Madeira : Funchal Streets & Rhythms: Embracing the City's Lively Vibe
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 105,795, making it the sixth largest city in Portugal. Because of its high cultural and historical value, Funchal is one of Portugal's main tourist attractions; it is also popular as a destination for New Year's Eve, and it is the leading Portuguese port on cruise liner dockings.
The first settlers named their settlement Funchal after the abundant wild fennel that grew there. The name is formed from the Portuguese word for fennel, funcho. This settlement began around 1424. The site became an important maritime port and its productive soils attracted new settlers. Its coastal position quickly permitted Funchal to develop an urban core and surpass the populations of other settlements.
Funchal became an important transfer point for European commercial interests. Christopher Columbus was one of the early settlers, but later many of the merchant families established commercial interests on the island.
During the second half of the 15th century, the sugar industry expanded significantly along the southern coast, making Funchal the most important industrial centre of the industry. In 1508, it was elevated to the status of city by King Manuel I of Portugal, and in 1514 (on completion of the Sé Cathedral) the bishopric was headquartered in Funchal.
During the 16th century, Funchal was an important stop-over for caravels travelling between the Indies and the New World.
The wine culture appeared during early settlement. In the 17th century, commercial treaties with England brought increased investments to a business that was still insular. Many commercial wine-makers from England moved to the island, changing the economy, architecture forms and lifestyle of the community. This incremental growth expanded the city with new estates. Generally, there were many new three-floor homes with an intermediary service floor, a floor for storage and wine-cellars, and in some cases a tower to watch the port and monitor shipping in the harbour.
The presence of several notable visitors marked a period when Funchal became a center of tourism and therapeutic health. With the formal creation of the Port of Funchal, and later the establishment of the Santa Catarina Airport, Funchal turned into a major international tourist destination supported by a series of hotels and ocean-front residences.
Funchal has a subtropical Mediterranean climate with even temperatures all year round. The climate can be divided into three main seasons: a warm and dry season spanning from May to September with average daily high temperatures ranging from 22 to 26 °C, a warm and wet season from October to November with average daily high temperatures ranging from 25 to 23 °C and a slightly cooler wet season from December to April with average daily high temperatures ranging from 20 to 21 °C. Humidity levels remain constantly high at about 70%. Sea temperatures range from a low of 18 °C in February–March to 24 °C in August–October.
The urbanised core of the city of Funchal includes several of the civil parishes that surround the municipality and includes a population of 150,000 inhabitants, the largest Portuguese city outside of mainland Portugal. Funchal is a cosmopolitan and panoramic city, with parks, shops and hotels.
Madeira Airport, often known as Funchal Airport (code: FNC), is located east of the city, in the municipality of Santa Cruz. The airport was one of the most dangerous airports in the world due to the limited flat space in close proximity to cliffs, but the extension of the runway on concrete pillars in the sea has improved safety.
The Port of Funchal was the only major port in Madeira. Since 2007 it has been fully dedicated to passenger transport (cruise ships and ferries) and other tourist-related boats and yachts.
There is also a passenger gondola lift (Funchal Cable Car), that transports people from the lower section of the city to the suburb of Monte and another that runs between Monte and the Botanical Gardens.
Since 2011, the project "ArT of opEN doors project in Rua de Santa Maria" has been implemented in Funchal. The aims of the project is to "open" the city to artistic and cultural events. The project was born by the hand of many artists who were coordinated with the city council and decided to take it out on the streets of the Old Town, particularly in the Rua de Santa Maria.The doors of houses, abandoned shops, deteriorated areas received a new life, in order to sensitize people, towards the art and culture that fills these spaces.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funchal]