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Car hire in Funchal – Gateway to Madeira Island
Madeira's vibrant capital, Funchal, is a city of history, culture and world-class dining enhanced by a prominent Atlantic setting. Founded in 1421 by the Portuguese navigator João Gonçalves Zarco, it lies on the southern coast of the island and boasts many unique tourist attractions, gourmet restaurants and first-class museums. One of the world's great year-round travel destinations, it is a city that basks eternally in springtime flower power with a profusion of colours blanketing the island, even in winter.
A little piece of Portugal in the Atlantic, Madeira is a subtropical island located just short of a thousand kilometres south-west of Lisbon. Its rich mix of spectacular scenery and temperate climate has been drawing visitors for more than 150 years, ever since the first cruise ships entered its natural port. Today, they continue to come for its wine (Madeira wine was mentioned by Shakespeare in his plays), mountain-top championship golf courses, panoramic cable-cars and exhilarating road-trips on roads that allow visitors to circumnavigate the entire island.
With its calçadas (traditional black-and-white pavements) and bakeries serving up crispy pastéis de nata (custard tarts) piping hot straight out of the oven, Funchal is reminiscent of central Lisbon but in a position way out in the Atlantic Ocean. It is also a city of natural wonders (one of the world's highest sea cliifs is a short distance to the west) and phenomenal sunsets that many of the city's hotels and restaurants have learnt to take full advantage of. Funchal also provides quick access to the island's vast network of hiking trails that follow more than 1,300 miles (2,092 kilometers) of narrow stone irrigation channels known locally as levadas.
With a car hire in Funchal (driving is by far the best way to see and do everything on Madeira) visitors can enjoy exciting journeys along vertiginous slopes passing through a series of picturesque towns and villages embroidering the island's rugged Atlantic shoreline. Chief among these are Câmara de Lobos (once a popular holiday spot for the great statesman, Sir Winston Churchill) and Porto Moniz where locals and tourists bathe side by side in its many natural swimming pools formed out of molten lava. Another highlight is a visit to the sleepy village of Curral das Freiras, a place lost in time and hidden away at the bottom of a huge volcanic crater.
Auto Europe is an international car hire company operating popular pick-up and drop-off points in more than 28,000 locations at over 190 popular destinations worldwide, including Funchal. Thanks to our many years' experience partnering with all the top global and local car rental companies, we can guarantee the cheapest prices on the market if you are planning to rent a car cheap car in Madeira and discover the island at your own pace. Book online now or contact our rental specialists and they will happy to find you the best deal. For further peace of mind, tae a look at the comments posted by some of our previous customers in the city on our Funchal car hire reviews page.
For more information on renting a vehicle in Funchal, click on the car hire related topics listed below:
| Suppliers | Car Hire FAQs | Travel Guide |
Where to pick up a car hire in Funchal
By collaborating with all the world's top vehicle providers, Auto Europe is able to offer its customers a vast choice of suitable locations in and around Funchal, including Cristiano Ronaldo Airport. To help you make the right choice, our state-of-the-art booking engine allows you to do an extensive search to find the best vehicle and the most suitable pick-up point for your trip. Once you've keyed in your dates, an interactive map will come up with all the available collection points for your next car rental in Funchal.
Funchal Airport
Located in the civil parish of Santa Cruz, Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport is accessible via direct flights from both the Portuguese mainland (Faro, Lisbon and Porto) and most major European airports, as well as John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Located just a 22-minute drive from the centre of Funchal, it is a modern airport that serves the whole island, not just the capital. The desks of the car hire suppliers can be found on Floor 0 of the Arrivals Hall.
Funchal Airport (FNC)
Website: aeroportomadeira.pt
Address: 9100-105 Santa Cruz, Madeira, Portugal
Telephone: +351 291 520 700
Book with the best car hire suppliers in Funchal
Auto Europe is a leading international car hire company currently offering a vast selection of convenient pick-up and drop-off locations in 190 different destinations around the world. Thanks to our many years of experience dealing with all the global and local car rental companies, we can offer you the best standard of service and cheapest prices on the market.
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Should you require additional information about the car hire companies we work with or their policies, for example out of office pick up or questions regarding age restrictions, our car rental specialists are just a phone call or e-mail away and happy to assist you.
Frequently asked questions about renting a car in Funchal
This section features the most frequent questions asked by people booking a car hire in Funchal. Scroll down for important tips relating to a wide range of essential car hire topics, such as credit cards, coverage, tolls, traffic and much more. If you need any more information, please contact our reservations team and they will be happy to help you with your reservation and assist you with your travel itinerary.
Do I need a credit card to rent a car in Funchal?
Yes. When you arrive to collect your car hire in Funchal, you will asked to present a valid credit card in the main driver's name as a security deposit prior to picking up your vehicle. The reason for this is that the local car hire supplier will need to place on hold a certain amount which will be promptly returned once the car has been returned in exactly the same condition as it left. Please note that will need to have enough funds on your card to cover the deposit. You will also need to be aware of the fact that neither a debit or pre-paid card will be sufficient, only a major credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, etc.). Failure to provide a valid credit card in the main driver's name might mean not being able to collect the car and losing your booking. For luxury cars, the supplier may ask for a second credit card, also in the main driver’s name. in other wards you will be required to provide two credit cards. Further information can be found in the credit cards and deposits section of our website. To confirm which credit cards are accepted for your booking, you can view this info when making a search through our high-tech booking engine simply by clicking on the blue and white info icon (i) in the car details.
What insurance do I need for my car rental in Funchal?
When booking a cheap car rental in Funchal with Auto Europe, the first thing you need to know is that all our rates come with Liability Insurance and Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) included in the base price, along with Theft Protection cover (TP). Depending on the supplier you choose, you may or may not have to pay an excess if you’re involved in an incident or if the vehicle is stolen, although it is important to note that CDW doesn't cover damage or loss to all parts of the vehicle, which means that you will require some additional cover like Auto Europe's very popular Full Damage & Theft Protection policy which will cover the driver against any damage caused to the glass, roof, undercarriage, etc, the price of which depends on the location, supplier, rental duration and car category.
Please consult our dedicated car hire coverage page which has in-depth explanations with regards to all the respective coverage options. You can view any fees that might apply to your booking simply by cliking the blue and white info icon (i) in the results after making a quick search in our booking engine. Here you’ll see the full coverage amount of that offer, including CDW deductible, Theft protection deductible and Liability coverage. The same information is also supplied in the Terms & Conditions.
Please be aware that you may be offered insurance by the local supplier when you arrive to collect your car. This is optional and if you have already purchased the Auto Europe Full Damage & Theft Protection, chances are you won’t need this. Any insurance purchased locally with the supplier, Auto Europe cannot refund. Suppliers may offer other insurances such as Personal Accident Insurance (PAI), Personal Effects Coverage (PEC), Super CDW, Seguro Relax Insurance, Road Side Assistance and more. These are normally charged on a daily basis and are optional. For more information about Auto Europe’s coverage policies, please call our rental specialists for assistance and they will be happy to provide you with all the information you need.
How is the traffic in Funchal?
Although Funchal has more traffic than any other place on the island, it never gets heavily congested outside the morning and evening rush-hour. Driving your car rental in Funchal and the rest of Madeira should not be stressful as all the roads are well maintained and tunnels go through the mountains ensuring that each part of the island is accessible by car. If you prefer take a more scenic route, then take your car hire down the rural and mountain roads that provide the best views. Click here for more information on driving in Portugal.
Where can I park my car hire in Funchal?
There are plenty of parking spaces available in Funchal, with options including the main shopping centres, street parking and a few indoor car parks. Please note that parking must be paid for, but it not expensive compared with many European cities. If you park on the street, make sure that you park in spaces marked in blue where you will find a ticket machine close by (note that white spaces are for residents' parking only).
Can I pick up my car hire in Funchal and travel with it to other islands?
No. Any travel off the island of Madeira is strictly not permitted with any of our suppliers.
Funchal Travel Guide
Renowned for its wine and breathtaking landscapes, Funchal (and Madeira Island in general) is renowned for its unceasing spring climate which ensures plethora of exotic flowers, fruits and crops. Compact and largely unspoilt, the city has a rich history dating back to the dawn of Madeira’s colonisation at a time when Portugal's Age of Discovery was just about to take the world by storm. See below a selection of both the city's and island's highlights for visitors exploring Madeira with a car hire in Funchal;
Best day trips with my car rental in Funchal
Dubbed the Floating Garden in the Atlantic, Madeira is a well-established destination brimming with tourist interest based on nature and the great outdoors. There's nothing better than to rent a car in Funchal and head along the coast both east and west of the capital or drive inland up into the mountains for a taste of how the island looked centuries ago. Auto Europe makes it easy for travellers looking to go further or share the driving with friends or family members with a choice of one-way car hire offers and special Free Additional Driver promotions throughout the year.
Porto Moniz
Located on the north-west coast of Madeira, Porto Moniz is home to one of the island’s most popular attractions, the unique tidal swimming pools that were formed naturally by a volcanic eruption many millennia ago. The pools' water is constantly refreshed as the Atlantic breakers burst over the lava walls to create safe bathing conditions for families with kids during the summer months. The town is also the perfect place to stop for lunch along the seafront with fresh seafood and fish featuring on the restaurant menus.
Cabo Girão
One of the world's highest sea cliffs simply cannot be missed for visitors exploring the island with a car hire in Funchal. Located a short drive west of the city, it looms almost 600 metres above the ocean surface and its glass-floored viewing platform offers straight down to the crashing Atlantic waves directly below!
Curral das Freiras
Curral das Freiras (which means Nuns' Refuge) is a little country village surrounded by an amphitheatre of jagged mountains to form one of the most scenic settings in the whole of southern Europe. Renowned for its tasty chestnuts gathered from the forested lower slopes, it is the perfect place for a fun-filled day-trip from Funchal, with plenty of road-side photo opportunities along the way.
Santana
Situated due north of Funchal on the island's idyllic north-east coast, Santana's star attraction are the restored and very traditional palheiros, Madeira's striking triangular-shaped timber-and-thatch dwellings for years gone by. Built in 1698, the town’s enchanting parish church is worth visiting for its impressive retables to the two side altars.
What to do in Funchal
An old city with much of its original architecture intact (especially in and around the Old Town), Funchal is the quintessential ocean city set serenely at the foot of a vast mountainscape. The emphasis here is relaxing and having fun which you can do by embarking on the famous Toboggan Run and by visiting the bustling Farmers' Market in the centre of town.
- Old Town: Funchal's Zona Velha (Old Town) is the city's oldest neighbourhood and the first port of call for most first-time visitors. Here you can stroll through some of the island's original streets lined by many buildings constructed by the early settlers. Don't miss Rua de Santa Maria, the street where the doors and walls have been transformed into spectacular artwork.
- Farmers' Market: Funchal's farmers' market (the Mercado dos Lavradores) is a spectacle offering a cornucopia of exotic produce, including locally-grown bananas and a wide assortment of other exotic fruit. Flower sellers dressed in traditional rainbow-hued skirts still ply their wares vociferously while fish merchants slice the day's catch with much aplomb. Keep an eye out for the hundreds of tiles lining the walls with striking images depicting life on the island.
- Botanical Garden: Occupying a braod terrace overlooking Funchal Bay, one of Madeira's tourist attractions is the Jardim Botânico, a large garden area ablaze with over 3,000 plant types. Housed in an old manor-house, the on-site Natural History Museum showcases many of the island's rarest exhibits. Don't miss the towering cacti in the succulents collection, nor the giant Madeira geraniums in an area devoted to the local laurisilva forest, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Funchal Cathedral: A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, Funchal's cathedral was consecrated in 1514 and has been a functioning religious building ecer since. Its rather austere façade belies a rich interior that features an early 16th-century gilded altarpiece and richly carved sanctuary. The knotwork ceiling is a rare treat for visitors and one of the best examples of this type of this type of Moorish influence in Portugal.
- Toboggan Run: Blessed with an idyllic location on the northern bank of Funchal Creek, the famous souks of Funchal's historic Deira district are a magnet for tourists from all over the world. Look out for the Gold Souk (the largest gold bazaar in the world) and the Spice Souk where the air is dense with the fragrances of frankincense, paprika, saffron, thyme and many more.
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