Funchal City Tour Extended: Unveiling the Beauty of Madeira!
Itinerary: Fortaleza de São João Batista do Pico, Museu da Quinta das Cruzes, Banco de Portugal, Catedral da Sé, Praça da Autonomia, Mercado dos Lavradores, Zona Velha do Funchal, Fortaleza de São Tiago, Complexo Balnear da Barreirinha, Miradouro do Pináculo.
DURATION | 1h30 | |||||
SCHEDULE | Monday to Friday: 09:00 – 17:00 Saturday: 09:00 – 17:00 Sunday: 09:00 – 17:00 |
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INCLUDED |
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MEETING AND PICKUP |
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Step into the vibrant heart of Madeira’s capital with a captivating Funchal City Tour. This enchanting journey through Funchal’s bustling streets, historic sites, and coastal view offers an immersive experience of the island’s culture, history, and natural beauty.
Additional information
Duration | 1h30m |
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Attractions | 10 Attractions |
Fortress of São João Batista do Pico
The journey commences at Pico’s Fortress, named for its adjacency to Ribeira São João and its establishment atop Pico dos Frias in the early 17th century.
Notably, despite its inception occurring in the initial decades of the 1600s, the construction of the fortress was intended as a defense mechanism safeguarding Funchal city from pirates, French corsairs, and Argelian moors. It concurrently served as a pivotal gateway to the battlements overlooking Ribeira de São João.
Subsequently, the fort underwent a transformation into the Radio Telegraphic Station of Funchal, thus becoming the Naval Radio Telegraphic Station of Funchal.
Situated in São Pedro, Funchal, the structure is recognized as the Saint John Baptist Fort, commonly referred to as the Pico Fortress.
A fascinating detail lies in the local nomenclature shift to “Pico Rádio” due to the proliferation of numerous antennas raised atop it. In recent years, the fort has undergone rehabilitation and restoration endeavors, morphing it into a versatile venue suited for conferences, concerts, and housing a cafeteria boasting panoramic views of Funchal’s bay.
Quinta das Cruzes Museum
Following a little stop at at Pico’s Fortress, our route will then lead us to Quinta das Cruzes. Housed within this museum are an array of Portuguese and international furnishings, intriguing antiques, ceramics, and sculptures reflecting Madeira’s heritage.
With a heritage deeply intertwined with the initial captains-donors’ family, this estate boasts an extensive historical legacy within Funchal. It was within this vicinity that they chose to establish their secondary abode.