Funchal - Funchal

Funchal is the capital of Madeira. The metropolitan area of ​​Funchal, which includes the municipalities of Câmara de Lobos, Ribeira Brava, Santa Cruz is Machico, has a population of over 225,000.

To know

Funchal is located within a natural amphitheater formed by the bay, mountains to the north and east and to the west by volcanic peaks, extending the urban area from the sea to a height of 800 meters. The center of the city of Funchal is crossed by three rivers and torrential regime: Ribeira de São João, Ribeira de Santa Luzia and João Gomes of Ribeira.

In addition to the urban area, the municipality includes the Wild Islands, a nature reserve located 160 km south of the capital.

When to go

Funchal is an internationally renowned winter health resort. It has a Mediterranean climate with mild temperatures throughout the year, with an annual average of 19.6 ° C. Unlike other cities on the south coast of Madeira, the city has winter temperatures of 1 ° C.

How to orient yourself

Center - From the Avenida do Mar, overlooking the marina, you can reach the pedestrian area where the Sé (cathedral) stands. A few hundred meters to the east is the area of ​​the picturesque dos lavradores market and Campo Carlos, the ancient Piazza d'Armi.

Velha area —

Suburbs of Funchal

• Mountain - Originally it was a summer resort for the rich, thanks to its mild climate, today it is a place where tourists sled to the center of the city, and is one of the most populated areas of Funchal with over 7500 inhabitants. It is located a few kilometers from the road that connects Funchal and Faial. It can be reached via the cableway, which connects the Monte to the Parque Almirante Reis, in the center of the city;
• Imaculado Coração de Maria - It is one of the smallest parishes in the area, with the highest concentration of inhabitants. It is located west of the Rua da Torrinha, Estrada do Monte and the Ribeira de Santa Luzia gorge and east of the Rua da Levada and Estrada de Livramento;
• Santa Luzia - It is located east of João Gomes' Ribeira and west of Ribeira de Santa Luzia;
• Santa Maria Maior - Located about 3km east of Funchal urban center, 4.5km southwest of Camacha and just 3km west of Caniço.
• Santo António - Located about 3 km north-east of the center of Funchal. The settlement that existed in this area was linked above all to the craft shops that arose in the sixteenth century. Cristiano Ronaldo was born in this neighborhood;
• São Gonçalo - Located along the east coast it is connected by regional roads to Funchal, Machico is Porto da Cruz. Originally this territory was part of the lands of João Gonçalves Zarco, one of the first settlers in this region;
• São Martinho - Located 3-4 kilometers west of Funchal and nearly three kilometers east of Câmara de Lobos and south of Atlantic Ocean. The eastern part offers a panorama of the city of Funchal and its surroundings;
• São Pedro - Located north of Self and surrounded by the parishes of Santo António, Santa Luzia, Imaculado Coração de Maria, São Roque and São Martinho. Its central location means it is at the center of commerce and tourism in Funchal;
• São Roque - Located north of Funchal and southwest of Faial. Its territory is characterized by the presence of mountains, to the north, forests, mainly of laurisilva about 1.5 km to the north, and grasslands to the north;

How to get

By plane

The airport is one of the most dangerous airports in the world due to the limited space, close to rocks, but the extension of the runway on concrete pillars in the sea has brought an improvement in safety.

On boat

The port of Funchal was the only major port of Madeira. Since 2007 it has been entirely dedicated to passenger transport - cruise ships and ferries - and other related to boat and yacht tourism.

How to get around

By public transport

The city of Funchal is served by a public transport network that covers the entire island.

Connectivity between Funchal and the other counties of the island of Madeira is guaranteed by the following road passenger transport operators:

• Car Company São Gonçalo, a company that guarantees interurban public transport connections between Funchal and Valle delle Monache, Camacha, Santo da Serra, Porto da Cruz, S. Roque do Faial, Azores, Santana, S. Jorge S. Arch;
• Madeira Road Carrier Ltd covering the east and north of Madeira;

The city has 455 vehicles serving citizens at their disposal 24 hours a day.

What see

In the center of Funchal

• municipal building (Câmara Municipal). Next to the church of St. John the Evangelist, the Funchal town hall is housed in an 18th century noble palace. 
• Sacred Art Museum, Rua do Bispo, 21. Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10: 00-12: 30 and 14: 00-18: 00. Open on Sundays from 10:00 to 13:00. Closed on Mondays and holidays.. Housed in the former Episcopal Palace, it collects an interesting collection of Flemish paintings. 
• Church of San Giovanni Evangelista (Igreja de São João Evangelista). Built in the 17th century, the church reveals influences from both Mannerism and Baroque. It was the seat of the Jesuit order. 

• 32.64803-16.90851 Cathedral (Self), Rua do Aljube.  
• Municipal Museum (Museu Municipal do Funchal), Rua da Mouraria 31, ☎ 351 291 229 761, 351 291 229 761. 
• Church of San Pietro. 

• Convent of Santa Clara. 
• ^{[link not working]}Quinta das Cruzes Museum, Calçada do Pico nº 1, ☎ 351 291 740 670. Hours: Tuesday to Sun 10: 00-12: 30 and 14: 00-17: 30. Closed on Mondays and holidays. A noble mansion in a park with various species of orchids. The original core of the estate dates back to the 15th century when João Gonçalves Zarco built a small house there which was later enlarged by his son João Gonçalves da Câmara whose descendants kept it until the mid-17th century. Quinta das Cruzes later passed into the hands of the Lomellino family. The museum was inaugurated in 1953 and soon after it was enriched with art objects belonging to César Filipe Gomes and João Wetzler, well-known collectors of Madeira. Among the exhibits stand out Chinese porcelain and silver, the most ancient of which date back to the end of the 15th century. The furnishings of the mansion are mostly in style Chippendale. There are also sideboards in Brazilian precious wood called "caixas de açúcar". They were used to cram sugar which was then used for the preparation of sweets and jams. 

• Fort of Pico (Fortaleza de São João Baptista do Pico). Built in a dominant position over the inhabited area, the fort of Pico served as a lookout against any pirate raids. It was later used as a prison and armory. Today it belongs to the military genius but some rooms are used as a museum and are open to the public. 
• Fort of San Giacomo (Fortaleza de São Tiago), Rua do Portão de S. Tiago, ☎ 351 291 213 340. Erected in 1614 it was dedicated to Saint James, patron saint of Funchal whose relics are kept in the nearby church of Santa Maria Maior 

West of the center

• Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Conceição do Ilhéu. Built in the last quarter of the 17th century to protect the Pontinha pier from any attacks by privateers, the small fortress housed a garrison of 12 regularly salaried gunners. 
• Fortress-palace of San Lorenzo (Fortaleza-Palácio de São Lourenço). Although it dates back to the 16th century, the Palazzo-Fortress of San Lorenzo was remade several times later. Today it is the seat of the governor. 
• Gardens of San Francesco (Jardim de São Francisco) (In front of the Palácio de São Lourenço). Nice well-kept park with palm trees and tropical plants. 
• "Vicentes" Museum of Photography (Museu de Fotografia), Rua da Carreira, 43-1º, ☎ 351 291 225 050. 2.50 Euro (year 2009). From Mon to Fri 10: 00-12: 30 and 14: 00-17: 00. Closed Sat Sun and holidays. Collections of historical photos of the city of Funchal. The museum is housed in the studio of the photographer Vicente Gomes da Silva. Established in 1848, it is the oldest example of a photographic studio in all of Portugal. Furniture and photographic equipment date back to that era. 
• Park of Santa Caterina (Parque de Santa Catarina) (Praça do Infante). In the lower part of the park is the "Capela de Santa Catarina", considered the oldest religious building in Madeira. It was built in wood in 1425 on commission from Dona Constança, wife of João Gonçalves Zarcola (1390-1471), a Portuguese navigator who served as the first governor of the island of Madeira. The simple building we see today is a 16th century reconstruction. 

Out of the center

• Botanical Gardens (Jardim Botânico da Madeira), Caminho do Meio - Bom Sucesso (4 km from the center), ☎ 351 291 211 200. Tue-Sun 09: 00-18: 00. 
• Jardins do palheiro. 

Events and parties

• Carnival. 
• Flower Festival. 
• Procession of Santiago Minore. 
• Funchal Culture Festival. 
• Atlantic Festival. 
• Funchal golf tournament. 
• Funchal Jazz. 
• Rally Vinho Madeira. 
• Feast of the Mount. 
• City of the Day. 
• Madeira Wine Festival. 
• Night Market. 
• End of year holidays. 

What to do

• Aquaparque Santa Cruz, Ribeira da Boa Ventura - S. Pedro 9100-139 Santa Cruz. 

Shopping

• Dolce Vita shopping center. 

How to have fun

Night clubs

• Madeira Casino, Avenida do Infante (Inside the park of the Pestana hotel). Open every day from 4 pm to 3 am. To access it, you must show your passport and pay a government tax of a few euros. 
• ^{[link not working]}Vespas nightclub, Avenida Sá Carneiro 60. The biggest club in Funchal. It often hosts internationally renowned DJs. 
• ^{[link not working]}Bar Number Two, Promenade do Lido, ☎ 351 291 771 635. 

Where to eat

Where stay

The city of Funchal has 19,357 beds. Hospitality, personalized service, good taste and quality are the dominant characteristics. The number of 5-star hotels is relevant and quality remains the main objective.

Today visitors can choose between traditional hotels or opt for hosting, smaller structures that allow close contact with the population.

Safety

How to keep in touch

Around

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Funchal
• Commons contains images or other files on Funchal

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