Two days in Funchal

Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this works

Visitors with two days in Funchal often try to cover the whole island and come home having seen it through a car window. Two days work best as one day in the city and one day out, with the day out chosen by the weather.

The first day stays in Funchal: the Mercado dos Lavradores and the old town in the morning, the cable car to Monte and the toboggan down at midday, the cathedral and the seafront in the afternoon. The second day goes out onto the island in one direction: up to the peaks for the walk from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo, west to Porto Moniz and the Fanal forest, or along the south coast to Câmara de Lobos and Cabo Girão.

Day one: the city

The common mistake is to spend the first morning collecting a hire car. Spend it on foot.

Start at the Mercado dos Lavradores, open from 07:00 on weekdays and to 14:00 on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays. Walk east along Rua de Santa Maria, with its about 200 painted doors, to the Forte de São Tiago and the Socorro viewpoint. The cable car to Monte leaves from the old town, €16 one way or €22 return, with the last boarding at 17:45.

In Monte, see the church of Nossa Senhora do Monte and the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, €18, have lunch, and take the toboggan down to Livramento, from €30 for one. In the afternoon, visit the Sé, free to enter, the town square and Avenida Arriaga, and end the day on the seafront or in the old town for dinner.

The one-day plan gives this day hour by hour.

Day two, choice one: the peaks

Visitors often plan the famous walk for the only day with cloud on the tops. Keep it for the clearest morning.

PR1, the Vereda do Areeiro, runs 6.1 km from Pico do Areeiro, at 1,818 m, to Pico Ruivo, at 1,862 m the highest point of the archipelago, in about 3 hours, rated moderate. Beyond the Pedra Rija viewpoint it is one way, and it ends away from the start, down PR1.2 to Achada do Teixeira or PR1.1 to Ilha, so a transfer at both ends is the easy way to do it. The full ticket costs €10.50 on the SIMplifica portal, for a date and a time slot.

The start is about 30 minutes from Funchal by road, and sunrise transfers leave early for the view above the clouds. After the walk, the rest of the day is free for a rest or the city.

The PR1 guide covers the walk in detail.

Day two, choice two: the west

The mistake is to think the west is too far for a day. It is a long day, and a rewarding one.

Porto Moniz, on the north-west coast, is about 56 minutes from Funchal by road, and its volcanic sea pools are the town's emblem. Seixal, on the north coast, is about 47 minutes away. On the way or on the way back, the Fanal forest, about 76 minutes from Funchal, lies in the Laurisilva in a perfect state of conservation, and fog is frequent there because of the altitude, which is part of its character.

A day tour covers the west with a driver; with a car, allow a full day and start early. The plateau of Paul da Serra, the island's only plateau, at about 1,500 m, lies on the way, with Rabaçal and the walks to the Risco waterfall and the 25 Fontes at its edge for anyone who wants a walk too.

Day two, choice three: the south coast

People often think a cloudy day means staying in the hotel. On the south coast, close to Funchal, it rarely does.

Câmara de Lobos, the fishing town, is about 14 minutes from Funchal by road. Cabo Girão, a little further, about 17 minutes, has its skywalk at 580 m above the sea, €5 for visitors over 12, paid through SIMplifica. Below it, the terraced fajãs are reached by the separate Rancho cable car, a 4 km drive from the viewpoint.

The coast is also the side of the island where the weather is kindest: the rain falls mostly on the north side and the mountains, and Funchal's south coast gets a fraction of it. A boat trip from Funchal, about three hours, to look for dolphins and whales, turns the rest of the day into a sea day.

This choice leaves the evening free, and it works with the bus as well as with a car or a tour.

Cabo Girão features a skywalk situated 580 m above the sea, accessible via SIMplifica for €5 for visitors over 12.

Choosing by the weather

The mistake is to fix the days before seeing the forecast. In Madeira, the mountains and the coast have different weather.

The rain falls where the levadas and the peaks are: the station at Queimadas, on the north side, averaged 2,314.6 mm a year over 1941-1970, and Fanal is often in fog. Funchal, on the south coast, is far drier, and in summer barely rains at all: 1.7 mm in July and 1.3 mm in August.

So check the IPMA forecast for the mountains on the evening of day one. If the peaks look clear, go up on day two; if they look cloudy, take the south coast, or the west, where the drive is worth it in any weather. If the peaks are clear on day one, swap the days and walk first.

Classified trails close for weather, works or risk on the ground, and the fee is refunded only if a trail is officially closed. Check the IFCN notices before you set off.

Weather conditions vary significantly between the dry south coast of Funchal and the rainier north side, requiring checks of the IPMA forecast before mountain hikes.

Evenings

People often spend both evenings in the hotel. Two evenings in Funchal are enough to see its two sides.

On one evening, eat in the old town, where there are 96 restaurants within 450 m of Rua de Santa Maria. On the other, stay by the sea: a sunset sail from Funchal, about three hours, or dinner near the marina.

Try the island's dishes: espetada, beef on a laurel skewer; bolo do caco, the garlic-butter flatbread; black scabbardfish with banana; and a glass of Madeira wine or a poncha.

If the stay falls on a festival, let it shape an evening: the Atlantic Festival's fireworks on the Saturdays of June, the jazz in early July, the Wine Lounge at Praça do Povo from late August.

Where to stay and how to move

The mistake is to base a two-day stay far from the centre. With two days, time is the budget.

Stay in the centre, around the Sé or in São Pedro, or in the old town for the evenings: the first day is then entirely on foot and by cable car. For the second day, a tour or a transfer collects you in the city; a car is worth it only for the west, and street parking in the centre costs €0.54 to €1.83 an hour.

The city buses cost €1.45 on a pre-paid GIRO card or €2.05 on board, and the Aerobus from the airport, €6.70, stops on Avenida do Mar. Accommodation adds the municipal tourist tax of €2 per guest per night for visitors over 12.

For a longer stay, see three days in Funchal. The IFCN's list of classified trails shows which are open, and the IPMA has the forecast.

Common questions

Is two days enough for Funchal?

Enough for the city in one day and one day out on the island, chosen by the weather.

What is the best day trip with only two days?

On a clear day, the walk from Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo; otherwise the west, or Câmara de Lobos and Cabo Girão on the south coast.

Do I need a car for two days?

No. The city is on foot and by cable car, and a tour or transfer covers the day out.

How do I choose the day for the mountains?

Check the IPMA forecast the evening before, and walk on the clearer day. Swap the days if needed.