Santo António

The oldest surviving piece of civil architecture in the archipelago, on Caminho de Santo Amaro, in the parish of Santo António. Four buildings make up the group: the Torre do Capitão, raised in the mid-fifteenth century by Garcia Homem de Sousa, son-in-law of João Gonçalves Zarco, still medieval in feel; the Santo Amaro chapel, also fifteenth-century, which holds a stained-glass window by Pedro Calapez and an altar by the sculptor Rui Sanches; the Casa dos Romeiros, which took in pilgrims of the devotion to Santo Amaro and now serves as reception and shop; and a recent building for temporary exhibitions.

The classic balcony over Funchal's amphitheatre, at 355 m in the parish of Santo António — home of the Andorinha club where Cristiano Ronaldo started out. On one side the great valley that serves as the city's amphitheatre and its bay, on the other the calm sea of the south coast; with good visibility the three Desertas islands (Ilhéu Chão, Deserta Grande, Bugio) stand out to the south-east. The site was recently renovated: more green and leisure areas, restaurants, shops selling regional products and crafts, improved access. Easy by car or bus from the centre; no fee shown.