Funchal Travel Guide
Travel guide to Funchal, Portugal with comprehensive information about events, shopping, and major Funchal sporting events to help you enjoy your visit more.
Funchal Overview
Funchal is the capital of the Portugese islands of Madeira, having a population of around 110,000 people. The location of the city itself is magnificent, with the harbour welcoming ships into it as the city itself follows relatively gentle slopes upwards away from the harbour, rising to some 1200 metres. This creates a natural shelter and explains why the harbour was so popular with sailors in days gone by, as it offered natural protection from the elements.
The city itself has a beautiful style to it, with the original heart of the city being in Se, and dating back to the 14th century. There are many remnants from this era onwards that give the city a real feel of historical significance.
One of the other main aspects of Madeira's appeal is its natural beauty, and this is celebrated with an array of parks and gardens that display the islands resources to great effect. The Municipal Gardens for example, known also as Donna Amelia Garden, is a tranquil area with trees, flowers, lakes and plants that is open to the public all year round and is the ideal way to spend a couple of hours or so recharging the batteries.
For those wanting to visit Funchal to see culture and have a great time then Christmas is probably the best. With events and parties all the way through from November onwards, there is so much happening here. A great example of this mix is the Christmas market, held on December 22. The market sells all manner of related goods - food, decorations, gifts and so on whilst the restaurants and bars stay open all night long, with a real party atmosphere pervading the whole area.
Top Funchal Attractions
Typifying all that Funchal is about, the Lido Promenade is a lovely place to visit. Linking the beaches with the town, and being planted with trees and flowers along its length, the Lido is an ideal place to stroll. There are also cafes and restaurants there for those wishing to stay a while, as well as many benches from which to gaze out at the azure sea.
Shopping in Funchal
The city has some outstanding shopping areas, from traditional stores through to larges malls there is something for everyone here, and all within easy reach. The Madeira Shopping Mall for example, at the top of the city, is the largest in Madeira, whilst Avenida Arriaga in the city centre has some of the smaller, more local shops.
Funchal Sporting Events
Golf is one of the major sports here, aided by a glorious year round climate and some beautiful scenery that enables some fantastic courses to be built within it. The courses themselves are of a high standard, and immaculately presented, which continues the air of quality that the golfers travelling here are seeking.