With its irresistible oceanside setting, the vibrant city of Funchal has been attracting tourists for centuries. Set against a splendid backdrop of craggy volcanic mountains, it is the capital of a lush, subtropical island affectionately known as the Atlantic's Floating Garden. Downtown Funchal is full of tourist interest, particularly amidst the winding cobbled streets of the Old Town where many colonial-style buildings and impressive state buildings can be seen. Built between 1486 and 1514, Funchal Cathedral is worth seeing for its marvellous mudejar ceiling of Madeira cedar wood and many other fine features. A prerequisite for wine lovers is a visit to the ever-popular Blandy’s Wine Lodge next door to the tourist office in the centre of town. Housed in a 17th-century former Franciscan friary, visitors can enjoy a tour of the premises comprising a wine-making museum and cellars before tasting and buying the different wines. With a car hire in Funchal you'll have all the flexibility you'll need to tour the area and see some of the local attractions, including the beautiful Botanical Gardens a short drive to the east of the city. Also within easy reach of Funchal are the deep valley location of Curral das Freiras (meaning Refuge of the Nuns) in the centre of the island and the pretty fishing village of Câmara de Lobos to the west, a favourite spot for Sir Winston Churchill in the 1950s, both easily accessible by car.
With over 65 years of international car hire experience, Auto Europe is by far the best company to offer you the cheapest rates and best level of service for your next car hire in Funchal, whether you plan to pick it up at a convenient downtown location or from Madeira International Airport. By working with all the world’s leading car hire suppliers, including Hertz, Avis, Europcar and many other national and local rental companies on Madeira, we are able to provide our customers with the widest selection of cars, whether it's for a long weekend of sightseeing in Funchal or a two-week road-trip around the island. Check out the car hire reviews in Funchal section below for an overview of how reliable and efficient Auto Europe's products and services are in the city and elsewhere on the Atlantic's Floating Garden.
" Fair price, good car and customer return "
" Quite pushy on customer desk for an upgrade (to gain commission), incorrectly implying that the car I had selected would struggle on the hills. "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 7 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Good choices and competitive prices - plus ability t cancel up to 48 hours beforehand - which is pretty good in the current climate. "
" Cheap rental & unlike some other rental companies Avis do not hard sell insurance or upgrades, plus they don't make false claims of damage or the tank not being full. "
Overall Value: 9 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 8 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 5
" Good price and service, got what I ordered at a good price. "
" Felt very safe with the Covid precautions used in dropping off the car. "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Smooth "
" Very happy, as usual. "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Only thing that wasn't made clear on the booking was that if i had any accidents or scrapes, the extra insurance i paid for would not pay out immediately,i would have to pay with my card and then claim the money back. "
" Easy experience to pick up car "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Easy to do business with. "
" Queue was a little slow, but staff very helpful. "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Great price, great service "
" Very good! "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Always a good service, good cars and never any hidden extras "
" We always use Europcar As we always get a good experience "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Obtained the best price for a rental I use regularly. "
" Regular user, always satisfied. Condition of a tyre was a concern this time. "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 8
" Better than booking direct with Hire Car company as it gives you flexibility and better rates. "
" So impressed with Autoeurope as I was Able to modify my booking and secured an excellent deal. "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Happy with the service and price "
" Very courteous and efficient "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Efficient and affective from start to finish. "
" The whole process was handled efficiently and politely.Staff were knowledgeable,courteous and helpful. A hassle-free experience. "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Good advice given on type of car for our holiday use on this stunning island. Staff were very genuine and friendly. "
" Efficient and friendly service. "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 9 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Auto-Europe was very efficient "
" The parcel shelf was broken when we picked up the car and this was both an annoyance every time we opened the boot and we felt that there was nowhere out-of-view to put things in the car. There was a long wait to drop off the car. "
Overall Value: 9 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 8 Condition of the Vehicle: 9
" Excellent as always "
" Excellent service recommended "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Stress free "
" Very easy and efficient "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 10
" Simple and effective booking. Clear website, easy to understand terms and will use again. "
" As this is serviced by Europcar, it is very good service. We damaged a tyre and suffered small damage to the replacement car and they dealt with everything really quickly and the damage charges were very reasonable. "
Overall Value: 10 Efficiency of Counter Staff: 10 Expediency of Drop-off: 10 Condition of the Vehicle: 8
" Very efficient service. "
" Very good, efficient, and friendly service. Car nice and clean, with full tank of fuel. "