Downtown Funchal: A Tour Through the Old City

(88 reviews)

Funchal audio tour: Downtown Funchal: A Tour Through the Old City

This is a 2.3mi walking tour

It takes an average of 120 mins to complete.

Funchal

Portugal

$11.99

Access all 57 locations offline with the VoiceMap app

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About the Tour

Wander along worn cobblestone roads, picturesque coastlines, and down alleyways filled with mystery on this walking tour through downtown Funchal. Along the way, you’ll see historical sites and the iconic Old Town known to locals as “Zona Velha”.

You’ll visit Madeira’s only cathedral, the city’s oldest wine cellar, the Jesuit Church in all its splendor, Fort São Tiago, and other lesser-known, but equally worth landmarks. By the end of this tour, you’ll understand what all the fuss surrounding white gold was about, and the role Madeira played in the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence.

Highlights on this tour include:

Sé Cathedral
Mercado dos Lavradores
D'Oliveiras Wine Cellar
Fort São Tiago
CR 7 Museum
The Old City Ruins

Join me on this walk through downtown Funchal and meet the movers and shakers that transformed the city.

Tour Producer

Madeira Xperience

2 tours

Enjoy an Interactive Self-Guided Audio Tour with Madeira Xperience. We offer walking tours, driving tours, and hiking tours. Simply download the app, purchase the tour, plug in your headphones, and enjoy the tour at your own pace. Do the tour with who you want, and when you want. No stressful schedules, nor big groups.

Preview Location

Location 19

D'Oliveiras Madeira Wine Cellar

Once you reach the entrance to the D'Oliveiras Wine Cellar, please pause for a moment whilst I talk to you.

D'Oliveiras headquarters in Funchal dates back to the 1600s. It produces approximately 150 000 litres of Madeira wine per year, including the famous Tinta Negra win... Read More

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How VoiceMap Works

Focus on your surroundings, not the screen

The VoiceMap app uses GPS to play audio automatically, at the right time and place, so you can focus on your surroundings, not the screen.

Follow a route with turn-by-turn-directions

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a fixed starting point. That lets us give turn-by-turn directions and use context to tell a better story.

Resume playback to go at your own pace

If you'd like to stop for a drink or go into a museum, end your tour then use the Resume feature to pick up exactly where you left off.

Listen as many times as you like

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Major Landmarks

CR7 Museum
Palácio de São Lourenço
Funchal Cathedral
Capela de São Luís de Tolosa
Sacred Art Museum of Funchal
The Church of Saint John the Evangelist of the College of Funchal:
Pereira D'Oliveira
Fábrica Santo Antonio
Rua Fernão de Ornelas
Farmers' Market
Rua de Santa Maria
Largo do Corpo Santo
Forte de São Tiago
Funchal Cable Car
Praça De Colombo
Varadouros Old Gate (City Gates)

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Praça CR7, Av. Sá Carneiro 27, São Martinho, 9004-518 Funchal, Portugal
Total distance

4km
Final location
Av. Zarco, São Martinho, 9000-000 Funchal, Portugal
Distance back to start location

494.66m

Directions to Starting Point

Your tour begins in front of the CR7 Museum situated alongside the marina next to the yacht club. There is covered paid parking available.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Along the way, you will have many an opportunity to stop for coffee or tea. If you start your tour around 11 am your timing will be just right to have lunch in downtown Zona Velha. Definite places to visit is the Sé Cathedral, the Jesuits Church, the D'Oliveiras wine cellar, and the Fort São Tiago

Best time of day

The tour is best done during the week from Monday to Friday between 9 am and 6 pm. If you want to experience the hustle and bustle of the market place, then Friday is the ideal day.

Precautions

It is recommended that you take a hat or a cap, and a bottle of water. Although you will be able to buy along the way. Make sure you use sunblock, as there will be times you will catch the direct sun.

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“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”