The capital of the archipelago is on Madeira's south coast, in a beautiful bay washed by the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean and surrounded by tall, green mountains and deep valleys.
Funchal was made a city on 21 August 1508 by Royal Charter issued by King Manuel I. It is the most important business, tourist and cultural in the Madeira Archipelago.
Its name comes from a sweet-smelling wild herb called Foeniculum vulgare, more commonly known as fennel, which was abundant there when the first settlers arrived.
Funchal is the largest municipality in the region and has 10 parishes.
The city of Funchal has plenty of leisure activities to offer. You can visit its magnificent gardens, wander through its picturesque streets and squares with Portuguese cobblestone pavements or simply stop and relax at one of the pavement cafés in the city centre.
Funchal's museums and historical buildings are also well worth a visit and there are art galleries with works by national and international artists.
The sea breeze around the city's bay invites you to come and call at Funchal Marina, full of vessels from all over the world.
