Half a day in Funchal

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Visitors with only a morning or an afternoon in Funchal, on a cruise call, a layover or the first day of a longer trip, usually try to see too much and end up in queues. Half a day is enough for one of three plans, done well.

The first is the historic centre on foot: the Mercado dos Lavradores, the Sé cathedral and the painted doors of Rua de Santa Maria in the old town, all within a short walk. The second is Monte: the cable car up, the church and a garden, and the toboggan down. The third is the sea: a boat trip of about three hours to look for dolphins and whales.

Plan one: the historic centre on foot

The common mistake is to take a taxi between sights that are a few minutes apart. The centre is walked.

Start at the Mercado dos Lavradores, the market opened in 1940: it opens Monday to Friday from 07:00 to 19:00 and on Saturday from 07:00 to 14:00. Walk east into the Zona Velha, the old town, and along Rua de Santa Maria, where about 200 doors have been painted by artists, to the yellow Forte de São Tiago and the Socorro viewpoint at the end of the street.

Come back west along the seafront to the Sé, the cathedral inaugurated in 1514, free to enter, with its ceiling of island cedar. Finish on Avenida Arriaga and in the Municipal Garden, or with a coffee near the cathedral.

The whole loop is on foot and takes about four hours at an easy pace, with time for a museum: the Madeira Story Centre in the old town, or the Sacred Art Museum by the town square.

The loop walk along Rua de Santa Maria leads to the yellow Forte de São Tiago and the Socorro viewpoint, taking about four hours at an easy pace.

Plan two: Monte by cable car and toboggan

Visitors often ride up to Monte and then wonder how to fit in the rest. It fits in half a day if you plan the direction.

Take the Funchal-Monte cable car from the old town, €16 one way or €22 return, daily from 09:00 with the last boarding at 17:45. At the top, visit the church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, where Emperor Karl I of Austria is buried, and, if time allows, the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, €18 for an adult, 70,000 m² of hillside.

Then take the toboggan down: the carros de cesto run about 2 km to Livramento in about 10 minutes, €30 for one, €40 for two, €60 for three. The ride ends at Livramento, not in the centre, so finish by taxi or bus.

With the garden, this plan fills four hours; without it, about two and a half, which leaves time for the old town at the bottom.

Plan three: the sea

The mistake is to leave the sea for another trip. From Funchal, it is the easiest half day of all.

Boat trips to look for dolphins and whales leave from Funchal and last about three hours, on catamarans and smaller boats; the most reviewed has more than 10,000 reviews. A sunset sail, also about three hours, is the evening version.

The sea off Funchal is warmest from June to October, above 20 °C, so a summer or autumn trip may include a swim stop. In winter, check the weather: calm days are the ones to book.

After the boat, the marina puts you on the seafront between the centre and the old town, so a late lunch or an early dinner on Rua de Santa Maria finishes the half day on foot.

The days that change the plan

People often arrive on a Sunday and find half the centre closed to visits. Check the day of the week.

The Mercado dos Lavradores closes on Sundays and public holidays, and on Saturdays at 14:00. The Sé is closed to visits on Sundays and holidays, and its tower is a weekday visit, from 10:00 to 12:45 and from 14:00 to 17:00. The CR7 Museum, open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00, also closes on Sundays.

On a Sunday, choose Monte or the sea. On a Saturday, do the market first thing and the rest after. On 25 December, the city buses do not run and the Botanical Garden cable car stops.

The weather rarely spoils a half day in the city: Funchal's rain comes in spells, and a showery morning often becomes a bright afternoon.

Choosing, and getting around

The mistake is to choose by the photograph. Choose by the day of the week and the energy you have.

For a first visit, plan one gives the most of the city for the least effort. For children, plan two, with the cable car and the toboggan, is the one they remember; children up to 6 ride the cable car free. For a hot day or a tired traveller, plan three is the most restful.

All three start in the centre. From the cruise terminal on the Pontinha pier, the centre is a walk of about 15 to 20 minutes along the waterfront; from the Lido hotel zone, the city buses cost €1.45 on a pre-paid GIRO card or €2.05 on board.

For a full day, see one day in Funchal, and for a cruise call, the cruise port guide. The cable car's site has the current prices, and the Visit Funchal page on the market its hours.

Common questions

What can I see in Funchal in half a day?

The market, the old town and the cathedral on foot; or Monte by cable car and toboggan; or a boat trip of about three hours.

Is the market open on Sunday?

No. It opens Monday to Friday from 07:00 to 19:00 and on Saturday to 14:00.

How long does Monte take?

About two and a half hours with the cable car up and the toboggan down, or about four with the Monte Palace garden.

Where does the toboggan end?

At Livramento, about 2 km below Monte; finish by taxi or bus.