Parque de Santa Catarina

Above the old town of Funchal, the Parque de Santa Catarina fills the slope between the cathedral hill and the sea, a garden of subtropical trees around a small lake. The terrace at the top gives the wide view over the bay, the port and the amphitheatre of houses that climbs the hillside of the Madeiran capital.

A park of the fort hill

The park occupies the grounds of the old fort of São José, and the military past survives in the walls that hold the terrace. The lake with its ducks and swans, the Australian brush box avenue and the flower beds of the Madeiran gardens make it a favourite pause between the old town below and the higher quarters. From the terrace the airport road can be watched arriving over the water.

The amphitheatre of Funchal

The park belongs to the circuit of viewpoints over Funchal, between the cable car to Monte (Funchal) and the seafront promenade. Below it, the old town keeps its painted doors and the market of the fishermen, and the cruise liners call at the quay at the foot of the hill.

What to see

• The terrace view over the bay of Funchal
• The lake with ducks and swans among subtropical trees
• The walls of the old fort of São José
• The flower beds of the Madeiran gardens
• The walk down to the old town and the market

Practical information

The park stands on the hill above the old town of Funchal, a short climb from the centre of the Madeiran capital. The paths are gentle; bring a hat in summer and check the official websites before visiting.

Image credit: Parque de Santa Catarina by Dietmar Rabich — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.