Hotels near Funchal Old Town

Funchal Old Town, known locally as Zona Velha, is the obvious starting point for any visit to Madeira. The cobbled lane of Rua de Santa Maria runs from Praça do Corpo Santo down to the seafront and was the original 15th-century fishing quarter where the city began. Since 2011, every door along the street has been hand-painted by a different artist, creating an open-air gallery known as the Painted Doors of Funchal that draws photographers all day.

The neighbourhood concentrates the bulk of Funchal's nightlife and seafood restaurants, plus the Sé Cathedral (1514) and the Forte de São Tiago, a yellow 17th-century fort guarding the bay. A teleférico station at the eastern end offers the most scenic way out: an 18-minute cable-car ascent to Monte.

Pro Tip: Eat dinner along Rua de Santa Maria after 8 pm, when the painted doors are softly lit and the day-tour crowds have moved on. Espetada (beef skewer cooked on a laurel branch) is the dish to order, paired with bolo do caco garlic bread.