Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Madeira is a lush Portuguese island in the Atlantic, roughly a thousand kilometres southwest of Lisbon and closer to Africa than to Europe, and its capital Funchal is the natural base for a visit. Built in a great amphitheatre of hills around a sheltered harbour, Funchal rises from a seafront promenade through…
Nejlepší čas k návštěvě
Ride the local bus or drive up to Pico dos Barcelos or, higher still, the Eira do Serrado viewpoint for sweeping views over Funchal and the hidden village of Curral das Freiras in its crater-like valley.
Personalizované tipy podle vašich zájmů a toho, co je poblíž.
Pamětihodnosti a zážitky, které si zaslouží váš čas — s férovými cenami.
A scenic cable car climbs from the seafront over Funchal's rooftops and gardens to the hillside village of Monte in about 15 minutes, with wide views over the bay. Buy a one-way ticket if you plan to toboggan back down, or a return if you want the ride both ways. Combination tickets with the separate Botanical Garden cable car are available.
A Madeiran tradition since the 19th century: two carreiros in white with straw hats push and steer a wicker sledge on wooden runners down the steep streets from Monte toward Funchal. It is a fun, touristy few minutes ending in the suburb of Livramento, not back in the centre, so plan your onward transport. Agree the price at the top and beware overpriced taxis waiting at the bottom.
A lavish hillside garden in Monte with terraces, koi ponds, tiled panels, oriental touches and a large collection of plants, minerals and contemporary sculpture. Easily combined with the cable car and a stroll around Monte's church. Allow a couple of hours to wander the paths and viewpoints.
The Jardim Botanico da Madeira spreads over a hillside east of the centre with over 2,000 plant species, geometric flower beds and sweeping views over Funchal harbour. Reachable by bus, taxi or its own cable car up from Monte. A relaxed, colourful half-day, best in the cooler morning.
The must-try local dishes, sweets and fruits — including the exotic ones you won't find back home.
DishGerda Arendt / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)Chunks of beef rubbed with garlic, salt and bay, threaded onto a laurel-wood skewer and grilled over embers, traditionally served hanging from a stand over the table so the juices drip onto bolo do caco below. It is Madeira's signature celebration dish and the centrepiece of many island grill houses.
Order it with bolo do caco and a glass of local red or a Coral beer; a rural churrascaria inland does it better and cheaper than a seafront tourist spot.
DishKostia / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)A round, soft flatbread made with wheat flour and sweet potato and baked on a hot basalt stone (the caco that gives it its name), then split and slathered with garlic and parsley butter. Despite 'bolo' meaning cake, it is bread, and it turns up alongside almost every Madeiran meal.
Have it hot with garlic butter as a snack from a street stall, or as the base for espetada juices at dinner.
DishBex Walton / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)The black scabbard fish (peixe-espada preto) is a long, eel-like deep-sea fish caught off Madeira and rarely found elsewhere, served as tender boneless fillets, often fried and paired with sweet fried local banana and sometimes a passion-fruit sauce. The sweet-and-savoury combination is a true island signature.
Try it at a proper restaurant rather than a snack bar; the banana pairing sounds odd but is the classic Madeiran way to eat it.
DrinkMitsjol / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Madeira's emblematic drink, made from sugar-cane rum (aguardente de cana), honey and lemon or orange juice, whipped together fresh with a wooden stick called a caralhinho. Poncha da pescador (fisherman's poncha) with lemon is the classic; regional versions add orange or passion fruit.
It is much stronger than it tastes, so go slowly; the poncha bars of Camara de Lobos and the old town are the places to try it properly.
DrinkGerritR / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)The island's world-famous fortified wine, heated and aged in a way that gives it a distinctive caramelised, long-lasting character, ranging from dry Sercial served as an aperitif to sweet Malmsey enjoyed after a meal. It has been made here for centuries and once toasted the American Declaration of Independence.
Visit a cellar such as Blandy's in central Funchal for a tasting flight across the styles, then buy a bottle that keeps for a long time once opened.
A dark, dense spiced cake made with sugar-cane molasses (traditionally called honey), nuts, candied fruit and warm spices, made especially around Christmas but sold year-round. By custom it is broken by hand rather than cut with a knife, and it keeps for a long time, making it a popular edible souvenir.
Pick up a boxed one from an old Funchal bakery to take home; it travels well and pairs beautifully with a glass of Madeira wine.
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Co platí místní — ověřte si nabídku, než zaplatíte hotovostí.
Zeptejte se na členskou nebo pouze-appovou sazbu — často je skrytá před veřejnou cenou.
Jak to funguje: A driver may quote a high flat fare from the airport rather than using the meter, or add vague extra charges, especially late at night or when they sense you do not know the going rate.
Jak se mu vyhnout: Use the official taxi rank, agree the fare or ask for the meter before setting off, and know the rough price into Funchal in advance. The Aerobus shuttle or a ride-hailing app avoids the negotiation altogether.
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Skutečné sazby, ne turistické ceny.
The SAM Aerobus links the airport with central Funchal in around half an hour, running roughly hourly through the day. A cheap, comfortable option with luggage space, though it stops running in the evening, so check times for late arrivals.
Regular SAM public buses also serve the airport for even less than the Aerobus, but they stop frequently and take longer. A good budget choice in daylight if you are travelling light and not in a hurry.
Taxis wait outside arrivals and reach central Funchal in about 25 minutes, with a small extra charge per bag. Convenient with luggage or on late flights; agree the fare or confirm the meter first, or compare with a ride-hailing app.
The orange Horarios do Funchal buses cover the city and nearby coast cheaply. Handy for the botanical garden, seafront and outer neighbourhoods, though Funchal's steep hills still mean plenty of walking uphill from the stops.
Yellow taxis are plentiful, and the Bolt ride-hailing app works well in Funchal, fixing the fare in advance and removing any argument over price. Both are the easiest way to reach hillside districts and trailheads without a car.
The seafront promenade, old town and market are flat and pleasant on foot, but much of Funchal climbs steeply uphill. Comfortable shoes help, and a taxi or the cable car saves your legs for the higher districts and gardens.
Madeira is mild all year, but spring (April to June) and early autumn (September and October) offer the most reliable sunshine, comfortable warmth and green, flowering hillsides for walking. Summer is warm and busy without being extreme thanks to the ocean, while winter is cool, greener and wetter with more cloud on the peaks, though Funchal's seafront stays gentle and its New Year fireworks are world famous.
Two to three days cover Funchal itself, the cable car and Monte, the market and old town, and a cliff or viewpoint. Add several more if you want to walk the levadas, tour the north coast and mountains, or make day trips around the island, for which a rental car or tours help a lot.
The Aerobus (SAM) shuttle is the cheapest comfortable option into central Funchal, running roughly hourly by day. Ordinary SAM public buses cost even less but are slower, while taxis and the Bolt app are quicker and better with luggage or late at night.
Yes. Funchal offers gardens, the cable car, the market, wine cellars, a seafront promenade and boat trips, and there are easy, flat levada and coastal walks. The dramatic mountain trails are optional, so you can enjoy the island at a gentle pace without serious hiking.
Madeira is very safe, with little serious crime against visitors and friendly locals. The main things to watch are honest taxi fares, especially after the Monte toboggan, pushy fruit sellers in the market, and natural hazards on trails and rocky coasts rather than any threat from people.
Madeira is part of Portugal and uses the euro, and cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops. Carry some cash for small bars, the market, buses and the toboggan, and always choose to pay in euros rather than your home currency to avoid a poor conversion rate.