Rua de Santa Maria is one of oldest and most colourful streets in Funchal on the Portuguese island of Madeira. Located in the old town (zona velha), this sweet cobbled street leading up to the church of Santa Maria Maior, is wide enough only for pedestrians and is lined with restaurants, cafes and the odd art gallery or two.

The narrow street, which dates back to 1430 as a thoroughfare up to the church, has recently become one of Funchal’s most popular tourist attractions after the local council came up with an ingenious initiative in an attempt to revamp the slightly run down and dilapidated area.

In 2014, when the “Art of Open Doors” project was started, the street was turned into a public art space, as local artists were invited to ‘move in’ and get to work on over two hundred of the street’s doors. The idea was to create a piece of work that invites people walking along the street into experience something deeper.

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Located in the center of Funchal, Botanical Garden is a place that comprises luscious plants as orchids, magnolias, lilies, cactus, azaleas and exotic birds including canaries, talking parrots and others. It represents a combination of harmonious shapes, contrasting colours and beautiful landscapes of the Funchal Bay and the surrounding mountains.

The Zona Velha do Funchal or the Historic Nucleus of Santa Maria is an area where you can make a trip to the beginning of the colonization of Funchal. It had been one of the first areas to be populated, since it assumed a preponderant role in the development of this city.

The wealth of heritage in this area is enormous. As its wheels, calçadas, igrejas and facades, and further architectural details leva-nos for very important historical periods.

These imóveis were a group of buildings of a certain quality, perhaps, of a merchant from Funchal. I have a small tower facing Rua de D. Carlos, with 3 floors, and 2 floors facing Rua dos Barreiros. They have doors and janelas with vermelha and cinzenta cantaria moldings, which must be the transition between the 17th and 18th centuries.

The upper floor of the tower has pillars starting from the cumieiras which could be a terrace or more than one floor.

These buildings are made up of 3 buildings, currently with separate accesses, but the interior stone arches do not indicate ancient connections to other buildings. Or to walk higher and possibly an extension of the 17th or 18th century and possui 3 rooms destined to be inhabited.

The Fortress of São Tiago do Funchal was built in the sequence of the city wall in front of the neighborhood of Santa Maria do Calhau. It is thought that the walls will pass through the chapel of the Corpo Santo and will be blocked by the piers below the church of Santiago, padroeiro do Funchal, in 1614, dating from the beginning of the fortress.[1]

Jerónimo Jorge, fortifier and master of real works in Madeira, was responsible for the construction of this fortress. This building ended at the 'cortina' da cidade (wall built for security of the city), where there is a portal that gives access to the fortress of Santiago.

The fortress was enlarged in the mid-eighteenth century, under the supervision of the engineer Francisco Tossi Columbina, sent to Funchal to build the port.

This fortress had some modifications at the beginning of the 19th century and in 1901 it was festively decorated to receive the visit of King Dom Carlos, or the first and last King of Portugal to visit the island. The fortress was kept in military quarters until 1992, when it was ceded to the Madeira Regional Government for cultural facilities and to build the Madeira Military Museum.

Avenida do Mar is Funchal’s main seaside landmark attraction. The avenue boasts an impressive number of kiosk cafés and local restaurants, all lined up overlooking the sea. There are also some other sightseeing spots worth visiting on this avenue. The harborside features light brown sand, loads of yachts and ships, with pleasant places for a comfortable sit down to watch the crashing waves.

The statue of Christopher Columbus pays tribute to the famous navigator who lived on the island of Madeira for some time. It is made of bronze and is located in Santa Catarina Park. This statue is just one of the many things that commemorate the explorer’s presence on the island. Others include, the Columbus library, the Columbus House and Columbus’s ship the Santa Maria.

Fortaleza e Palácio de São Lourenço is an historical set of buildings comprising a fortress and a palace that once served as the focal point for the military and governors of Madeira. Nowadays the Prime Minister of the Autonomous Region of Madeira uses the palace as his residence, and the fortress hosts a permanent exhibition of military items.

For most people, the toboggan run (Carros de Cesto) is the most memorable experience to be had in Monte. You’ll see the dapper-looking drivers lined up on the street beneath the church. The toboggans are basically giant wicker baskets, attached to wooden runners, which are oiled using a greasy rag. Rides end up a couple of kilometers downhill in downtown Funchal.