Madeira
Things to do in Funchal
Funchal climbs from the harbour up a steep amphitheatre of hills, and almost everything worth doing involves going up or coming down. In between are a wine that can outlive its owner and a market full of fruit you will not recognise. And a hotel terrace where guests have taken tea since 1891.
14 November 20266 min read
Picolo Editorial
In short: Funchal
Start at Blandy's Wine Lodge in the city centre to taste Madeira wine, then take the cable car up to Monte and ride a wicker toboggan back down. Walk the Mercado dos Lavradores and the painted doors of the Zona Velha, the old town. End the day with tea or a drink on the clifftop terrace at Reid's Palace, our first choice for a stay.
Last checked: November 2026.
Taste Madeira wine at Blandy's
Madeira is a fortified wine that is deliberately warmed as it ages, which makes it almost indestructible. Opened bottles keep for months, and old vintages for more than a century. The Blandy family has made it since 1811. Their Wine Lodge on Avenida Arriaga, in the former Franciscan monastery of São Francisco a short walk from the cathedral, is the best place to start.
Guided tours run from 30 minutes to an hour and a half and end at the tasting bar, with prices from €17 to €150. The wine ages in more than 650 casks by the canteiro method, with the island's warm climate doing the work. Ask to taste the four classic grapes side by side: sercial, verdelho, bual and malmsey, from driest to sweetest.
Up to Monte, down by toboggan
The cable car from Parque Almirante Reis by the old town climbs to Monte, the hillside village above Funchal, in about a quarter of an hour. At the top are the Monte Palace Tropical Garden and the church where Charles I, the last emperor of Austria, is buried. The way down is the famous part. A wicker sledge on wooden runners, steered by two men in white called carreiros, runs for about two kilometres down the steep streets towards Livramento.
The market and the old town
The Mercado dos Lavradores, the farmers' market, is busiest in the morning, with tropical fruit, flowers and the fish hall where the black scabbardfish lies in rows. From there, walk to the Zona Velha, where local artists have painted the doors of Rua de Santa Maria, and stop for lunch.
Tea at Reid's
Reid's Palace has stood west of the harbour since 1891, and afternoon tea on its terrace above the sea is a Funchal ritual. Book ahead, and dress smartly. To go further than the city, read our guides to the levada walks and the best time to visit Madeira.
Before you go
Wear good shoes. Funchal is steep, and the cobbles are smooth.
Buy the cable car one way. Then take the toboggan down, and a taxi or bus the rest of the way.
Taste before you buy. Madeira lasts for decades, so it is a wine worth carrying home.
Picolo picks the hotel for you
Picolo is the hotel guest's best friend. We take on the role of guide and do the work before you book: we look at the hotels in the area, where they stand, what guests say and what is actually there. Then we choose the one hotel that suits this particular trip best. For a stay in Funchal the choice fell on Reid's Palace, because tea on its terrace is part of the trip and the city is within walking distance. Guests rate it 9.8 out of 10 on Hotels.com. Read more in our review of Reid's Palace.
Our first choice in Funchal
Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel
Reid's Palace has stood on a cliff above the Atlantic since 1891, in subtropical gardens a short walk from the harbour. The terrace where afternoon tea is served looks straight out to sea, and the pools lie on terraces above the water. Blandy's Wine Lodge and the centre are about 20 minutes on foot or a short taxi ride away. In the evening you watch the lights of Funchal come on across the bay.
Frequently asked questions about Funchal
What is Funchal best known for?
Funchal, the capital of Madeira, is best known for Madeira wine, the cable car up to Monte and the wicker toboggan ride back down. Visitors also come for the Mercado dos Lavradores, the painted doors of the old town and the subtropical gardens. Reid's Palace and its afternoon tea are a long-standing tradition.
Where can you taste Madeira wine in Funchal?
Blandy's Wine Lodge on Avenida Arriaga, a short walk from the cathedral, is the best-known place. Guided tours last from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, end with a tasting and cost from €17. Several other producers have tasting rooms in the centre and the old town.
How does the Monte toboggan work?
The Monte toboggan is a wicker sledge on wooden runners, steered by two drivers called carreiros who push and brake with their rubber-soled boots. It runs for about two kilometres down the steep road from Monte towards Livramento. Take the cable car up from the old town first.
How many days do you need in Funchal?
Two days cover the wine lodge, Monte, the market and the old town at an easy pace. Add more days to explore the rest of Madeira, such as the levada walks along old irrigation channels and the cliffs of the north coast. Most visitors stay a week on the island.
Sources
Details on Blandy's Wine Lodge come from the lodge's own website, Madeira Lovers and Lonely Planet. Details on the cable car and the toboggan come from Wikipedia. Reid's Palace facts are taken from Belmond and Wikipedia. Cudi, muffinn and H. Zell took the photographs, via Wikimedia Commons. Hotel photographs are from Hotels.com (Expedia Group). Last checked November 2026.
Cheers from Funchal
Picolo Editorial