opening times/days or to book a tour!

 Once you’re done here, head west to #8. The Funchal Municipal Gardens. Here you can stroll through the 2 acres green space, enjoying the beautiful flowering plants, shady trees and a pond with fish, ducks and swans. There are also public washrooms in the park. Once you’ve finished enjoying the relaxing park, head west down Avenida Arriaga towards the roundabout, Rotunda do Infante. On the other side of the roundabout, you’ll see stairs, these will take you up to #9. Parque de Santa Catarina. This lovely park has over 8 acres of green space, plants, a bandstand they use for festivals, a large pond, the Chapel of Santa Caterina and a truly amazing viewpoint. From the lookout you have a panoramic view of Funchal and the Bay, definitely worth a look. There is also a snack bar with tables at the viewpoint. The park is gated, so it does have open/closing hours, in the summer it’s open from 7:00am to 10:00pm and in the winter it is open from 7:00am to 8:00pm. After you’ve finished this half-day itinerary, you can head back to your hotel and get ready for a night out!

**All pricing, opening/closing hours and days listed here are as of April 2024 and are subject to change, so be sure to check before you go. I like this website: visitmadeira.com for all your current information.

5. References:

All this information, research and suggestions came from our own experiences we had while exploring this beautiful and interesting city and the walking tour we enjoyed. As well, I spent countless hours reading travel books, like DK Eyewitness, Portugal and DK Eyewitness Top 10 Madeira, as well I enjoyed Lonely Planet’s Portuguese Phrasebook and Dictionary. I read multiple Travel blogs and Madeira/Funchal tourism websites like, visitportugal.com and visitmadeira.com. I also used Google maps to check out directions and walking distances between sites.

6. The Wrap up:

 I hope you enjoy these walking tours and suggested itineraries for this unique and beautiful city, as much as we did and find this information helpful. I have added a website link to most of the major sites so you can check them out and see what piques your interest! If you have any questions, ask away. Feel free to comment, give advice, join our mailing list, follow, like, pin, share with friends, anything goes. Let’s talk Travel!

Thank you,

From Focus on the Journey,
with Wild Meadow Studio
A Travel and Photography Blog

By: Beth de Verteuil