Things to do in FunchalMonte, the old town, the market, wine lodges and what works with kids

Prices and hours checked on 9 October 2026 on the operators’ own pages. They change; check before you go.

Funchal fills two or three days without a car. The short version: go up to Monte by cable car, see a garden, come down by toboggan, then spend the rest in the flat part of town, which holds the market, the old town, the cathedral and the wine lodges within a short walk. With children, swap the toboggan for the Lido pools or a playground if the budget is tight; the toboggan costs €30–60 per ride [2].

Monte: cable car, gardens and the toboggan

Cable car to Monte. From the old town (Zona Velha) to Monte: €16 one way, €22 return, children under 7 free, daily 8:45–17:45 [1]. It is the quickest way up and the view is half the point. See the cable car.

Monte Palace Tropical Garden. A large hillside garden with lakes, tiles and a museum, next to the upper cable car station: €18 for adults, children up to 14 free with an adult [3]. It is steep. See Monte Palace.

The toboggan (Carreiros do Monte). Wicker sledges steered by two runners down the road from Monte towards Livramento: €30 for one, €40 for two, €60 for three, tickets on the day only, Monday to Saturday 9:00–18:00 [2]. The ride ends partway down, not in the city centre. See the toboggan.

Madeira Botanical Garden. Terraced gardens with a view over the bay, run by the forestry institute: €10, ages 6–12 €3, under 6 free, daily 9:00–18:00 [4]. It has its own cable car from Monte. See the Botanical Garden.

The flat part of town

Mercado dos Lavradores. Funchal’s covered farmers’ market for fruit, flowers and fish; mornings are best, closed on Sundays [5]. See the market.

The old town and the painted doors. The Zona Velha is where Funchal began. Since the Painted Doors project, artists have decorated the doors and façades along its cobbled streets, above all Rua de Santa Maria, “turning this area into an alfresco art gallery” in Visit Madeira’s words [6]. The street also has old shops, the 15th-century Corpo Santo chapel and, at its end, the Socorro church and a small viewpoint [6]. The Fortress of São Tiago, from the early 17th century, stands above the old town’s seafront [8]. The Madeira Story Centre, a museum of the island’s history, is in the same area [15]; we did not check its prices or hours.

The cathedral (Sé). Built from 1493, a National Monument since 1910, with a carved cedar ceiling and a gilded altarpiece [7]. Visit Madeira lists it open Monday to Friday 07:15–18:30, Saturday 08:00–12:00 and 16:00–19:00, Sunday 07:15–12:00 and 16:00–19:00 [7]; these are church hours, so expect services.

Convent of Santa Clara. A late 15th-century convent with 17th-century tiles and a Gothic cloister, open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00–12:30 and 14:00–17:00 [9]. Ticket price not checked.

A Madeira wine lodge. Blandy’s Wine Lodge on Avenida Arriaga runs guided tours every day: the Lodge Tour (30 minutes, two tastings) costs €17 and runs in English only on weekdays at 12:30; the Premium Tour (45 minutes, three tastings and the family museum) costs €23 and runs in English several times a day, Monday to Sunday [10]. Blandy’s says booking ahead is recommended [10]. We did not compare other lodges.

Swimming in Funchal

Funchal has no long sandy beach in the centre. Its answer is the bathing complexes: the Lido has two saltwater pools, one for children, and is open all year [12]; the 2026 tariff for the municipal complexes is €6, ages 7–17 €2, 6 and under free [11]. Praia Formosa, west of the hotel zone, is Madeira’s largest public beach, about 2 km of pebbles and black sand [13]. See the Lido and Praia Formosa, and for the sea temperature month by month, Madeira weather by month. Beyond Funchal: best beaches in Madeira.

Funchal with kids

What we would shortlist for children, on the operators’ own terms:

Activity	Price for children (2026)	Note
Cable car to Monte	Under 7 free; adult €16 / €22 [1]	Easiest way up with small children
Monte Palace garden	Up to 14 free with an adult [3]	Steep paths
Lido pools	6 and under free, 7–17 €2 [11]	Children’s pool, open all year [12]
Botanical Garden	Under 6 free, 6–12 €3 [4]	Terraces and steps
Parque de Santa Catarina	Free	Lawn, lake and playground above the marina
Quinta Magnólia	Free	Local park with a playground
Blandy’s wine lodge	Tour price per person [10]	Blandy’s says its tours suit visitors with children [10]
Toboggan	€30–60 per sledge, not per person [2]	Ask the operator about a minimum age; we found none published

Boat trips from Funchal’s marina are the other family half-day. Three of the 2026 Blue Flag eco-tourism boats operate from Funchal [16]; we did not check prices or minimum ages. For the whole island with children, see Madeira with kids.

Half a day out: Cabo Girão

West of Funchal in Câmara de Lobos, Cabo Girão is a cliff viewpoint 580 m above the sea with a suspended glass platform [14]. Access is paid through the regional SIMplifica portal: €5 for visitors over 12, children 12 and under free [14][17]. An older line on Visit Madeira’s page still mentions €2; the SIMplifica ticket page lists €5 [17], so treat €5 as current and check before you go. Visit Madeira lists it open daily 08:00–20:00 [14].

For walks in the hills above the city, see Madeira levada walks; for getting around without a car, Madeira without a car. In December: the lights, the market and the fireworks in Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Madeira; the rest of the island by area in things to do in Madeira, and day by day in the Madeira itinerary.

Sources

Numbered references match the source list on this page. All read on 9 October 2026.

1. Madeira Cable Car
2. Carreiros do Monte
3. Monte Palace Madeira: visit
4. IFCN: Jardim Botânico da Madeira, visitor information
5. Funchal markets
6. Visit Madeira: Funchal Downtown
7. Visit Madeira: Funchal Cathedral
8. Visit Madeira: Fortress of São Tiago
9. Visit Madeira: Convent of Santa Clara
10. Blandy’s Wine Lodge: tours
11. Frente MarFunchal: Tarifário 2026
12. Visit Madeira: Lido bathing complex
13. Visit Madeira: Formosa Beach
14. Visit Madeira: Cabo Girão
15. Madeira Story Centre
16. ABAE: Bandeira Azul 2026, regional lists (PDF)
17. SIMplifica: Cabo Girão tickets, read 10 October 2026