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Travel InformationFunchal Cruises, Madeira
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Sweeter than wine, Madeira’s a fine excuse to binge on beautiful scenery to your heart’s content. Funchal is the island’s capital, a bewitching collection of cobbled streets, quaint museums and buzzing café and restaurant life.
- Get to know Funchal. This spellbinding city is a portion of Portugal sprinkled with a dash of Garden of Eden and Edwardian Britain. The whole place seems to be smothered in vivid bougainvillea, jasmine and other exotic blooms. Don’t miss the covered market, a dizzying montage of exotic fruit stalls and flower-sellers wearing traditional costume. And take a look at the city’s impressive Sé cathedral with its ornate ceiling and artworks.
- If you’re really into blooms, meander around Funchal’s tranquil Botanical Gardens, admiring their dazzling displays of orchids, cacti and Madeira’s iconic dragon trees.
- Take a cable car up to the mountain village of Monte and hurtle back down the cobbles towards Funchal in a wicker toboggan.
- Gaze in awe at the colossal Cabo Girao, one of the world’s largest coastal cliffs. Then take in the simple charms of the quaint fishing village, Camara de Lobos, one of Winston Churchill’s favourite retreats.
- Sign up for a jeep tour to explore parts of the island that are usually off limits.
SHORE EXCURSIONS View all excursions
Funchal 4x4 Expedition
Jump in, buckle up and get ready to see some of Madeira’s most impressive scenery. These vehicles can reach locations that are off limits to most so you can go off the beaten track and get to know the island inside out. Climbing high into the mountains, explore hidden valleys and dramatic volcanic landscapes. It’s a great day out for all the family as up to 8 people can fit in together.
Tukxi at the Heart of Funchal
This tour whisks you around Funchal in the back of a tuk tuk-like three-wheeler. You’ll buzz through the city’s streets, making pit-stops at places like the 17th-century São Tiago Fort, and the monochrome São Pedro Church. The route also takes you through the labyrinthine lanes of the Old Town, past the flower-sellers and greengrocers that line up in its marketplaces. Plus, there’s a stop at the Socorro Viewpoint, where you’ll be faced with a spectacular panoramic view of the coast. One of the last places on the day’s itinerary is another fortress – this time, São Lourenço. It’s the island’s earliest, and is now classified as a National Monument. Later on, you’ll take a scenic drive back to the port to rejoin the cruise.
Viewpoints & Surroundings of Funchal by Sidecar
This ticket lets you sight-see Funchal from the vantage-point of an old-school sidecar. Your expert motorcycle driver will take you on a windy route through the Old Town’s narrow lanes first. You’ll spot the yachts and liners in the marina as you pass the seafront, plus there’ll be a photo stop at Pináculo, a lovely cliffside viewpoint that opens up cinematic vistas of the island’s southern shoreline. Ponta do Garajau is also on the cards – it’s a 180-metre-high cape topped with a huge Christ The Redeemer-like statue, which is actually older than Brazil’s famous monument. The views from up here are spectacular, and you might even catch a glimpse of the whales, dolphins, and seals that call the coastal waters home.