Funchal
City of rare beauty, where the dwellings appear in harmony with nature, framed in a beautiful setting between the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains. In addition to the magnificent natural sites that you can visit, be sure to also visit the historical center, also known as Zona Velha. In the 60s' almost all downtown streets had traffic jams, because it is, par excellence, the population's meeting place. Currently, this problem is solved, since most of these streets are closed to traffic. Linger through its narrow streets and absorb every detail. You will find pleasant pedestrian streets and squares with various terraces and restaurants. For those who love good snacks, Funchal offers some tasty regional dishes, from which stand out the espetada de carne de vaca (beef kebab), milho frito à madeirense (snacks of fried corn flour), bife de atum (tuna steak) and sopa de trigo (wheat soup with pork meat and black-eyed peas). As it is located at the waterfront, one of its specialties could not fail to be the fresh fish. One of the best-known festivals of the region is the Madeira Carnival, at which point, the imagination and joy reign for several days and three parades take place: the school parades, the troupes parade and the so-called Carnaval Trapalhão (Bumbling Carnival). Another festivity of enormous importance, and perhaps the one that is most appealing for tourists, is the end-of-year party with its famous fireworks. It is a city, which is associated with tourism for more than a century. Funchal currently offers hotel and restaurant units for all tastes, from modern to typically Madeira units.
