14th January 2020

We arrived in Funchal, the largest city and capital of Portugal’s Autonomous Region of Madeira, during breakfast. As the Magellan slowly made its way to a secure berth alongside the Aida, the twinkling lights of little settlements dotted along the coast slid by enticingly in the early morning darkness. With two other cruise ships already in port, we inevitably ended up at the berth furthest from the port entrance. Isn’t it always the way? Especially when the other two ships were German! Not only do they get their towels on the sunbeds first at the hotels, but it seems they can extend the habit to securing the prime docking spots for their cruise ships as well!

By the time we had finished packing in yet more calories, dawn had broken, and we could see that the sun had got his hat on, hip-hip hooray! In contrast, as usual, the mountaintops behind Funchal remained shrouded in dark clouds, a phenomenon known as the Helmet of Funchal.

Eager to disembark, we hurried to grab seats on the first shuttle bus into town, only to realise, too late, that neither of us had brought a wallet or purse! Forced to retrace our steps back to the cabin to secure some purchasing power, we eventually made it onto the second shuttle of the day and enjoyed a swift 10-minute ride into the city centre.

Having visited Funchal before, we had already earmarked it as a place worthy of a longer holiday; it had left that much of an impression on us. But today, disappointingly, we had just five hours to discover new and exciting things. And we’d already squandered half an hour of that precious time!

Our first stop was the small City Museum, where recent archaeological digs within the city had uncovered a fascinating array of artefacts. Some of the exhibits were rather eccentric. Sue, for example, was captivated by a small display of 300-year-old peach stones. I, however, struggled to see their significance in the grand scheme of things and was far more intrigued by the fact that Madeira’s earliest settlers had set fire to the island’s vast forest (Madeira means ‘timber’) to clear land for farming. The fires burned out of control for seven years! It certainly puts the deforestation of the Brazilian rainforest into perspective, something we could soon be experiencing first-hand on our upcoming jaunt to Brazil.

Next, we headed to the striking yellow-painted fort on the edge of the Old Town. The entrance was a mere three euros, but despite having retrieved our money sacks, they were, in fact, empty, save for a few thin slabs of plastic that could swiftly remedy the situation. Twenty minutes later, after a visit to a nearby ATM, we were brimming with both excitement and cash, paid our fee, and led yet another successful British invasion of this foreign outpost, our first since Charles II married Catherine de Braganza in 1662 and British troops occupied Madeira to protect it from Napoleon!

Inside the fort, a small display of photographs offers a glimpse into its history, but there are no armaments or relics to examine, and even access to the tiny gaol was off-limits. However, the views over the small bay and town are impressive, making the €3 entry fee well worth it.

Our next exploration took us into the streets surrounding the fort, where the doors of many houses became our focus. These weren’t just ordinary doors; many had been transformed into canvases for vibrant artwork. In the past, the Old Town had fallen into disrepair and gained a reputation as a dangerous area. In an effort to revitalise it, the neighbourhood was cleaned up, and as part of the transformation, residents painted murals on their doors to attract visitors. Judging by the number of people, ourselves included, drawn there to see them, it seems to have worked!

Next on our agenda was a ride on the cable car to the top of the mountain, or at least halfway up! We had taken this journey before, but only after ticking off the must-do tourist activity of tobogganing down the upper streets of Funchal.

This time, rather than just heading downhill, we would first ascend before making our way back down. Thrilling, isn’t it?

At the top, we took a leisurely stroll through the pretty gardens surrounding the large hotel perched on the slopes. Now, beneath the Funchal Helmet, the temperature had dropped, and the occasional spit of rain reminded us just how changeable the mountain weather could be.

Descending once more to the sunnier and much warmer sea level, we made our way to Blandy’s, renowned for its Madeira wine. Having visited before, we didn’t feel the need for another guided tour covering the history of winemaking. This time, our mission was simple: to purchase a bottle of their famous product. After a brief wine tasting to determine our preferred variety, we did just that.

A bus ride back to our floating restaurant, the Magellan, followed. Sadly, at 3 pm, we steamed away.

One day, we will return for a longer stay. Funchal deserves more of our attention, as it has so much more to offer. Until then, several glasses of its finest will no doubt help to dull the pain!