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I’m working in tourism area now. I see both sides, the traveller’s and mine as someone working in that area. Sometimes I wonder: how much for low cost? Do people enjoy enough, know what is there to see or just buy a non-expensive ticket and hope for the best? My money is on the last one.
How do people find out what to see or better yet: how to see it once they arrive? Madeira is a small island but Funchal is Portugal third biggest city. It is not like Lisbon or Porto, still there is a lot to see. A good planning helps but how to plan if there is no information?
That is what I will try to do: inform. It is going to take a few posts so please, be patient.
Upper part
Funchal is a city surrounded by mountains that looks like a wide amphitheatre. Starting in the middle of the hills until almost the top we find the houses and some atractions worth finding out like viewpoints, important churches, typical places where we can get something to eat or drink and access to some levadas. (Levadas is the name given to the openings excavated on the rocks that lead the water where it was necessary. It literally means taken. The water passed by the levadas and was taken away).
Main church and left
The lower part of the town concentrates museums, mains churches, chapels, old and new buildings and a beautiful disposition of all of them. Once there, use the main church, Sé, as you centre. If you are looking at the sea, the church is on your left side. First you have the church itself. If you go down and turn left on the third street, with Madeira Regional Assembly on you right, you will pass by a nice square on your left. Continue in that street and, after crossing two bridges, Museum of Electricity is on you right after five minutes walking.
After it you will find the Cable Car, Madeira Story Centre and Old Town where Fort São Tiago(also a museum), Barreirinha church, a seightseeing point and a beach (closed in the winter) are integrated by that order.
The cable car can take you to Monte and Botanical Garden but my advice is to leave it to another day or at least after you had seen the rest of this part. (Monte has a lot to see and Botanical Garden is big, and besides botanical species as a good amount of live bird species exposition and a cable car connection to Monte so I will leave them for another post).
Madeira Story Centre is as the name describes the story of Madeira in a non boring way. The ticket is nine euros and children pay half. Yes, our currency is Euro (EUR).
Old Town is very pleasant area with small houses, narrow roads, several cafes, restaurants and a few artefacts stores. You can find another museum there, Fort São Tiago. It is in a building that was once military.
When you leave the museum, turn right twice. You will go up to find another street, which is beautiful in it self due to the houses on both sides of it, and almost at the end, there is a very small and beautiful church in front of which you have a nice view of the town.
To go back to Sé ( the church, remember?), go back to the exit of the fort and this time turn left. It is a pleasant walk by the sea avenue. Just don’t get distracted in order to pass through Sé.
Main church and right
Once you get there turn your back at Sé main entrance and start walking. The avenue you are walking in is Arriaga and is half closed to traffic to allow people to enjoy it walking under the trees instead of cars.
When the first set of trees ends you will find a fortress on you left hand: is Palácio São Lourenço, a military installation with an exposition of the fortress history. You can visit it.
If it is early morning (around nine if I'm not mistaken) and Sunday, you will be able to see the changing of the flag and a small military parade.
Separating the sets of trees there is a statue of one of Madeira discoverers: João Gonçalves Zarco.
In the middle of the second set of trees and on your right side you have the Madeira official tourism delegation after which there is one of Madeira’s wine famous wineries.
Right after that there is a garden (jardim in portuguese), Jardim Municipal, where you can rest your feet for a while and, if it is sunny, get a bit of sun. Always use sunscreen while in Madeira, you will get a suntan instead of a sunburn. Trust me.
In front of that garden, you have Funchal Municipal Theatre, where sometimes there are open expositions during the day besides the plays and concerts in the evening (unfortunately not every day).
Still in Arriaga Avenue and moving forwards, you will find a roundabout after another set of trees. Park Santa Catarina is on your left side.
I remember rolling in the grass when I was little, playing in the children park, and eating an ice cream while walking through it admiring its views. It is a relatively big park and a very beautiful one.
I remember rolling in the grass when I was little, playing in the children park, and eating an ice cream while walking through it admiring its views. It is a relatively big park and a very beautiful one.
You can finish this day visiting the Marina and having something to eat in one of its cafes or restaurants or shopping in one of two shopping malls close by, Marina Shopping and Dolce Vita. These choices are presented to you on the roundabout having Park Santa Catarina behind you. Marina with its restaurants is to the right, Marina Shopping straight ahead and Dolce Vita to your left.
Feel free to ask something. It may take me sometime but I will do my best to give you an accurate reply.
