Cruise Details
Cruise Line: P&O Cruises
Ship: Azura
Port: Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Highlights of the Day: Exploring Funchal, trip to Monte Palace Tropical Gardens, professional photo shoot
Next Stop: Sea Day, Fuerteventura & La Palma
There are some cruise ports that you enjoy — and then there are the ones that completely take your breath away. Funchal, Madeira was absolutely one of those places.
Arriving in Funchal
We woke up to one of the most beautiful arrivals of the cruise as we pulled into Funchal on the island of Madeira. From the top deck of the ship, the views were absolutely stunning — dramatic mountains rising straight from the sea, dotted with buildings that climbed up the hillsides. It was the kind of view that makes you stop and just take it all in.
We started the morning slowly with a breakfast from the buffet, enjoying the sunshine and views while sitting outside before heading off the ship to explore.
Although there was the option to take a shuttle into town, we decided to walk instead. The walk from the port to the old town of Funchal took about 30 minutes and was an easy and pleasant way to see more of the area.
Monte Palace Tropical Garden
Once in the old town, we decided to visit the Monte Palace Tropical Garden and purchased tickets that included a coach transfer up the mountain. The drive itself was beautiful, winding higher and higher with incredible views back down toward the port — watching the ship get smaller in the distance as we climbed.
On the way up, we passed the famous toboggan rides, which looked like great fun, although the lines were very long. The cable cars were also closed for maintenance during our visit, but both are definitely things we would consider doing if we return to Madeira in the future.
The gardens themselves have a really interesting history. What began in the 18th century as a private estate was later transformed into the Monte Palace Hotel in 1897. After the hotel closed in 1943, the property was eventually redeveloped in 1987 into the beautiful tropical gardens that visitors can enjoy today. Over time, it has been thoughtfully restored and expanded into a space that blends nature, art, and peaceful surroundings.
The gardens were absolutely breathtaking, with pathways weaving down the mountainside through lush greenery, water features, and stunning viewpoints. We took our time wandering through, stopping often to take it all in.
About halfway through, we stopped at the Bluehouse Café, a small café tucked into the gardens with gorgeous views. We shared a delicious sandwich and a refreshing lemon sorbet, along with some Portuguese wine — the perfect mid-afternoon treat.
At that point, we didn’t quite realize just how much more there was still to explore. The gardens are incredibly large, and we easily could have spent a few more hours there. With our return transport time approaching, we made our way back up toward the entrance — a steep walk, but absolutely worth it for the experience.
Wandering the Old Town Funchal
After returning to the old town, we spent some time wandering through the streets, popping into a few shops before stopping for a must-try local treat — a Portuguese custard tart paired with an espresso. It was the perfect way to end our time in Funchal.
A Relaxing Evening on Board
We made it back to the ship just in time for a pre-arranged professional photo shoot to capture our time in Madeira. The photographer and his assistant were fantastic and made the whole experience so much fun, and the final photos turned out beautifully — such a special way to remember an incredible day.
After our photo shoot, we made our way to the main dining room for dinner. While I didn’t manage to take any photos and can’t quite remember exactly what we ordered, it was another enjoyable meal — and by that point in the trip, we had come to expect consistently good food and service each evening.
After dinner, we headed up to the top deck to enjoy sail away from Madeira — and it turned out to be such a beautiful moment. As the ship slowly pulled away from the island, Funchal lit up along the mountainside, creating a stunning scene against the night sky. Watching the lights reflect off the water as we drifted further out to sea was incredibly special and the perfect way to take in one last view of such a breathtaking destination.
After taking it all in, we made our way to the theater to catch the evening comedian. The one-liner style show had its moments and definitely gave us a few good laughs, even if we weren’t quite at full energy by that point.
With over 19,000 steps walked exploring Madeira that day, we were more than ready to call it a night. It had been such a full and memorable day, and we happily headed back to our cabin for a good night’s sleep.
Up next: a relaxing sea day followed by more island exploring as we continue our journey through the Canary Islands.
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