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Funchal Essentials Tour

Duration: 2h and 30min
Languages: English
Registered on March 06, 2020

Hello Travellers! I'm Lisa, born and raised in Madeira and the founder of the Free Walking Tours in Funchal. I desired to be a guide since I was a teenager and finally achieved my goal in 2016, when I became a local mountain guide. In early 2018, some hikers, challenged me to guide Free Tours in Funchal. I was not familiar with the concept, but learned about it and fell in love with the Free Tours! I'm very to be able to share my home island with our visitors ! In Summer 2022, Romeu joined this project and is know sharing his passion for Funchal with our travellers. Romeu is a teacher, a musician, a traveller and a very enthusiastic guide! Join our tours!!

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  • Free booking and cancellation
    Free payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free

Tour description

Funchal is the Capital of the Archipelago of Madeira, the first place the Portuguese settled overseas in the 15th, in the Age of Discoveries.

Soon, Funchal became a very important harbor in the Atlantic, as many ships stopped over to get supplies.
It was in Madeira that the sugar mass production started. Madeira supplied sugar to Europe in the 15th, 16th and part of the 17th Century.
The sugar trades brought wealth to the Island, which attracted many foreigners. Some just passing by, a lot of them settling here.

Christopher Colombus was in Madeira for the first time in 1478 due to a sugar trade and then lived a few years on the Archipelago, as he married a local lady.

With the decline of the sugar trades in Madeira, the Wine industry took over.
The fortified Madeira Wine is known worldwide.

Religion has always played a big role on the Islanders life and there are many curious stories surrounding some old Convents and Monasteries, which we will happily share with you.

On this tour, we will show you some of the main touristic sites and will also take you to some less known areas of the city, that are as beautiful and interesting.

We will recommend some local shops, tell you about touristic traps you should avoid and do our best to provide you a great experience and help you make the most out of your vacations!

There is a coffee break more or less half way through the tour.

We do not go to the Old Town on this tour.

There are some up and downhills during this tour. There is an uphill that might be demanding for sond walkers. Please bring comfortable footwear and water.

This tour is not suitable for wheelchairs or baby strollers.


We look forward to having you on our tours!

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Highlights

What will we visit on this tour?

  • Meeting point:
    Av. Calouste Gulbenkian 1629, 9000-05...
    Av. Calouste Gulbenkian 1629, 9000-052 Funchal, Portugal
    View on map

    Yellow umbrella, with the company's logo The meeting point is inside Parque Santa Catarina, in front of the chapel. If there's a stage, the chapel is behind the stage.

  • 1
    Outside visit
    Capela de Santa Catarina/ chapel of Santa Catarina
  • 2
    Outside visit
    Rotunda do Infante
  • 3
    Outside visit
    Jardim Municipal do Funchal
  • 4
    Outside visit
    Golden Gate Grand Café
  • 5
    Outside visit
    Sé Catedral do Funchal
  • 6
    Outside visit
    Praça do Municipio
  • 7
    Outside visit
    Museu da Quinta das Cruzes
  • 8
    Outside visit
    Holy Trinity Church

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).

Tour opinions

272 ratings
4.8
By category
Professionalism
4.81
Fun
4.34
Expression
4.61
Quality
4.78
Route
4.63
Generic
5 stars
225
4 stars
35
3 stars
9
2 stars
2
1 star
1
Linda 16 Apr 2024
Toronto

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - Apr 2024
Of all the walking tours we’ve done this was the only one we regretted. My husband had difficulty keeping up with walking sticks - lots of climbing up and down and left in the middle of nowhere to get back on our own.
Abigail 13 Apr 2024
Sheffield

Verified booking
Travelled in family - Apr 2024
We enjoyed the tour with Lisa who took us in different corners around the city. The tour is at a good pace also for kids and we had our little one in a baby carrier. Lisa engaged the group and was knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions. She gave great tips for time on our own around the town too.
David 11 Apr 2024
Yeovil

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - Apr 2024
Excellent guide who was extremely knowledgable and had a pleasant manner
Andrea 07 Apr 2024
Stuttgart

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - Apr 2024
Great tour, small group, great tour guide with a lot of helpful tips and superb intel of the local businesses
Christoph 02 Apr 2024
Alicante

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - Apr 2024
Very nice tour of Funchal combining historical information and nice stops with a pleasant rhythm to the afternoon!
Show 272 reviews

Who is this tour for?

Accessibility
Non suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Does not accept large group reservations.
Pets
Suitable for carrying pets.

What should you know?

Minimum of attendees
A minimum of 5 people is required for the tour.
Additional costs:
The tour does not require the payment of entrance fees or additional expenses.
Free cancellation
If you will not be able to attend the tour, please cancel your booking, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
Payment methods
Only cash payment is accepted.
When do you want to go?
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