Funchal
The capital city of Madeira is Funchal which means wild Fennel in Portuguese ‘Funcho’ which used to grow in abundance here.
It sits on the temperate south coast of the island, within a natural amphitheatre valley whose slopes rise from the marina, up to the Monte and Palace Gardens.
Funchal has around 250,000 residents, making it Portugal’s largest city outside of the mainland. It’s the cultural centre of the island with traditional narrow cobbled streets, mosaic pavements and an eclectic mix of traditional and modem architecture.
You can go Whale and Dolphin Watching from Funchal’s marina, whilst the Teleferico (cable car) is a great way to view the city reaching the top at 600 meters at the Monte Palace Botanical Gardens.
If you are interested in the history of the famous Madeira wine you shouldn’t miss out on a tour of the Blandy’s Wine Lodge, including some wine tasting at the end. English speaking tours are held throughout the day.
The east side of Funchal around Rua Santa Maria is known as the Zona Velha (Old Town district) and has an endless selection of restaurants and coffee shops, amongst its narrow streets and alleyways. The food here tends to be a mix of traditional Portuguese dishes with some Madeiran diferences. From 9pm onwards grab a table outside one of the bars on Largo do Corpo Santo where local musicians perform in its small square.