£35+ Cheap flights to Funchal

City Overview

Once your flight to Funchal lands you will find dramatic mountain scenery providing a stunning backdrop, Funchal is one of Europe’s most picturesque cities. The capital of the beautiful Portuguese island of Madeira, Funchal is renowned for its relaxed, laid-back atmosphere and abundance of world-class eating establishments. Indeed, the city’s burgeoning social scene has come to the fore in recent years, with upscale restaurants, chic bars and vibrant clubs bringing a cosmopolitan touch to the streets once the sun goes down.

During the day, Funchal offers relaxation and activity in equal measure, all under the cover of a cloudless blue sky. Stretching out on one of the four black sand beaches located in the area is a popular pastime here. For those who like to be a little more active, there are plenty of water sports such as surfing and diving on offer, in addition to opportunities to swim with dolphins or spend the day at sea in the company of the local whales.

The island of Madeira itself is justly famous for its lush, verdant landscape and the stunning array of flowers which bring glorious colour to the overall scenic vista. Funchal plays its part in Madeira’s scenic splendour, its many magnificent gardens providing the perfect surroundings in which to enjoy a relaxing stroll in the afternoon sun, before enjoying a drink outside one of the cafes which line the cobbled streets of the old town.

Getting around Funchal

The compact nature of Funchal makes it easy to get around the city centre on foot. Most of the buses which operate in the city leave from the waterfront area. Tickets can be purchased on board the bus or, alternatively, travel cards can be obtained from the main transport office. There are a large number of taxis operating within the city, charging quite favourable fares in comparison to some other European cities.

Getting to the City

The airport which serves flights to Funchal, Madeira Airport (FNC) is located in the suburb of Santa Cruz, just over 8 miles (13 km) from the city centre. Travelling from the airport by road, the city can be reached via the ER101 highway which runs along the coast. A regular bus service links the two locations, in addition to plentiful taxis and personal shuttle services which can be booked in advance.

Informally referred to as Funchal Airport and once known as Santa Catarina Airport, Madeira Airport is one of the most unique airports in the world. Once infamous for its short runway (mountains on one side and ocean on the other), its extended runway is now supported by 180 columns each 70m (230ft) high, extending out over the Atlantic.

The airport offers connections to 45 cities around the world and can handle 3.5 million visitors each year. Madeira Airport is perfectly situated as the gateway to Portugal’s vibrant island life.

Madeira Airport provides travellers with a host of services to ensure a pleasant and enjoyable arrival to (or departure from) the island. And it’s not just the runways that were ingeniously conceptualised; its single terminal is mostly underground. It has 40 check-in counters, 16 boarding gates and seven baggage belts. There are no air bridges, but passengers can simply stroll to the terminal once they’ve disembarked or catch one of the free bus shuttles.