Funchal

Funchal: history & character

Funchal, founded in 1424 by João Gonçalves Zarco shortly after Portugal's discovery of Madeira, grew through the 16th century into the most active Atlantic port between Lisbon and the Americas thanks to its forward position on the West Indies route and to its sugarcane and later Madeira wine, which graced the courts of London, Saint Petersburg and Boston. Today the capital of the Autonomous Region of Madeira with 105,000 inhabitants, the city occupies a steep south-facing volcanic amphitheatre between the Atlantic and the inland mountains, earning it an exceptionally mild microclimate: 16 to 24 °C year-round, no frost, no oppressive heat. For travellers with dogs, Funchal is one of Europe's most welcoming winter destinations: countless esplanadas on Avenida Arriaga, the marina and the painted-door Zona Velha; a 3 km cliff-side Lido promenade running to Praia Formosa; and easy bus or foot access to the Levada dos Tornos, which traces the mountainside on tens of kilometres of irrigation canal. The island's only real constraints are a single 24/7 veterinary hospital (VetMedis, Caminho de Santo António), strict summer beach bans for dogs on the city beaches (Praia Formosa, Lido) and the Monte cable car, which accepts dogs only in a fully enclosed carrier.