Funchal Old Town Walking Tour & Wine Tasting

Tile-Painted Markets and Baroque Churches: Two Hours in Old Funchal

You walk through Funchal's oldest neighborhoods with a university-trained guide, starting at the 1940s Farmers' Market with its hand-painted tiles, moving through 16th-century churches filled with baroque art, and ending with wine tasting at a traditional lodge. The whole thing takes two hours, includes your guide and escort, and you don't have to arrange transport or figure out which streets matter. The guide does that.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Old Funchal landmarks and culture

• Visit 16th century founding site
• Explore Mercado dos Lavradores market
• See urban art in Old Town streets
• Stop at Praça do Colombo
• Visit historic diocese building
• View monument of island rediscoverer
• Visit Municipal Garden and Wine Lodge
• Tour Jesuits’ College Church interiors
• Enjoy wine tasting at Loja Gaudeamus

The experience

The sound of the market hits you first: vendors calling out in Portuguese, the wet slap of fish on tile, the smell of cut flowers mixing with salt air. That's the Mercado dos Lavradores, the farmers' market that's been the heart of Funchal since 1940, and your guide will walk you straight into it. The tiles on the walls tell stories: regional scenes painted by hand, fish and fruit and flowers in blues and yellows that have faded just enough to look real. Your 2-hour tour starts here, in the smaller plazas and stairways where locals still buy what they need, and it's nothing like the sanitized market tours you've probably done elsewhere.

Your guide is a former university student or a European volunteer working through the Erasmus+ programme at the University of Madeira: part of a project that's trying to do something different with how the city tells its own story. They'll take you to Praça do Colombo, then to the 16th-century cathedral that once served as the seat of the largest diocese in the world, its stone walls still holding that weight. The Jesuit Church (the College Church of Saint John the Evangelist) is where the baroque gets serious. The interiors are packed with mannerist art pieces that make you stop and actually look, not just walk past. It's the kind of place where the guide's knowledge matters because there's too much detail to absorb on your own.

After the churches, you'll move through the Old Town streets where street art has taken over: a project called "Arte de Portas Abertas" (Open Doors Art) has turned the area into something between a gallery and a neighborhood, with work from local and foreign artists covering the walls. It's not polished or curated in the way museums are. It's alive. Then you stop at the Municipal Garden for a breath, and finish at a traditional Wine Lodge where you'll taste Madeira wine. The kind that's been aging in the island's heat for years, and tastes nothing like what you'd expect.

What’s included

Your tour includes a guide and escort, entry to the Farmers' Market, visits to the 16th-century cathedral and the Jesuit Church, a stop at the Municipal Garden, and wine tasting at a traditional Wine Lodge before the tour ends.

Options for this experience

2 options

Walking tour of Old FunchalGuide in English, French or German · 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00

SaturdayGuide in English · 10:30

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to Saturday5 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 16:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (3 to 85 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish, French and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Madeiran Heritage

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to understand how Funchal's oldest neighborhoods actually work (the market where people shop, the churches with real art inside, the streets where locals live) rather than hit the main sights in isolation. The university guide is what makes the difference. They know why these places matter to the city, not just what year they were built.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

In English, with 5 departure times. In French and German, at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the Old Funchal walking tour?

Two hours.

Who leads the tour?

A former university student or European volunteer working through the Erasmus+ programme at the University of Madeira.

What's included in the tour?

Tour escort, guide, entry to the Farmers' Market, churches, and wine tasting at a traditional Wine Lodge.

Is the tour suitable for people with limited mobility?

It's suitable for all physical fitness levels, though the Old Town has stairs and uneven streets.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the starting point?

Public transportation is available nearby. You can also arrange a taxi or use your own transport.

Is wine tasting included?

Yes, wine tasting at a traditional Wine Lodge is part of the tour.

What will I see at the Mercado dos Lavradores?

The 1940s market building with hand-painted tile panels depicting regional themes, fish and produce vendors, and smaller plazas used as sales venues.