Funchal is the capital of Madeira and its main port. The city lies at the foot of volcanic mountains rising in the central part of the island. It is an important tourist and holiday resort with beaches nearby and beautiful tropical gardens on the surrounding hills.
Funchal was founded at the end of the 15th century, after the discovery of Madeira by the Portuguese. From this period comes the local cathedral built using volcanic rocks from the inside of the island. The fortress of St. George towers over the Old Town. John the Baptist, in which the Museum of Contemporary Art operates today. It is also an excellent vantage point to the entire area. Below, near the cathedral, there is a tangle of narrow streets with colorful tenements, where numerous restaurants, cafes and bars are currently operating.
One of the attractions of Funchal is the Monte district on the outskirts of the city, which in the past was a separate village. In the past it was inhabited by European aristocrats who had their holiday homes here. The last months of his life were spent here, among others, by the last emperor of Austria, Karol I Habsburg. Today it is a district of eighteenth and nineteenth century villas and magnificent gardens, the most important of which is the Tropical Garden and the Botanical Garden. You can get to Monte by car or by cable car, which offers great views of the city.
