Top 5 Funchal Tickets & Passes: Your Guide to the Best Activities
Funchal, that sparkling jewel of Madeira, beckons, you know? It’s got that warm, inviting vibe with just tons of things to experience. Like, it’s practically overflowing with cool sights, amazing food, and plenty of history to check out, that, in some respects, can become a challenge to pick just the right activities. So, to help you, you know, make the most of your trip, we’ve, pretty much, put together a guide to the top 5 tickets and passes you might want to think about snagging.
1. Madeira Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
Getting around Funchal, it tends to be, quite easy with the hop-on hop-off bus, like. So, that way you, kind of, get a convenient and informative way to check out the city’s best bits. Plus, with that ticket, typically, you’re, virtually, given the flexibility to hop off at any stop, to have a peek at sights. You can check out the Sé Catedral, for example. It’s pretty amazing with, like, that outstanding architecture. The bus tours, still, offer pre-recorded commentary, so you can learn something more.
It stops near a number of spots you might fancy, apparently, similar to the bustling Mercado dos Lavradores, that is bursting with fresh produce and local crafts. Or very near the Madeira Wine Lodge. And that stop means it’s really perfect for wine lovers, actually. So, this kind of pass might give that introduction to Funchal. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour)
Read our full review: Funchal Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour Full Review and Details
2. Cable Car to Monte & Tropical Garden Entry
For that stunning view, too it’s almost unbeatable, arguably, the Funchal Cable Car to Monte is, sort of, what you’re searching. And when you rise to the top, you might, too it’s almost, have access to Monte Palace Tropical Garden, which could be brimming with, such, flowers, art, and exotic plants. It can also be worth spending an afternoon wondering. Plus there are often peacocks!
You know, going up in that cable car can, sort of, provide you with some gorgeous, bird’s-eye views of Funchal Bay, just before getting to the awesome beauty of Monte, usually. I’d suggest you set aside, too it’s almost, an hour or two wandering the gardens because, for instance, they’re quite huge, arguably. This can give you some great photo ops and an actual feeling of getting some inner peace. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Cable Car to Monte)
Read our full review: Cable Car to Monte Full Review and Details
3. Dolphin & Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise
Get set for an unbelievable experience. It’s almost certain that your catamaran cruise, pretty much, might be quite the experience on the Atlantic to search for whales and dolphins, right? It is that Madeira’s coast is often visited, arguably, by many species, like, making each journey possibly a new and quite unique experience. This will very much get your mind blown and it can make for some pretty awesome photos too.
In some respects these tours often feature marine biologists on board, so they can maybe share knowledge of marine life. Or you get just enough to remember it for water-cooler chatter. Some also allow some opportunities to swim or snorkel, which could be cool for the adventurous types. This tour, arguably, would be really fantastic if you love animals or water. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Dolphin & Whale Watching Cruise)
Read our full review: Dolphin & Whale Watching Catamaran Cruise Full Review and Details
4. Levada Walk Experience
A levada walk just screams “classic Madeira.” What? Well these walking trails kind of hug those narrow irrigation channels (called “levadas”), typically. You may have gorgeous scenery plus a close-up with nature! This option isn’t just another tourist jaunt; often, it gets into, say, the soul of what this island is, pretty much, about.
There are many hikes from easy jaunts, nearly, that are flat to demanding paths for those who might have two hiking poles and are feeling that rugged type challenge, usually. Whichever you might be into it might just give those perfect selfie and landscapes pics you might treasure a lot later on, just. If you can picture this now it’s, sort of, your nature connection option. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Levada Walk)
Read our full review: Levada Walk Experience Full Review and Details
5. Santana & East Madeira Day Tour
To venture away from the city center, then the Santana & East Madeira day tour just might do it. This is more of a broader stroke of what Madeira offers beyond Funchal. It could cover picturesque destinations, for instance, the iconic triangular houses found over at Santana.
But really, as I was saying, these tours include, pretty much, stopovers at spots such as viewpoints with mind blowing scenery and old, historic villages, that, could be interesting, actually. Or little towns that make great photographs. They’ll even bring you, usually, to sites, like, the Ponta de São Lourenço, just bursting with stark volcanic landscapes, just. If, in fact, you might want to understand more outside Funchal and discover all the things beyond it, arguably, then grab this trip. See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Santana & East Madeira Tour)
Read our full review: Santana & East Madeira Day Tour Full Review and Details
Essential Tips for Funchal
Here’s, you know, some stuff that you might have in mind if you visit the capital.
- Getting Around: So, there are taxis there, and local buses and they run very frequently. Just a heads-up you may get a lot of those old school buses so public transport can have some cool and local-feeling, you know?
- Best Times to Visit: May and September, generally, give comfortable weather, and fewer of the throngs.
- Local Eats: Espetada is the local steak and Bolo do Caco. Try some poncha or something different while there as it really gives the location a ton of personality.
- Walking: Funchal is definitely walkable so make you carry those shoes along when you head on out. Also it’s built on a slope that, to me, I’m guessing is there to make you fit so there are some good steps and exercise spots around
