Tips and Recommendations, helping you create your own perfect Journey to, Funchal, Portugal

Welcome to Funchal, Portugal on the beautiful Island of Madeira! In this post we will be discussing, places to stay, eat and enjoy some nightlife, as well as a few general travel tips, a local recipe and we will be discussing the how, when and why of one of our favourite Funchal photos. For more information on the top experiences and a detailed two-day itinerary, please check out our posts, “Top Ten Experiences in Funchal, Portugal” and “How to make the most out of your two-day Visit to Funchal, Portugal, with detailed Itinerary”. Let the planning begin!

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. Places to Stay
2. Places to Eat
3. Funchal Nightlife
4. A Few Helpful Recommendations
5. Our Fav Photo from Funchal
6. Local Recipe
7. References
8. The Wrap up

1. Places to Stay in Funchal:

Depending on how long you’re staying and how many people you’re travelling with you could also checkout AirBnB or VRBO. I always check out the reviews, then look at price and location. I also like the travel sites, www.expedia.ca   www.hotels.com and www.booking.com. Here are 5 suggestions all with great reviews!

1. We stayed at the Pestana Miramar Garden Resort Aparthotel, (pictured above) which is located at: Estrada Monumentas 182-184, it was about 1.6kms or about a 20mins walk into town. Most rooms have a little kitchenette, which was great for breakfast and packing our lunches. We had a view of the pool with beautiful Azaleas all around, was so pretty. There are 2 outdoor pools and one indoor. They have different restaurants, a kids club and underground parking (for a fee).

2. Pestana Carlton Madeira. Located at Largo Antonio Nobre 1, it is about 1.0km or a 15 mins walk into town. We had friends stay here, who enjoyed their stay, especially the pools and the direct access to swim in the Atlantic Ocean! We were able to explore this resort and it is beautiful, with lots of restaurants to choose from, we ate at the Taverna Grill and had a tasty meal.

3. Barcelo Funchal Oldtown. Located at Rua da Alfandega 9, right in the middle of town a few mins walk from the Se Cathedral. It was built in 2022, it has two bars, restaurant, coffee shop, roof top terrace with pool and loungers and great reviews!!

4. Pestana CR7 Funchal Hotel. Located at Avendia Sa Carneiro/Praca CR7. This hotel is looking out on to the ocean, it is in the same complex as the CR7 museum (which you have free entry into if staying here) this museum celebrates the life of the famous footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo. At this hotel you can enjoy, a rooftop pool, jacuzzi and bar, as well as an open-air gym, where you can challenge yourself to a training session designed by Cristiano Ronaldo himself! It’s located on the west side of town, right on the main Funchal Ocean front Promenade, so an easy stroll into the middle of town. You can also enjoy a healthy buffet breakfast that usually comes with the room, depending on who you book with. It has great reviews too and is perfect for the sports minded or football fan.

5. City Break in Funchal – Queimada Lodges. Located at Rua da Queimada de Cima 68, in the heart of town, also very close to the Se Cathedral. This one is actually a full apartment, there are 1–3 bedroom units and they have a washer and dryer (which is rare)! Great location and reasonably priced, especially if you are sharing with another couple or family. Nice to have a kitchen, you can save money, by having breakfast in your unit and packing picnic lunches to bring with you!

2. Places to Eat:

 I typically don’t make reservations, unless there’s an activity included with the food, like a food tour. I find that if you make reservations, it dictates the pace of your day. I like stopping when we’re hungry or when we see a place that piques our interest. That said, here are a few suggestions of what Funchal and the Island of Madeira have to offer, some I enjoyed, some come highly recommend and some have great reviews!

1. Restaurante Gaviao Novo. It’s open from 11:00am to 11:00pm, 7 days a week. It’s located at Rua de Santa Maria 131, in     the heart of the Zona Velhas. It has both indoor and outdoor seating, it has great cocktails and a lot of seafood options as well as vegetarian dishes. This place was recommended to us by our food tour guide. It has a great ambiance; we thoroughly enjoyed our experience here.

2. Kampo. It’s open from 12:30pm to 11:00pm, 7 days a week. It’s located at R. da Alfandega 74. It’s near Columbus Square, in the middle of Funchal. It has a 4.7-star rating and was also recommended to us by our food tour guide. We had a delicious dinner here and enjoyed the modern look and open kitchen.

3. Hole in One, (British Pub). This one is open from 11:00am to 2:00am, 7 days a week. It’s located at Estrada Monumental 238A, along the main street in the hotel district. This restaurant is quite large, has indoor and outdoor seating, a nice bar, live music and a pool table. We stumbled upon this place, heard the music and decided to give it a try and were pleasantly surprised. We enjoyed the food and great entertainment!

4. Madeira Flavours Restaurante. It’s open from 12:00pm to 10:00pm, 7 days a week. It’s located at Estrada Monumental 188, also in the hotel district. It serves authentic Portuguese food, sea food, great drinks and at reasonable prices. They have indoor and outdoor seating. This was the first restaurant we ate at in Madeira and were happy with our choice, we really enjoyed our meals! Check them out on Facebook.

5. The Hole in the Wall. It’s open from 12:00pm to 12:00am every day, except Friday and Saturdays it’s open until 1:00am. It’s located at Rua Imperatriz Dona Amelia 130A. It’s in-between the main hotel district and Funchal, it has a roof top patio, great food and drinks. Would be good for lunch, dinner or snacks and a drink later in the evening.

6. Giro Churros and Paninis. It’s open daily from 11:00am to 10:30pm. It’s located at Rua da Carreira 77, not far from the municipal gardens in Funchal. They have 5.0 star rating. They serve paninis, sandwiches, salads, fries and of course as the name states, churros! These aren’t just any churros, they are spiraled churros with ice cream or sauce in the middle! A great place to stop for lunch or a mid-day sweet treat! Check them out on Instagram!  

7.Macaronesia Café. This is inside the Mercado dos Lavraobres (Market) on the top floor terrace. It’s open from 8:30am to 7:00pm, Friday it’s open until 8:00pm and Saturday it’s open until 2:00pm and closed on Sundays. This place is great for breakfast, they make handcrafted coffees, smoothies, juices, toasties, fruit plates, pastries and much more. Also great for lunch or midafternoon snacks. Check them out on Facebook.

8. Casa das Espetadas. It is located at Estrata Monumental 175-177 and is open Friday to Tuesday 3:00pm to 11:00pm. This restaurant serves traditional wood burning cooking, of meat or veggie skewers (Espetadas) with salads, chips, bolo da Caco, desserts, wines and of course Poncha. It has outdoor seating with picnic tables and a recreation of the Santana Thatched roof houses on display. It’s part of the Vida Mar Hotel, but anyone can eat here. For more information and to take a look at their menu, check out their website (above).

9. Loja do Cha/Tea House Madeira. Located in the very cute square, Praca de Colombo, at Rua do Sabao 33 35, Sao Martinho, 9000-056 Funchal. Open from 9:00am to 6:00pm during the week and until 6:00pm on weekends. This square has outdoor seating and is located behind the Se Cathedral. The Tea house offers teas, coffees, cakes, pastries, crepes, toasties and salads, a great spot for a drink and snack or a meal. We went here with our food tour group and loved it.

3. Funchal Nightlife:

There are some interesting places to spend the evenings in Funchal and depending on the time of year, there are some fun festivals to enjoy, one being the Wine Festival, which takes place in mid-Sept. We were there for this festival and they had a huge outdoor wine lounge setup where you purchased a wine glass, then could sample different wines from the area. There are also some good pubs and dance bars. Here are a few I’ve tried, where recommended or had great reviews.

1.  Hole in One (British Pub). Located at Estrada Monumental 238A, along the hotel district and open from 11:00am to 2:00am. This is a great place to stop for a beer or cocktail and snacks while enjoying some great live music and they have a dance floor!

2. Regioes House. Located at Rua Direita 23 in-between the two rivers, near the middle of town. They are open Monday to Thursday from 4:00pm to 12:00am, Friday from 4:00pm to 1:00am, Saturday from 6:00pm to 1:00am and closed on Sundays. They are a Wine and Tapas Bar and service great charcuterie boards! We went here on our food tour and each got our own charcuterie board with wine, very much enjoyed it. They have indoor and outdoor seating on a pedestrian street. Check them out on Facebook.

3. Madeira Rum House. Located at Rua Portao de Sao Tiago 19c, near Rua da Santa Maria in Old Town. They are open every day from 7:00pm to 11:00pm. They have Rum tasting where you can try different rums from all over the island or you can try their traditional Poncha, Madeira’s signature drink. They have indoor or outdoor seating in a pedestrian area with lots going on!

4.  Se Boutique Hotel Terrace Bar. Located at Travessa do Cabido 17, inside the Se Boutique hotel, near the Se Cathedral. This terrace bar has great views, a large cocktail menu and tapas for some great evening snacks. Every Sunday from 7:00pm to 9:00pm they have their Jazz Sessions with free entry. This is a great place to relax.

4. A Few helpful Recommendations:

1. The Whatsapp, app:

In my travel experience over the last several years, I’ve noticed that a lot more people are using Whatsapp for keeping in contact. We’ve used it with our Airbnb hosts, tour operators, drivers and friends we are travelling with. It’s a free app, can be used with WIFI and is great for making group chats and sending photos. It also works well with our Hippocket wifi, discussed in #2.

2. Phone service:

When travelling in Europe we use Hippocket wifi. They are based in France, but you can simply order it online and they mail it directly to you 3 days before you leave for your trip. It comes with a small carrying case, charger, including a car charger if needed and an addressed return mailing envelope, so you simply drop it off in the mailbox at the airport before heading home. The great thing about this is that if you are traveling with other people, you can all use it and share in the cost. You can have up to 10 users at the same time. If you have multiple users, I recommend getting the unlimited options, as the 1GB/day option may not be enough. The unlimited works out to be approximately 8.00 to 9.00 euros per day, including all shipping.It’s a great option, check it out at: https://hippocketwifi.com/en/

3. Start your Day off Early:

Start your day off early, this will always be my suggestion! When I say early, I’m talking 6:30/7:00am, but I know that’s not for everyone, so just get started as early as you can and always keep in mind open/closing hours and open/closing days for the attractions that you really want to see. If there is something you really want a photo of without people in the shot, start there! For more information on the advantages of get up early, check out my post “Three Significant Reasons to Get Up Early, while Travelling”.

4. Speaking the Language:

For some people speaking different languages comes easy and for some, it does not, I’m the latter. Although it’s not easy, I always make an effort to learn at least the pleasantries when I’m travelling. It’s actually one of my favourite things! I also carry a language pocketbook with me and I have google translate on my phone! I also like the free language app, Duolingo!

5. Viator:

To book any activities or tours we use Viator and have always been happy with the results. Check out Viator.

**All pricing, opening/closing hours and days listed here are as of May 2024 and are subject to change, so be sure to check before you go. I like these websites: https://visit.funchal.pt/the-city/?lang=en  or https://visitmadeira.com/en/where-to-go/madeira/south-coast/funchal/  for all your current information.

  5. My Fav Photo from my time in Funchal:

It’s always hard to pick a favourite photo from the places we’ve been. Generally, there is something about most of them that evokes either a memory or brings back a feeling you had when you actually took the photo. For Funchal, I choose this photo, of a doorway with beautifully draping flowers covering the top. On our last day on the Island, we got up early (surprise, surprise) and spent the day wandering and exploring Funchal through neighbourhoods we hadn’t seen yet. We just happened upon this amazing scene. I am a door and window lover, as you can see from a lot of my photos, so this one made me giddy! The rich colour of green on the door that matched the leaves and the pretty flowers with the morning sunlight pouring over top, a feeling of pure joy for me! Most of my door or window photos are taken in portrait, unless there is something of interest beside it that could be nicely framed into the photo in landscape. This photo worked best in portrait, concentrating on the door and having the climbing flowers filling the whole frame. The soft, natural morning light made a big difference, the only edit I did to this photo was to darken it, just a bit, to bring out a little more of the rich colour. Funchal has lots of beautiful, old architecture to photograph, which was a treat for me! I hope that you find or see something that makes you giddy too!

6. Local Recipe:

Bolo do Caco (Madeiran Flat Bread)

This delicious Madeiran flat bread is very popular and a must try when you visit Funchal. You can purchase it as street food made into sandwiches or you can dip it into soups or stews or enjoy it on its own with garlic butter. For this recipe check out our post “How to make Bolo do Caco (Madeiran Flat Bread)”

7. References:

All of this information, research and suggestions came from my own experiences, while exploring this interesting seaside city. As well, I spent countless hours reading reviews, travel books, like DK Eyewitness, Portugal and DK Eyewitness Top 10 Madeira, as well as Walking on Madeira (an island hiking book). I also read multiple Travel blogs and Portugal/Madeira tourism websites like, https://visitmadeira.com/en/travel-info/

8. The Wrap Up:

I hope these tips and recommendations help you plan an amazing adventure filled with new experiences! Don’t forget to try new things, talk to locals, indulge in traditional foods, people watch, enjoy nature, speak a little of the local language, but most of all, focus on the journey!

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Thank you,

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

By: Beth de Verteuil