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December 27, 2020

What should you see and do in Funchal, on the island of Madeira, during a cruise stopover? Today Cruising Journal will take you to Funchal on a virtual trip that can become reality as soon as you take a cruise with a stopover in Madeira. Cruising Journal recommends the following itinerary, come with us and start to discover and dream of Funchal!

The name Funchal comes from the word funcho, which means fennel in Portoguese, a plant that is very common on the island.

The entrance into the bay of Funchal in the morning will give you a wonderful and very charming view: a mountain, about 1500 meters high, will welcome you and the lights of the dwellings and shops appear as if they are a living nativity scene.

Characterized by a cheerful and welcoming people, in Funchal you can stroll in the countryside, go shopping in the typical local artisan workshops and embroidery shops or taste some culinary delicacies made from local products.

The island is almost equidistant from Lisbon and the African coastline. Its unique geographical position has allowed Madeira to play a key role in European discovery and, more recently, also in cruises which incorporate the Canary Islands, the Western Mediterranean and transatlantic cruises in their itineraries.

Madeira is nicknamed the “Garden Island,” and its gardens at the edge of the sea hold a wide variety of exotic flowers, trees and other flora species including roses, proteases, massarocos, condifolium and bougainvillea, an incredible amount of breathtaking colors.

Disembarking at the maritime station of Madeira, it will be possible to take one of the proposed excursions or walk for about 20 minutes to reach the center of Funchal. Along the way you can visit the Santa Catarina in Avenida do Mar Park, just above the north pier, where you can find several sculptures, the chapel of Santa Catarina, a duck pond and some of the most beautiful flowers in Funchal.

While strolling through the streets of the city it will be possible to explore the gardens, the sweet shops where you can purchase the island’s traditional apple pie, or characteristic shops where you can buy Madeira wine that is bottled on the island and produced from specific vines. The wine from Madeira is aged using a unique process and it is produced in many variations including dry wines, perfect for an aperitif, all the way to sweet wines to accompany desserts. In the center of Funchal a mandatory stop is the Cathedral, classified as a National Monument in 1910, which is today the main religious site of the Archipelago.

Continuing our stroll, make your way towards the farmers market, featuring large panels of Faiança Batisttini tiles by Maria de Portugal dating back to 1940, and paintings with regional themes by João Rodrigues, which adorn the facade, the main door and the fish shop. In this inviting environment the colors, sounds, smells and people mix together. You will find hundreds of flowers, fresh fish and a great variety of tropical fruits such as passion fruit and many others.

We head now towards the city center, walking down numerous tiny streets. From here it will be possible to use the cable car to go up the mountain, to Vila Monte, one of the most emblematic places on the island of Madeira.

At this point, we will visit the church of Vila Monte and then return to the center of Funchal using the characteristic carros de cesto, small two-seater sofas in wicker with the seat in white flowered fabric that are handcrafted with wicker and wood. They are led and controlled by two men, dressed in white and wearing straw hats, who expertly use their boots, with thick rubber soles, as brakes. This is a unique experience, not to be missed!

Finally, you can continue to Cabo Girão, a promontory about 589 meters high that offers breathtaking views of the sea and dizzying views of the Fajãs do Rancho, a small cultivated area at the foot of the cliff.

Before returning to Funchal, we will visit the ancient fishing village of Camara de Lobos and taste Poncha and Nikita in one of the taverns near the beautiful bay. In this area the fishermen are highly specialized in fishing for black scabbard fish and it will be possible to admire characteristic and picturesque boats called Xavelhas. Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill painted a picture here when he visited the island on January 8, 1950.

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Artur Rodriguez

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