Mercado dos Lavradores: Funchal’s market, and how to visit it well
A guide to Funchal’s farmers’ market: opening times, the fish hall, the exotic fruit, what to buy, and how to avoid the overpriced tasting trap.
Go in the morning. Friday is the busiest and most colourful day.
The Mercado dos Lavradores, the farmers’ market, opened in 1940 on the edge of Funchal’s old town. It is built around an open courtyard, decorated with blue and white tile panels, and still works as a real market for locals as well as a sight for visitors.
When to go
- The market is open Monday to Saturday, from early morning. It closes early on Saturday afternoon and is closed on Sundays and most public holidays.
- Friday and Saturday mornings are the liveliest, when farmers from around the island come to sell.
- Go early, before the cruise passengers arrive, and before the fish hall is cleaned at midday.
- On 23 December the market and the streets around it hold the Noite do Mercado, the market night. See Christmas in Madeira.
What you will see
- Flower sellers at the entrance, some in traditional costume, with strelitzias, orchids and proteas.
- The fruit and vegetable halls, with tropical fruit grown on the island: custard apples (anonas), many kinds of passion fruit, bananas, avocados, mangoes, papayas, tamarillos (tomate inglês), and the long green fruta delícia.
- The fish hall at the back, where you can see the black scabbard fish (espada), a deep-sea fish with huge eyes and teeth that is a Madeiran speciality, along with tuna and other catches.
- Small shops around the upper gallery selling wicker, embroidery, spices, honey cake and wine.
The tasting trap
Some fruit stalls offer generous tastings of exotic fruit, then sell you a bag at a very high price per kilo. It is not illegal, but it can be a shock.
- Ask the price per kilo before tasting or buying.
- Watch the bag being weighed and agree the total before paying.
- Buy from stalls that show prices clearly.
- Exotic passion fruit varieties are nice to try, but a few pieces are enough.
What to buy
- Fruit to eat during your stay
- Bolo de mel, the dark honey cake that keeps for months
- Dried flowers, bulbs and seeds that are allowed for export
- Wicker and embroidery from the upstairs shops
Nearby
The old town is right next door, with cafés for breakfast after your visit, and the cable car to Monte starts a few minutes away. See things to do in Funchal.