landmark
Funchal Old Town
Madeira's lively capital quarter of painted doors, cable-car, market and seafront promenade.
3 km · about 5 min drive
EuropePortugalMadeira
Funchal
Madeira, Portugal · Europe
About Funchal
Funchal works well as a base: 5 minutes from Santa Maria Maior, 13km from Levada Walks.
Funchal is in Madeira, Portugal, with about 110,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Santa Maria Maior, about 4 km away.
Funchal (Portuguese pronunciation: [fũˈʃal] ), officially City of Funchal (Portuguese: Cidade do Funchal), is the capital, largest city and a municipality in Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 105,795, making it the sixth largest city in Portugal.Read more
Because of its high cultural and historical value, Funchal is one of Portugal's main tourist attractions; it is also popular as a destination for New Year's Eve, and it is the leading Portuguese port on cruise liner dockings.
Where to Stay in Funchal
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Funchal.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Funchal.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Funchal?
Within an hour or so of Funchal: Funchal Old Town (3 km), Pico do Arieiro (8 km), Cabo Girao (8 km), Levada Walks (13 km).
Are there any good drives near Funchal?
The nearest famous roads are ER-101 and ER-105 Madeira mountain roads.
Where is Funchal?
Funchal is in Madeira, Portugal, about 4 km from Santa Maria Maior.
Road trip
Drive to Funchal
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Funchal. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 105,795
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Portugal
- Region
- Madeira
- Timezone
- Atlantic/Madeira
- Coordinates
- 32.6657, -16.9255
Tags
Worth the detour from Funchal
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
scenic viewpoint
Pico do Arieiro
Madeira's third-highest peak at 1,818 meters, offering a surreal above-the-clouds sunrise experience and a thrilling ridge walk to Pico Ruivo.
8 km · about 15 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Cabo Girao
One of the highest sea cliffs in Europe at 580 meters, with a glass-floored skywalk platform offering vertiginous ocean views.
8 km · about 15 min drive
natural wonder
Levada Walks
A unique network of irrigation channel paths winding through Madeira's laurel forests, offering spectacular walking through lush endemic vegetation.
13 km · about 25 min drive
famous road
ER-101 and ER-105 Madeira mountain roads
Madeira's old cliff and mountain roads with tunnels, tight hairpins and drops to the Atlantic; the Encumeada pass links north and south.
14 km · about 25 min drive
waterfall
25 Fontes
A levada hike ending at a green pool fed by dozens of cascading springs deep in Madeira's forest.
21 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Ponta de São Lourenço
Madeira's arid eastern tip, a hiking trail along ochre volcanic cliffs surrounded by deep blue sea.
23 km · about 25 min drive
beach
Seixal
A north-coast village with a black-sand beach and waterfalls tumbling onto the coastal road.
24 km · about 30 min drive
Driving roads near Funchal
- Right herePico do ArieiroMadeira's third-highest peak at 1,818 meters, offering a surreal above-the-clouds sunrise experience and a thrilling ridge walk to Pico Ruivo.
- Right hereCabo GiraoOne of the highest sea cliffs in Europe at 580 meters, with a glass-floored skywalk platform offering vertiginous ocean views.
- Right hereER-101 and ER-105 Madeira mountain roadsMadeira's old cliff and mountain roads with tunnels, tight hairpins and drops to the Atlantic; the Encumeada pass links north and south.
- 23 kmPonta de São LourençoMadeira's arid eastern tip, a hiking trail along ochre volcanic cliffs surrounded by deep blue sea.
Driving in Portugal
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.78/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€9.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Funchal.
Plan a trip around Funchal
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Funchal.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.