Funchal, Madeira; a Travel Guide - A Greensleeves Page

Madeira is a small island in the Atlantic Ocean, about 600 km off the coast of Morocco. Up until the 15th century the island was uninhabited, but soon after Portuguese explorers first landed on the island in 1418, its strategic position in the Atlantic led to the establishment of Madeira as an important trading outpost. Despite a few upheavels, the island remains Portuguese territory today, though now with a largely autonomous regional government which handles most local affairs.

Only 56 km (35 miles) long, and 20 km (14 miles) wide, the highest mountain of Pico Ruivo rises to 1862m. Almost all of Madeira is more than 500m above sea level, so the island has essentially a mountainous geography. It's location in the subtropics, and this geography, ensures the island enjoys a mild climate, albeit with diverse local weather patterns. As a result, Madeira is a green and pleasant land, but a land where the majority of the non-farming population live on the narrow coastal strip. And of these by far the largest number of Madeirans live in the capital, Funchal. 110,000 people call this their home - nearly half the total population of Madeira. This page is a brief guide to the town of Funchal.

All photos on this page were taken by the author in and around the town of Funchal in March 2011.

Even from the earliest days of Portuguese colonisation, a natural harbour on the southern coast of Madeira became the site of a major settlement, which was to be quickly established as the island's capital, Funchal. One early visitor was Christopher Columbus, who married a Madeiran girl, Filipa, in 1479. They then lived briefly in Funchal, but sadly the marriage ended in 1484 when Filipa died in childbirth.

During the following century, the island's sovereignty came under dispute from Spain and France, and it was only in 1662 that Portugal finally established permanent authority, although during the Napoleonic Wars, the island again became a focus of tension, and Portugal's long-standing ally Britain temporarily took control of Funchal in order to remove a French army which had taken up residence.

As an island community, trade was always vital to the survival of Madeira's economy. Initially, the important crop was sugar cane. Later, various other crops, as well as the famous Madeira wine and Madeira lace, became significant, though the benefits of this trade in past centuries were largely confined to the wealthier sections of the Madeiran population.

The majority of Madeirans remained poor farm workers, but in recent years the island has benefited considerably from the establishment of democracy in Portugal and regional government in Funchal, the acquisition of EU grants for road building projects, and above all, the growth of tourism. Madeira is now one of Portugal's most affluent provinces, and Funchal is prospering.

Set in front of - and encroaching up the side of - the mountains of Madeira, the red-roofed, white stone houses of modern Funchal make it one of the most attractive of towns. There is a relaxed feel to the place, as you walk around its picturesque squares and along narrow side streets, cobbled or decorated in black and white paving tiles. Dotted around the town are churches and civic buildings, and of course shops, many of which cater to the needs of tourists. A number of museums in the town reflect Madeira's history and culture. And everywhere there are cafes and restaurants, almost all with outside street seating, serving Portuguese and Italian dishes, but also Chinese and a range of other international cuisines.

In a central location is the Praco do Municipio, Funchal's main square, surrounded by historic buildings like the Town Hall and a 17th century church, the Igreja do Colegio. Not far from the square is Funchal's cathedral. To the east is the old town, which includes the coastal fort of Sao Tiago, and the town marketplace. To the west lies the so-called hotel zone, where the majority of tourists who arrive by plane will be housed.

Today the built-up area extends to include a number of coastal resorts and mountain villages, but the modern conurbation still retains the air of a small country town, with plenty of open spaces and greenery.

The harbour was the place where the first settlers landed, and has remained the key reason for the growth of Funchal since then. The harbour has a marina which is home to a variety of yachts and day trip boats, but today these are all too often dominated by the vast cruise liners which dock here each day to churn out thousands of tourists on to Funchal's streets.

With nearly one and a half million visitors each year, tourism is now Madeira's biggest money earner, and a large proportion of the population are now engaged in some aspect of this industry.

But the traditional economy of the island has been built on agriculture, and wine production. Agriculture is practised on small terraced farms on Madeira's hillsides. Even today, the work is manual, simply because the landscape precludes the use of heavy farm machinery. The main market of Funchal, is well worth a visit as a place where all the local produce of fruit and vegetables are on display in an array of stalls set round a central courtyard. There's also a fish market here, and stalls of wickerwork and other local crafts, as as well as cut flowers.

'Madeira' means 'wood' and is named after the original laurel forests. Even today, the island is best known for its greenery, and as an island of flowers. The mild climate allows a wide range of plants to grow and flower throughout the year. Many of the most familiar flowers nowadays are not really native, but will be seen in the many botanical gardens around the town, and as shrubs and pot plants in Funchal itself. These include Bird-of-paradise, Bougainvillea, Azalea, Proteas and Mimosa. One plant which is native and grows widely is the blue flowered Echium candicans or Pride of Madeira.

It's not very far to anywhere on an island like Madeira, but two places closer than most are Camara de Lobos and Monte.

Just 4 km west of Funchal is the pleasant little fishing village of Camara de Lobos, easily reached via the coast road by bus, or just by walking. The village was made famous by Winston Churchill, who as a keen amateur artist spent several months here in 1949 painting the harbour and the fishing boats.

Just west of Camara de Lobos is Cabo Girao, which holds the distinction of being the highest sea cliff on European territory, and the second highest in the world. Cabo Girao cliff is 580 metres high.

Up in the mountains at an altitude of 550 metres is the village of Monte, a popular site for a half-day visit. Monte can be reached by road, but the best way is by cable car from Funchal, a mode of transport which gives nice views of the Capital. There are a couple of landscaped gardens here that can be visited, one of which is reached by a second cable car across a deep valley. There is also Nossa Senhora do Monte, said to be the most important church on Madeira, and certainly one of the most attractive. The current twin-towered church was built on the site of an older chapel in 1818. A few restaurants and cafes are also to be found around here.

The biggest attraction for many however, is the route down from Monte. You can take the cable car, or bus, or you can just walk down, but the toboggan run is the traditional way to do it. Back in the 19th century, wicker basket sleighs pulled by horses, were used to descend the mountain, but these were later adapted for tourists. 'Drivers' in white trousers and wicker hats push the baskets off and then ride and steer the back as the toboggan picks up speed on a steep but narrow 2 km road.

I guess people don't go to Madeira to visit Funchal; mainly they go for the landscape, the mountains and valleys, or they go for the gardens and flowers, or possibly for one of the many island festivals, such as Carnival week. But Funchal is where many will stay during their time on this island, and their enjoyment of the island will be largely determined by their experience of Funchal. The capital has both history and modernity, set in a pleasant green environment, the people are friendly and the town is as safe as any I have visited. As such, it makes a nice place to stay for a week or two, and I suspect it makes a nice place to live too.