Funchal is the capital of the Portuguese Atlantic island of Madeira. It was founded in 1421 by João Gonçalves Zarco, and Funchal formally became a city with city rights in 1508. In the same century, the city became the seat of a bishop, and throughout the 16th century Funchal’s importance increased as a port for ships sailing between Portugal and elsewhere in Europe to colonies in South America and Africa. Sugar trade made Funchal prosperous, and later Madeira wine became an important commodity. In 1803 Funchal was hit by a catastrophic flood in which many inhabitants died. From the mid-1800s, European tourism to Funchal and Madeira increased, and Reid’s Palace opened as one of the leading hotels in 1891, and since the mid-1900s, the city and island has been a popular holiday destination for many tourists.

Today, Funchal’s old town is full of narrow streets and cozy places where you can come by several sights. You can start at the city’s cathedral, which is located along Rua da Sé. The cathedral is called Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Assunção, and it was consecrated in 1514. The beautiful building stands largely as it did at the beginning of the 16th century, making the cathedral one of the few preserved structures from the early Portuguese era in the city. The church was built from volcanic stones that were transported here from the cliffs at Cabo Girão west of Funchal. In front of the cathedral, you can see a statue of Pope John Paul II. It was erected to commemorate the Pope’s visit in 1991.

From Funchal’s cathedral there is easy access to the city’s central streets and to other attractions. There is, for example, much to see around the square named Praca do Município, where on the north side you can see a Jesuit complex with a beautiful church, Igreja do Colégio, which was completed in 1647. To the east of the square, you can look at Funchal’s fine town hall from 1758, originally used as the Count of Carvalhal’s residence. To the south is Madeira’s old episcopal site, which today is open as a museum of religious art. You can also go to the Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal’s central food market. From the food market, you can continue east to the old streets of the district of Santa Maria. The old center of this urban district is located around the church Capela do Corpo Santo.

It is worth walking along the harbor and the coast at Funchal as well. East of the old center of Santa Maria is the Forte de São Tiago, which was built as one of the city’s fortifications at the beginning of the 17th century. Close to Forte de São Tiago is the central station for Funchal’s cable cars to the mountains to the north. The trip is 3,200 meters, and you soar over the center of Funchal on the way to the heights. The tours are an attraction in themselves. If you go further west, you come to Funchal’s marina, where there are opportunities to take a boat trip. On the western pier of the harbor is the place named Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Conceição do Ilhéu, which looks like a small fort, and on top of the area of ​​cliffs to the northwest of the harbor you can see Funchal’s casino, designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, famous for his design of the city of Brasilia.

There are several attractions outside the center of Funchal too. In the north-eastern suburbs you can visit the beautiful pilgrimage church, Nossa Senhora do Monte, which is located high in the district’s mountains, which gives a fantastic panoramic view of Funchal and the Atlantic Ocean. The church was built in 1741 but had to be rebuilt after an earthquake in 1749 and was therefore not consecrated before 1818. You can see a beautifully interior in the church, where there is a burial chapel for Charles I, who was Austria’s last emperor before the abolition of the monarchy in 1918. Charles I was sent into exile by the Allied Powers, and he arrived to Madeira on 19 November 1921. The former emperor died on 1 April 1922 and was canonized by John Paul II in 2004. Nearby is the Monte Palace Museum with interesting exhibitions and a beautiful tropical garden, and in the area, you can also visit Funchal’s botanical garden, which is a fantastic experience with Madeira’s mild climate.