The Capital: a perfect combination between Nature, Culture and Lifestyle
Located on a large slope facing the Atlantic and shaped like a natural amphitheatre, Funchal is Madeira’s largest tourist, commercial and cultural centre. Elevated to city status on 21 August 1508 by the royal charter of King Manuel I, the History of this archipelago's capital spans several centuries of traditions, culture and European cosmopolitanism. All without losing its connection with the exuberant Nature that surrounds it.
The town is named after a sweet-smelling wild herb, traditionally known as fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare), which was abundant here when the settlement was created. Later, several excellent regional products, such as sugar or wine (icons incorporated in the municipal coat of arms and are still Madeiran ex-libris today), proved crucial to the local economy, turning Funchal into a key trading point in the centre of the Atlantic.
The municipality, with an area of 76.15 km², comprises ten parishes: Imaculado Coração de Maria, Monte, Santa Luzia, Santa Maria Maior, Santo António, São Gonçalo, São Martinho, São Pedro, São Roque, and Sé. Throughout the territory, historical monuments, museums, leisure areas, lush gardens and viewpoints abound. Discover Funchal!
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Located in a bay bathed by the Atlantic Ocean on Madeira's south coast, Funchal is the capital and the archipelago’s tourist, cultural and commercial centre.
