Zona Velha is also known as the old town. It consists of a few criss crossed streets that are full of bars, restaurants and numerous pretty individually painted doors. It is also a great place to people watch. If you visit Funchal you really should go for a drink or a nice meal.

Many of the streets in Funchal are pedestrian, which means strolling around the typical Madeiran pavements made with pebbles very easy and safe. We spent hours walking around Old Town (Zona Velha) taking lots of photos and discovering hidden little places. On Santa Maria Street nearly every other door is painted with a different design. They’re all unique and very colourful. They are a hundred or more different ones to find, some down side alleys and some on the main street. You can easily explore for half an hour or more, before stopping to enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants you'll find along the way. Many many restaurants here in old town (reviewed separately). We enjoyed all our meals especially at Basmati Indian restaurant. Most of the street is pedestrianised and some restaurants are set up outside right in the middle of the street, so it can get a little crowded in these places where the street becomes much more narrow. The cobble alleys at the back of the restaurants seemed very crowded to us, with people constantly squeezing past the packed tables, so we opted for restaurants that opened out onto the front, so we had more space and privacy. We visited on 2 separate occasions, earlier on the morning is much quieter, before the restaurants open up, but later on there is more atmosphere if it does get a little too crowded. Remember to try Bola de Caco everywhere you eat in Madeira! This is the local flatbread often served with meals. It is often covered in garlic butter - basically a flat garlic bread but sooooo good! Zona Velha) is just short couple of minutes walk from the seafront and the Avenida do Mar. The main bus stops and the cable car terminal is also just a couple of minutes walk away, so a very central location. There are public toilets near to the main bus stops.

This is a small pedestrian neighborhood of narrow streets with lots of restaurants, many with tables on the little streets. Also art galleries and stores specializing in tourist items. Lively, attractive.

Friday 8th September we took a stroll around this old area of Funchal. It stretches from Mercardo de Lavradores ( Farmers Market) down as far as Fort of Sao Tiago (Fort of Saint James) a distance of 600 metres, if you walk there directly. The area is filled with pedestrianised cobbled streets and lanes which are lined with old buildings some dating back to the 15th century. One of the landmarks to keep an eye open for is the small Corpo Santo Chapel is located on Largo do Corpo Santo. It is one of the handful of 15th century buildings that are still in existence. The Chapel abuts Santa Maria Street, one of the oldest streets in Funchal. As well as the numerous bar, restaurants, artisan and tourists shop it is where Arte de Portas Abertas can be seen. These are the colourful paintings that adorn the doors along the street, turning into an open air art gallery. The area is also home to the Telefonica, Cable Car Station It is a wonderful vibrant, colourful and interesting section of the City. It is a must to be experienced to stroll around and enjoy the sights and soak up the atmosphere