One day in Funchal from a cruise ship
How to spend a cruise stop in Funchal: where the ships dock, how to get into town, what you can do in a few hours, and how to avoid the queues on busy days.
Funchal is one of the easiest cruise ports in the Atlantic. Ships dock at the Pontinha pier, right below the city, and you can walk into the centre in a quarter of an hour.
Getting into town
Walk along the seafront promenade towards the marina and the cathedral. Taxis and tuk-tuks wait at the pier exit, and shuttle buses run when several ships are in. Everything below can be done on foot from the pier, except Cabo Girão and the mountains.
A half day: the classic Funchal loop
- Mercado dos Lavradores. Fruit, flowers and the fish hall. Go first, it is busiest late morning. See our market guide.
- The Zona Velha. The old town’s narrow streets and painted doors are next to the market.
- Cable car to Monte. The lower station is in the old town. At the top, see the church and the Monte Palace garden.
- The toboggan ride down. Two drivers in straw hats steer a wicker sledge down the steep streets. See Monte toboggan.
- Back via the cathedral and Avenida Arriaga to the ship.
A full day: add one of these
- Cabo Girão and Câmara de Lobos by taxi or tour: the glass skywalk over one of Europe’s highest sea cliffs, then the fishing village where Churchill painted. See Cabo Girão and Câmara de Lobos.
- The botanical garden, with a cable car link from Monte. See Funchal’s gardens.
- A short levada walk. Join a guided half-day walk from the city. Independent walks need a booked slot and a taxi or car.
- Whale and dolphin watching from the marina, about two to three hours.
Busy days
On days with several ships in port, the cable car, the toboggan and the market get crowded from mid-morning. Start early, buy cable car tickets online if you can, and do the market at the end of the day instead of the beginning. The Ports of Madeira authority (APRAM) publishes the ship schedule if you want to see how many ships will be in on your day.
Good to know
- Money: the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere.
- Language: Portuguese, with English widely spoken in Funchal.
- Time: the same as Lisbon and London. Check your ship’s time, as some cruise lines keep a different clock on board.
- Back on board: allow 30 minutes from Monte or the old town to the pier, more from Cabo Girão.