Discover Funchal: 5 unusual ways to experience the city

If this is your first time in Funchal and you want a good overview of the city, a classic walking tour is probably the best place to start.

The Free Tour Funchal – Historical Downtown Walking Tour takes you through the heart of the city for about 90 minutes. A local guide talks not only about the main sights, but also about the history, culture and stories behind the places you pass.

The route includes Parque de Santa Catarina, Blandy’s Wine Lodge, Palácio de São Lourenço and Funchal Cathedral. You get a first overview of the city and a bit of background you might miss on a later walk by yourself.

And why is it called a “free tour”?

There is no fixed ticket price. Instead, you decide what the tour was worth to you and tip the guide at the end. Booking ahead is recommended, because the tours depend on availability and group size.

Good to know: The tour is offered in English and Spanish and, depending on availability, usually runs in the morning or early afternoon.

Perfect for: First-time visitors, anyone interested in history, and everyone who wants to get to know Funchal on foot — without just wandering the streets.

What if sightseeing were a game?

On the Funchal Quest you get an adventure kit and set off on a route of about 3 kilometres through Funchal’s historic streets. Along the way there are nine puzzles tied to the city and its history.

It is not about getting from A to B as fast as possible. You have to look closely, combine clues, think logically and work as a team. Some of the puzzles are genuinely challenging.

What we especially like: you don’t need an app or a smartphone. Instead you get real materials, physical clues and small surprises, and you explore the city entirely offline.

You can do the adventure at your own pace — which is exactly what makes it interesting for couples, families or a group of friends.

And if you feel like a second puzzle afterwards: with Madeira Unlocked there is currently 15% off the Funchal Quest.

Perfect for: People who find a classic city tour too dull, puzzle fans, families and groups.

Funchal is not flat. Anyone who has taken a longer walk through the city knows that.

A much easier alternative is a tuk-tuk.

TukTuking offers private tours with local guides, so you can experience Funchal from a completely different perspective. Depending on the route, that might mean the historic Zona Velha, Mercado dos Lavradores, or viewpoints above the city.

Especially practical: the tours are private and, depending on the tour you choose, can include a hotel pick-up. There are short Funchal city tours and longer versions that take in Monte, the famous wicker toboggan, or the botanical garden.

The Funchal City Tour + Old Town, for example, takes about an hour and combines the old town with some of the city’s main sights and viewpoints.

It may not be the option for people who want to explore every street themselves. But if you want to see as much as possible without constantly walking uphill and downhill, a tuk-tuk is hard to beat.

Good to know: Madeira Unlocked currently offers 10% off TukTuking tours.

Perfect for: Anyone who wants to explore Funchal comfortably, families, older travellers, cruise passengers — or simply anyone who does not fancy the next 200 metres of elevation. 😉

You don’t only look at Funchal. You can taste it too.

The Madeira Walking Food Tour works a little differently from classic food tours: there is no fixed schedule and no group led by a guide from restaurant to restaurant. Instead you get a route with five chosen stops in the historic centre, and you decide when to set off and how long to stay at each one.

Along the way you try typical specialities and drinks — including coffee with a pastel de nata, small tapas and snacks, Madeira wine and, of course, poncha.

What makes it especially nice is that you are not simply walking from one sight to the next. The route also takes you to smaller, authentic places you might otherwise walk straight past.

The regular price is currently €50 per person. With Madeira Unlocked you get 10% off.

Booking is directly with the provider via WhatsApp.

Perfect for: Foodies, people who like to linger, and anyone who would rather get to know Funchal with all their senses.

And then there is this version.

Every Friday evening Funchal turns into a dance floor: on the Silent Disco Walking Tour you put on headphones and explore the city centre with the group — with music, singing, dancing and a lot of good mood.

This is explicitly not a classic historic city tour. Instead of dates and long explanations, there is a playlist, a guide and plenty of interaction. The tour lasts about 1.5 hours and is currently offered every Friday at 20:00.

The best part: this tour also works on a “pay what you want” basis. There is no fixed ticket price — at the end you decide for yourself what the experience was worth. The headphones only need a refundable cash deposit of €20, which you get back after the tour.

And yes, you will probably get a few confused looks from people quietly strolling through Funchal. That is somehow part of it.

The tour is in English and is currently not suitable for children under ten.

Perfect for: Solo travellers, groups, people out for a night, and anyone who definitely does not want to get to know Funchal the usual way.