Highlights & Hidden Gems of Funchal in Funchal - Funchal_HHG1
4.8

Highlights & Hidden Gems of Funchal

  • 3 hours
  • City Highlight Tours
  • Funchal
User image
User image

Choose one of 4 locals available

Experience hosted by Rosario, Sherryl & other locals

  • Private Tour
  • Carbon Neutral

Want to see the best of Funchal? We got you covered. But as you can expect from a Withlocals experience, the real excitement is its hidden gems. Join your favorite local and get a feeling of the city's real vibe on a tour that has it all, so you can say: I experienced the real Funchal!

Destination
Funchal, Portugal
Category
City Highlight Tours
Duration
3 hours
Transport mode
Walking tour
Available languages
English, EspaΓ±ol, PortuguΓͺs, Italiano
Included
  • Private Guide
  • 1 Local Snack or Drink
  • All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral
Excluded
  • Tcket Cable Car(EUR 18
  • - per person)
  • Entrance to attractions

6 reasons to book this tour

  • Explore the best of the city in only 3 hours
  • Spot classics like Funchal Cathedral & Funchal cable car
  • Discover hidden gems away from the tourist paths
  • Experience the city from a local’s perspective
  • Can be 100% personalized to your wishes
  • Privately guided by a local expert

What you can expect

Highlights & Hidden Gems of Funchal in Funchal - Funchal_HHG1

Funchal, is a magical place! And with the local host of your choice, you are going to experience it all. So get ready; culture, history, and local lifestyle await!

Dive into the origin of Funchal as you see the city’s main landmarks like Funchal Cathedral, Funchal cable car, and Rua de Santa Maria. And how about the hidden gems? Oh, you’re in for a surprise! Every host has its own story to tell, so pick your favorite, and you’ll discover the city through their eyes. Experience their Funchal to the max based on their passions and expertise. They’ll make sure you have fun enjoying a unique and local perspective of Funchal.

Want to take a break? Leave it up to your host! This is the perfect opportunity to visit that special eatery where only the locals come and your chance to enjoy a local treat hand-picked by your host. Feel free to ask your host more about their life in their city or get recommendations about the top things to do in Funchal. Remember, the locals know best.

The best part of any city tour is definitely the unique stories. Everybody has a story to tell, especially your host. Each one of the local hosts has a different background ranging from arts to history. They can’t wait to share their knowledge with you and exchange ideas and perspectives! Feel like changing the route a bit? No problem, the hosts will be happy to personalize the tour to your wishes and make their Funchal, your Funchal!

Choose your local

Get to know these 4 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

  1. Meeting point

    Meet at Praça do Município, at the fountain - Funchal to start your journey

  2. Itinerary

    This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

  3. City Highlights

    See from Funchal Cathedral, Funchal cable car, Rua de Santa Maria, and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Funchal so unique
  4. Hidden Gems

    Along the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists experience
  5. Magical Storytelling

    Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know!
  6. Special Treat

    Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions
  7. Make it yours

    Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

    Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

    Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

  • Feel confident booking

    Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

  • Change of plans?

    Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

  • Loved by travelers worldwide

    Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

User image
RosemaryπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ United Kingdom
(About local )
29 October 2024
We had SHERYLL as our guide on both tours and we thought she was very good . itour experience was one of pleasant learning and interaction and was relaxed and good. We had difficulty meeting up the first time - wasting time- we were all in the same place but not recognizing each other as leader and participants - we even stood on the same step! if only she had had a badge or a particular coloured jacket or some way so that we could have identified her! this kind of thing is very difficult in a busy and for us - new place- with a different language too and is stressful. That said, we enjoyed ourselves immensely and hope this comment will help future participants- once met up- the identification can disappear. also, e mails are easier than your portal- not everyone carries their passwords around and mobiles do not aleays cooperate, THis is no reflection on Sheryll, but rather for you to consider in your prep and organisation. #Many thanks - we love Madeira and were so glad to have pre booked for these exceptional experiences.Tasters and Hidden gems
User image
rustyπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States
(About local )
14 October 2024
Sandra was a great start to our time in Funchal. She was knowledgeable and very patient with all our questions. She is a true local and it comes through during the tour. The 5 of us would recommend Sandra! Good start to our Funchal adventure
User image
BeatπŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
(About local )
6 October 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this very pleasant 3-hours walking tour with Rosario. Setting things up with her was easy, and the tour itself was informative and covered both all the touristic highlights of Funchal, and also some trails off the main streets of the capital, where you could get an 'authentic' feel of life in the city. Rosario knows a lot about the history of the island, its people and politics and was easy to talk to in English. Highly recommended!Great 3-hour Funchal walking tour!
User image
TerryπŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ Canada
(About local )
30 September 2024
Sandra was very lovely however she needs to have a well rehearsed script and able to tell the history of Madeira and Funchal and point out interesting sites. We knew more about the island and city from websites than anything we learned with Sandra. She needs more training to be a tour guide even in her own town. Funchal Tour
User image
Simone
(About local )
24 August 2024
Luana Γ¨ stata molto ospitale, ci ha spiegato nei dettagli la storia di Funchal, le tradizioni e le passioni degli abitanti di madeira. Appassionata dell'isola e di tutte le attrazioni che la contraddistinguono. Grazie per tutto e anche per i suggerimenti su dove gustare la Poncha e dove poter cenare.Alla scoperta di funchal!
User image
MarcπŸ‡±πŸ‡Ί Luxembourg
(About local )
10 June 2024
Not much to say except that the tour was exactly what we wanted and totally flexible and adapted to our needs. Luana, with her great personality and knowledge of the island, made this a very enjoyable tour and we highly recommend booking your tours with her."Thank you"
User image
RainerπŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Germany
(About local )
26 May 2024
We had a perfect tour with Rosario. She not only showed us the standard highlights of the city, but also something off the beaten path. She impressed us with a great knowledge of the history of Madeira. Her husband's sausage at the food truck was the perfect ending. Thanks for the Tour. Perfect Guide Rosario
User image
Silvana πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Germany
(About local )
4 April 2024
It was a lovely and interesting time with volha, like walking through her city with a friend and discovering little secrets and hidden beauties. The cable car ride gave us a great overview of the city. It was a pleasure to be with Volha. Absolutely recommendable! Many thanks and best regards from Silvana & Cameron Lovely walk through Funchal
User image
BobπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States
(About local )
25 November 2023
We very much enjoyed our tour with Rosario! So much information, so many fascinating facts. Funchal has so much history!! Thank you Rosario.Wonderful tour
User image
Miranda
(About local )
24 February 2025
Our tour with Luana was our first time using With Locals. Luana has great warmth and energy. The tour was was the perfect way to start our stay in Funchal. She even tried to find a specific pastry i requested. She also sent links to me after the tour for activities we mentioned an interest in doing. It was like having a friend show you their town. Great Experience!
User image
Larry
(About local )
5 January 2025
The three hour tour was informative and enjoyable. A great practical orientation and introduction to Funchal, Rosario was able convey interesting and pertinent facts about the area in a pleasant and non-showy manner. Definitely recommend. Terrific way to begin your visit
User image
MariyaπŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
(About local )
31 December 2024
Volha adjusted the route of the tour to accommodate us travelling with a baby buggy (not working great on stairs, of which there are many in Funchal!) and showed some lesser known corners of the city. She is very relaxed and easy going, it was interesting to explore her adopted hometown together. Thanks to a chance encounter with a friend of hers we also found out about Oscar Niyemeyer's buildings in Funchal and visited them as well.A nice stroll through Funchal
User image
DellaπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ United Kingdom
(About local )
26 November 2024
Sandra was informative, easy to talk to and the food tour was really interesting. I tried food I hadn't eaten before. I found it to be on the expensive side, for what it was, but Sandra provided a good experience.Wonderful guided tour of Funchal.
User image
DellaπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ United Kingdom
(About local )
23 November 2024
I had such a lovely evening with Volha, who is warm, friendly, interesting and she imparted lots of information about Funchal, and Madeira's history. It is lovely to see a place through the eyes of someone who knows and loves it. It felt like meeting a friend! Conversation was easy, and the overall experience was wonderful. We had a fabulous glass of wine and a delicious snack. Highly recommended.A wonderful evening in Funchal
User image
KristiπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States
(About local )
22 November 2024
We LOVED our tour with Sandra! She is very knowledgeable and shared great insider information with us. We would absolutely tour with her again! Great tour
User image
KatrinaπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ United Kingdom
(About local )
15 November 2024
Rosario is an excellent companion with whom to explore Funchal which reveals itself to be a fascinating city with an interesting history. We get we got a really comprehensive overview and explored areas off the beaten track. We also stopped for coffee and a pastel de nata of course I would recommend Rosario most enthusiastically A lovely morning of history and culture
User image
Aleeta
(About local )
29 September 2024
Volha was a very welcoming Funchal tour guide. She was very knowledgeable about the history of Funchal and was able to tailor the tour to our interests. She is very friendly and the whole group got along very well with her - like meeting a new friend! Thank you Volha for an amazing tour!Fantastic private tour
User image
ElenaπŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Germany
(About local )
26 September 2024
I had an unforgettable experience exploring Funchal with Volha as a guide! Her deep knowledge of the city’s history, culture, and hidden gems made the tour not only informative but also truly enjoyable. Volha’s passion for Funchal shines through in every story she shares, and her warm personality made the whole experience feel like a walk with a friend. The tour was perfectly paced, covering all the major highlights while also taking us off the beaten path to discover some of Funchal’s best-kept secrets. Whether it was the historical landmarks, the charming local spots, or the breathtaking views, Volha made sure we saw the heart and soul of the city. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to connect with Funchal’s authentic side. Thank you, Volha, for an amazing day and for making Funchal come alive for us! Great expirience 🩷
User image
DπŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
(About local )
21 September 2024
Es wahr eine enspante und gut organisierte StadtfΓΌhrung wir kΓΆnnen sie gut weiter empfΓ€hlen . Danke Volha Tolle FΓΌhrung durch Volha Void
User image
Els
(About local )
12 September 2024
Sherryl is a very sweet lady but for us, she is not β€œa local”… She indeed lives in Madeira but for us a local should be someone who knows all the tips and tricks from eating in Madeira… This is something we missed, instead of β€œhere you can eat a pastel de nata, which is very popular dessert in Portugal” to β€œhere you can buy the most delicious pastel de nata in Madeira”… so in the end we were happy that we did the tour but a bit disappointed in the tour itself…Not local enough
User image
DonaldπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States
(About local )
8 September 2024
Sandra is an excellent guide. We had a bit of a problem with our rental car on the way from Funchal airport to meet Sandra. She was flexible and communicated with us several time so that we could adapt our food tour. We found her to be very knowledgeable not only about the food of the area but about the history of Funchal as well. She is a delightful guide and person and I would highly recommend her. Wonderful time
User image
JenniferπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States
(About local )
13 August 2024
Sherryl was a wonderful guide through the city of Funchal. She is very knowledgeable about the city and the foods we tried. She was easy to talk to and give great recommendations for our stay in Madeira!Great day in Fuchal
User image
TonyπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ United Kingdom
(About local )
17 July 2024
Luana was great, approachable, friendly and excellent knowledge of Funchal. We really enjoyed the eating experiences, and a great introduction to traditional Madeiran food. Luana was able to recommend several restaurants. We ate at the Santa Maria Restaurant tonight and had a superb meal, which was excellent value. Thoroughly recommend a tour with LuanaEverything we wanted it to be
User image
Marieke
(About local )
2 June 2024
On our first day in Funchal we had a great food&foot tour with Luana. She made a program special for our family and took us to very nice and unique places to eat and drink. We needed and extra hour to enjoy everything. Luana is very enthousiast and familiar and she knows a lot about Funchal and Madeira. We give Luana a very high recommandation!Great tour with Luana
User image
JeffπŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ Canada
(About local )
7 May 2024
Helpful to newcomers for an overview of Funchal and old townBrief overview of old town
User image
Martina πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Germany
(About local )
4 May 2024
Es war eine tolle StadtfΓΌhrung mit Rosario, bei der wir auch eine andere Seite von Madeira kennengelernt haben. Wir haben auch viel Interessantes und Wissenswertes ΓΌber Funchal und Madeira erfahren. Tolle StadtfΓΌhrung
User image
TomπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States
(About local )
1 May 2024
Engerly was engaging, knowledgeable, and accommodating. She kept the tour interesting with personal and historical anecdotes. We’ll book her again next time we’re in Madeira.Funchal was beautiful
User image
JohanπŸ‡³πŸ‡± Netherlands
(About local )
27 April 2024
Rosario was great. Telling the historical stories about Madeira and Funchal and in the meanwhile showing all important buildings, statues, etc A charming lady takes you to lots of places and is never boring.What a great Funchal tour
User image
JohanπŸ‡³πŸ‡± Netherlands
(About local )
25 April 2024
Volha is an entertaining young Italian wan living already for years in Madeira. She speaks good english so easy to follow. She did the 10 tasting in her own way and we loved her enthousiasm. Because we also booked a standard Funchal tour, we made it difficult for her to tell and show things we will not see in the other tour. But she managed. Searching for the right places to eat was a challenge altough it is the title of the tour 😁Volha is a really nice guide!
User image
CathyπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States
(About local )
24 April 2024
Engerly was very pleasant, and very knowledgable. We saw so much of Funchal. She took us to a nice local cafe for the a delicious treat. I would highly recommend her!Beautiful town and Island
User image
IanπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ United Kingdom
(About local )
4 February 2024
Rosario gave us a good introduction to Funchal, even came to look for us when we were waiting by the wrong fountain, and helped us to navigate our way around Funchal including the best place to have a Poncha. She was charming and nothing was to much trouble.Walking tour of Funchal
User image
MartinπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ United Kingdom
(About local )
30 January 2024
We both greatly enjoyed our walk with Rosario. She was very friendly and good company. It’s always a good sign when something ends too soon. Just the right mix of information and walking. Thanks Rosario.Very Enjoyable Walk
User image
Simon and KerryπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ United Kingdom
(About local )
8 January 2024
The two of us met Sandra as arranged; a very interesting, enjoyable, entertaining morning began immediately. As a true Madeiran, Sandra’s love of, and passion for, her home and community was very apparent, she kindly shared personal anecdotes and information which helped to contextualise what we we learned about (Sandra is a good teacher!). The atmosphere was very relaxed, it was lovely to see Sandra’s interaction with the community. Oh, and the food was great too! Don’t think about it, just do it!
User image
FrankπŸ‡³πŸ‡± Netherlands
(About local )
27 November 2023
We had a great time in Funchal with Sandra. She knows a lot of interesting things about the history of Madeira. She took us to nice coffee, restaurant and bar places. Next time we will book her again!Very experienced
User image
Eva
(About local )
6 November 2023
Sandra was a knowledgeable, charming and accommodating guide. While the tour was not a traditional food tour, as Sandra made clear in pre-tour communications, it was a great way to learn about local history and life in Madeira while also getting to enjoy some traditional Madeira food and seeing sites.Lovely start to visit in Funchal
User image
RachelπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ United Kingdom
(About local )
22 October 2023
It was a pleasure meeting Rosario and having her walk us around Funchal with just the right amount of memorable information and a route that kept our attention across 3 generations. Rosario was able to answer all of our questions and was so kind in catering to the things we liked and brought maps! The tour was a super introduction to Funchal and really helped put our further plans to explore into perspective. Highly recommend!! Obrigada Rosario!! Welcoming, informative and fun
User image
Julie
(About local )
18 October 2023
Our group of 4 active seniors had a great time on the walking tour of Funchal with Rosario. She showed us places we would never have found on our own, and she was very accommodating to anything we needed. She was knowledgeable, personable and flexible. Just what we wanted on our first trip to Madeira! A great afternoon!Great tour with Rosario!
User image
ErnstπŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ Germany
(About local )
17 October 2023
Sehr gute Erfahrung mit JoΓ£o PΓΌnktlich und sehr rΓΌcksichtsvoll zumal wir an dem Tag doch sehr unter den hohen Temperaturen gelitten hatten JoΓ£o hat uns alle sehenswerten Evken von Funchal gezeigt u gute ErklΓ€rungen dazu gegeben Es war ein tolles ErkebnisFunchal Tour
User image
Ans
(About local )
6 September 2023
IT was lijke walking with a friend or Neighbour. Less of a tour. Allthouhh that Was very nice would have liked more imput about the City itself sympathico
User image
IsabelleπŸ‡¨πŸ‡­ Switzerland
(About local )
26 July 2023
We just can recommend the walking tour with Joao. He showed us the old part of Funchal and was telling us a lot during the tour.Recommendable walking tour
User image
michaelπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§ United Kingdom
(About local )
1 July 2023
What a great guy very knowledgeable about the history and culture of Madeira having been born and bought up here. Easy going and very pleasant it was an honour to spend a couple of hours walking and talking l would highly recommend going with Joao.Walk and Talk with Joao.
User image
Robert πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States
(About local )
3 June 2023
He never showed up, We wrote him several times he did not reply.No show
User image
RobertπŸ‡³πŸ‡± Netherlands
(About local )
14 May 2023
Joao knows Funchal very well, takes you to great sightings and let you taste all great foods on different locations. Absolutely a recommendation Great Funchal fod and city tour
User image
ClaudiaπŸ‡³πŸ‡± Netherlands
(About local )
7 May 2023
The lady was very enthusiastic, but the tour was not a Ten-tastings of Funchal. We expected a walk around town and on the way 10 stops for a snack/drink/dish. Instead we had a drink, a walk around town and then dinner where Sandra ordered 4 or 5 different dishes (all with a lot of chips). She was friendly but definitely not a foody organising a food tour.Accompanied dinner, not Ten tastings tour
User image
CatherineπŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ Canada
(About local )
7 April 2023
Rosoario was lovely and we were certainly introduced to the highlights which gave us a great experience in getting oriented to Funchal. She was also patient with our small attempts at gift buying for our grandchildren,. It was also a pleasure to visit Rosario's shop and meet her family. Thank you for making our first time in Funchal so enjoyable. Sincerely Catherine and Mike McCulloughLovely Rosario
User image
BrianπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States
(About local )
2 April 2023
We throughly enjoyed our tour with Sandra. She enthusiatically greeted us, toting a myriad of local food delights for our personal enjoyment later. Our afternoon was filled with tastings and delightful conversation hosted by a an impressive woman who is extremely personable, warm, informative and open to sharing her personal insight into the Madeira/Funchal community. Embraced by local community members during our far too short encounter, it is evident that Sandra's friendship is treasured by many.Fun Food & New Found Friendship in Funchal

Withlocals experiences
are always

Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.

Other City highlight tours in Funchal

€30.15per person