Funchal Old Town

The Zona Velha is the oldest corner of Funchal, a grid of narrow streets running down to the sea between two forts. Rua de Santa Maria is the one people photograph: since 2011 artists have been painting the doors of the street, some abstract, some portraits, many now weathered, and the effect is a long open-air gallery through a working residential lane. A few blocks west stands the cathedral, finished around 1514, with a ceiling of Madeiran cedar inlaid in Moorish-influenced geometric patterns. On the shore, the mustard-yellow Fortaleza de Sao Tiago and the older Fortaleza do Pico above town mark the limits. Madeira's UNESCO listing covers the laurel forest inland, not the city.

What you actually see

• Rua de Santa Maria - the painted doors project running the length of the lane.
• Funchal Cathedral - the early 16th-century Se with its inlaid cedar ceiling.
• Fortaleza de Sao Tiago - the yellow seafront fort at the eastern end of the quarter.
• Fortaleza do Pico - the hilltop fort above town, with the harbour laid out below.

When to go

Madeira has no real off season, so this is a year-round walk; winter days are mild and the light is low and good. Evenings bring the quarter to life. Cruise ships dock in the morning and their passengers flood the same three streets, so early or late is better.

Honest expectations

Rua de Santa Maria is now solidly lined with restaurant terraces and touts, and the painted doors compete with menu boards for space. Some doors have faded or been replaced. The quarter is small - an hour covers it - and the rest of central Funchal is modern and steep. Pavement mosaic is slippery when wet.

Nearby

The Lavradores market is two streets away, and the cable car to Monte leaves from the seafront.