Funchal quick facts: airports, hubs and maps

Plan your days with these essential details for Funchal Portugal. The city climbs from the harbour into terraced hillsides, so understanding arrival points and local hubs helps you match attractions with transport and walking time.

• State/Region/Country: Capital of the island of Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal in the North Atlantic.

• Airports: Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport (FNC), often called Madeira Airport, around 20 kilometres east of central Funchal.

• Main stations/hubs: Funchal Marina on Avenida do Mar, the touristic docks area and the Funchal City Gates near the Old Town work as key sightseeing hubs.

• Public transport: Urban buses connect neighbourhoods, while a cable car links the Old Town waterfront with Monte above the city.

• Paying fares: Local buses use standard tickets or rechargeable cards sold at kiosks and bus stations, while sightseeing buses use day-based funchal bus tickets.

• Coordinates: Approximate central coordinates are 32.65° N latitude and 16.91° W longitude.

• Popular neighbourhoods: Historic Old Town, the waterfront around Funchal Marina, residential Monte on the hillside and the fishing village of Câmara de Lobos west along the coast.

• Additional context: Funchal curves around a natural bay with steep green hills and access to Madeira’s mountains, cliffs and natural volcanic pools on day excursions.

Recent visitors often base themselves near Funchal Marina or the Old Town, since these areas cluster hop on hop off bus stops, harbour excursions and access to the cable car, keeping walking time and transport planning simple.

Top things to do in Funchal

Mix coastal scenery, historic streets and immersive excursions. Start with central Funchal attractions, then add a ride into the hills, a market visit and at least one full-day Madeira adventure.

• Use funchal hop on hop off bus tickets to tick off the Funchal City Gates, touristic docks, Old Town, Funchal Marina and hillside viewpoints in one flexible loop.

• Ride the cable car from the Old Town waterfront up to Monte for panoramic views across Funchal’s bay and terraced suburbs.

• Browse fresh fruit, flowers and local products at Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal’s lively farmer’s market, to experience daily Madeiran life.

• Visit Bordal Embroidery Factory, where you can see traditional Madeira embroidery techniques and understand why this craft became one of the classic Funchal attractions.

• Book funchal 3D Fun Art Museum tickets for interactive optical illusions that work well for families, friends and rainy gaps in your itinerary.

• Walk along Avenida do Mar by Funchal Marina, watching cruise ships, catamarans and local fishing boats move in and out of the harbour.

• Take the hop on hop off route west to Câmara de Lobos, a colourful fishing village linked to Winston Churchill and framed by steep vineyards.

• Join the Enchanted Terraces guided excursion to Madeira’s northwest, where waterfalls, dramatic cliffs and volcanic pools reveal a wilder landscape beyond central Funchal.

• Plan an evening stroll through the Old Town’s narrow lanes, combining street art doors, small taverns and viewpoints over the harbour lights.

• Add a coastal drive or short excursion to other viewpoints on Madeira, pairing Funchal city tours with island-wide scenery.

Tickets and passes in Funchal

Booking tickets before you arrive in Funchal makes it easier to structure each day, especially if you want to combine city sightseeing with one or two longer excursions.

• Choose funchal hop on hop off tickets to ride a sightseeing bus loop that covers the Old Town, cable car area, Mercado dos Lavradores, Bordal Embroidery Factory and out to Câmara de Lobos during your ticket validity.

• Look for multi-stop sightseeing packages that bundle key funchal attractions along the hop on hop off route, useful if you want discounted access while keeping a flexible schedule.

• Buy funchal 3D Fun Art Museum tickets in advance so you can drop in between outdoor activities without worrying about same-day availability.

• Reserve the Enchanted Terraces guided excursion ahead of time, since this full-day trip to waterfalls, terraces and volcanic pools has limited capacity and is popular with nature lovers.

• Check individual product descriptions for details on mobile vouchers, child discounts and any requirements for timed entry to specific experiences.

If you plan to visit several paid funchal attractions during a short stay, especially combined city tours and one major excursion, a bundled sightseeing package can offer better value than buying every ticket separately.

Getting around Funchal by bus, cable car and excursion coach

Funchal climbs steeply from sea level, so combining walking with buses, the cable car and organised excursions keeps you comfortable while still feeling close to the city’s lanes and viewpoints.

• Use funchal sightseeing bus routes from the Funchal Marina terminal or city gates to reach the touristic docks, Old Town, cable car station, Mercado dos Lavradores and Câmara de Lobos on a hop on hop off basis.

• Take the cable car from the Old Town waterfront up to Monte to avoid a demanding uphill walk and enjoy wide views over Funchal’s bay and terraced hillsides.

• Join the Enchanted Terraces excursion from central Funchal, travelling by coach into northwest Madeira to visit waterfalls, terrace landscapes and natural volcanic pools without needing to navigate mountain roads yourself.

• Use local urban buses for shorter hops between coastal districts, checking route maps and buying single tickets or simple reloadable cards at main stops.

• Rideshare services and taxis are useful for late evening returns from waterfront restaurants or to connect quickly between hillside accommodation and the Old Town.

• Harbour tours and small-boat trips depart from the touristic docks and Funchal Marina, adding an on-the-water perspective to funchal city tours focused mostly on streets and viewpoints.

• Traffic can build at peak times along Avenida do Mar, so aim for mid-morning or late afternoon departures for longer excursions when possible.

Because the city is compact along the waterfront, many visitors walk between the Funchal Marina, Old Town and market, then use hop on hop off services or excursions only for longer or steeper sections.