Funchal is capital of the Portuguese island of Madeira and is a port of call for [too?] many cruise ships, looking like floating housing estates. The west is a sort of hotel city and the east is the old town with a plentiful choice of restaurants and the marvellously exciting market [Mercado dos Labadores]. Between these areas is the centre, where you can find the cathedral, the splendid municipal building [go into the courtyard and see the azulejos [tiles,] a convent open to visits, a great house and gardens at Quinta das Cruzes and a plethora of interesting museums.
Even for those who prefer the remoter villages Funchal may appear as the favourite place to stay if you have no car, because it's unique for its buses, run by five companies.
Funchal is close to three glorious gardens at Monte, Palheiro Ferreiro and the Botanical Gardens and has many beautiful flowering trees of its own.
The only drawback lies in the excessive numbers of both people and cars. [edit text][editors]
