Sitting on a bench by the fountains in colourful Santa Caterina Park, we asked ourselves why we love Madeira and, in particular, its capital, Funchal, so much? We’ve visited many times but keep coming back for more. After considering the question, we realised instantly that it wasn’t just one reason – there were myriad reasons we adored returning to this lush, mountainous isle, sitting 280 miles from the African coast and a tad over three hours’ flying time from the UK. All we had to do was look around for one of the reasons: the vibrant hues glowing in the warm sunshine. The city is blessed with countless parks, all brimming with beautiful exotic flowers and shrubs. Funchal sits on Madeira’s sunny south coast overlooking the Atlantic, its houses spreading up over the lower slopes of a high mountain range. The island is nicknamed the “Floating Garden of the Atlantic” thanks to the palm trees lining the streets, green spaces awash with colour and a rocky coastline fringed by, among others, ever-flowering bougainvillea and poinsettia. Throw in bags of sunshine and a favourable year-round climate – temperatures rarely dip below 18 degrees – and you see why over a million tourists visit each year.
Two must-see gardens are the Monte Palace Tropical Garden and Botanical Gardens. At the latter, steeply-terraced beds showcase virtually every type of plant grown on the island, alongside imported specimens from such places as the Azores, Cape Verde, Canary Islands and Brazil. Around 3,000 different varieties are displayed here. Created in 1960, the Botanical Gardens boast a spectacular view over not just Funchal but the craggy, tree-covered mountains and the vast Atlantic Ocean.
To reach the Monte Palace Tropical Garden, we always enjoy climbing aboard one of the cable cars whisking visitors up to Monte, a hilltop suburb, with a journey time of 15 minutes, climbing nearly 1,900 feet. The Tropical Garden’s entrance is alongside the cable car station and soon you’ll be surrounded by exotic plants from the four corners of the world. Dating back to the 18th century, this spot was owned by the British Consul General, Charles Murray, before, in 1897, it was acquired by Alfredo Rodrigues, who built a palatial house which was, later, transformed into the Monte Palace Hotel. When Rodrigues died in 1943, the hotel closed and some four decades passed before the Tropical Garden was born. Proteas, azaleas, orchids, clivia, hydrangeas et al – they’re all here, so garden lovers will be in seventh heaven!
There is always much to do and see in Funchal. I spent some afternoons and evenings strolling along the wide promenade to the heart of the city. As well as a little window shopping and admiring the many historic buildings, I wandered through the Farmers’ Market, where a profusion of succulent fresh fruit, veg and flowers produce a feast of colour. If you don’t mind the smell, go through to the fish market and see the countless species on display, including the famous, grotesque-looking black scabbard, found in ocean depths up to 3,900 feet. It’s something of a speciality here.
Whilst in this corner of Funchal, head for the Old Town. It’s best seen in the evening when the maze of cobbled streets edged by galleries, cafés and restaurants come alive. Don’t miss Rua de Santa Maria, arguably the city’s oldest street – and one of its narrowest! Here, around 200 doorways have been rejuvenated by local artists with vivid paintings – everything from mermaids to peacocks – transforming the street into a permanent art gallery. Colour, brightness and plenty of life are words which sum up the small city of Funchal.
Although we love Funchal, you can’t visit Madeira without hiring a car and exploring every corner of the island. There are too many special places for us to detail in this particular article, but we must include two or three favourite spots, such as Faja dos Padres, which has been owned by the same Madeiran family since the 1920s. It’s a cliché, I know, but we regard Faja dos Padres as an oasis of calm and tranquillity. It’s a 20-minute drive to this little spot on the south coast reachable only by boat or, once again, cable car. For us, it was the small cable car which transported us down the 820-foot cliff face. People come here to relax, swim, sunbathe or simply enjoy a drink and bite to eat in the peace and quiet. It’s the simplicity which makes this place so special.
Where to Stay
VidaMar Resort Hotel
The old proverb, a change is as good as a rest, is something we’d agree with –most of the time. But when it comes to visiting Funchal, there are some things we don’t have any desire to alter. One is accommodation. Our choice is always the five-star VidaMar Resort Hotel. Not only is it surrounded by, yes, more gardens, but its spacious bedrooms overlook the Atlantic. So many hours have we spent simply relaxing on the balcony staring out at the endless ocean – it’s a magical place. Occupying one of the best locations in the city, the Vidamar boasts, among other facilities, several outdoor and indoor pools, spa plus direct access to the sea.
So, if you’re looking to make your holiday truly one to remember, book a stay at this contemporary, stylish hotel where its adroitly designed structure sporting expansive floor-to-ceiling windows makes the most of natural light.
The hotel’s website states: “With stunning panoramic views of the Atlantic, VidaMar Madeira features a variety of services and experiences unparalleled on the island.” We couldn’t agree more. In fact, such is the affection we hold for the hotel that we never want to leave!
More Information
We flew from Bristol Airport and booked our parking via Airport Parking and Hotels (APH), a highly-respected company which, for over 40 years, has been the UK’s trusted partner for airport parking, hotels, lounges, and travel services.
As a family-owned business established in 1980, it has grown to become the country’s premier independent airport parking provider, managing more than 7,000 parking spaces and serving over 300,000 customers annually.
Date visited: October 2025
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