Fortaleza do Pico. 🏰 My favourite view of Funchal

Fortaleza do Pico is my favourite spot in Funchal. I went up during my month in Funchal with Tesla, my mixed-breed dog: the climb is a proper workout, but we made it, and the view over the whole city, the harbour and the ocean makes every steep metre worth it. My photos from 2 March 2025 were taken outside the walls, because it was a Sunday and the fort was closed.

Below you’ll find the opening hours and the new ticket prices (since 2026 you pay to get in), how to get there on foot and by bus, what to see inside and what else is worth seeing nearby. I checked the details with the fort’s operator, the regional Directorate of Culture, in the pricing regulations and in the bus timetables.

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1: Below the walls of Fortaleza do Pico, with Funchal harbour down below, 2: The Fortaleza do Pico watchtower and the view of Funchal harbour, 3: On the way down from the fort: a lane on the hillside above Funchal, 4: A steep lane above central Funchal with a view of the ocean. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama 2025

What is this fortress?

Fortaleza de São João Baptista do Pico, Fortaleza do Pico for short, stands on Pico dos Frias hill above central Funchal. First, in 1602–1603, a wooden “castle” was built here; work on the stone fortress began in 1606 and was completed under governor Luís de Miranda Henriques Pinto in 1638–1641 (Direção Regional da Cultura). The fort crowned the city’s defences against pirates and corsairs, and from the late 17th century it also served as a gunpowder store.

In the 20th century the navy took over the fort and set up a communications station here, hence its nickname “Pico Rádio”, after the antennas. In 2014 it stopped being a military site and passed to the Autonomous Region of Madeira (Resolution 748/2014). After restoration it opened to visitors in 2018.

Opening hours and tickets

The fort is run by the regional Directorate of Culture. It is open Monday to Friday, 10:00–12:30 and 14:00–17:00, and closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (DRC). Until the end of 2025 entry was free; since 1 January 2026 you need a ticket (Portaria 628/2025, DNoticias).

What to see inside

• the walls with four pentagonal bastions on two levels and corner watchtowers with pyramid roofs,
• a cistern cut into the rock, from around 1639,
• an exhibition on the defence of Funchal Bay on the lower terrace,
• a temporary exhibition room (since April 2026, Hanamaro Chaki’s exhibition “WA”),
• above all, a viewpoint over the whole of Funchal, the harbour and the ocean.

I couldn’t confirm whether there is a café inside. Right next door, in the garden below the walls, there is Café Fortaleza, which according to its website is open daily 10:00–20:00 (Café Fortaleza).

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1: The view from below Fortaleza do Pico over western Funchal, 2: Funchal’s rooftops and the ocean from near Fortaleza do Pico, 3: Houses on the slopes of Funchal, seen from below Fortaleza do Pico, 4: Clouds over Funchal, seen from below Fortaleza do Pico. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama 2025

How to get to Fortaleza do Pico

On foot from the centre

From the cathedral (Sé) you walk up Rua das Pretas, then Calçada de Santa Clara, Calçada do Pico, Rua dos Frias and Beco do Amaro. It’s about 1.4 km and about 100 m of climbing, and some stretches have a gradient of around 20%. Allow 25–30 minutes uphill; coming down is quicker. On the way you pass Convento de Santa Clara and Quinta das Cruzes. Wear comfortable shoes, because the streets are steep and cobbled.

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1: Steep lanes above Funchal with a view of the west coast, 2: Down a steep street to central Funchal, 3: Calçada de Santa Clara, on the route from the centre up to the fort, 4: A street on the way from the fort to central Funchal. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama 2025

By bus

City bus 015 (formerly 15) runs up to the fort from the “AV do Mar” stop on Avenida do Mar (Horários do Funchal, timetable). There are 18 buses on weekdays, 10 on Saturdays and 8 on Sundays. Since 29 July 2026 there has been a diversion: on the way up the bus goes via Beco do Amaro right below the fort, but on the way down it skips the area, so it’s better to walk back. A ticket from the driver costs €2.05, or €1.45 with a GIRO card (fares).

By car

It’s about 1.8 km from the cathedral, but there is no visitor car park at the fort, just a few paid spaces along the streets. In 2024 the regional government approved compulsory purchases for an access road and car park, but the car park hasn’t been built yet. The nearest covered car park is the “2000” car park on Rua Brito Câmara, about 900 m uphill on foot. For tips on renting a car, see my Madeira car hire guide.

At the weekend: the garden and viewpoint

The fort is closed at weekends, but it’s still worth coming up to the walls. The public garden around the fort (Jardim da Fortaleza do Pico) is open every day: 8:00–19:00 from November to March and 7:00–21:00 from April to October. From below the walls you can see the harbour, the western part of the city and the mountains above Funchal (viewpoint).

What to see nearby

The fort pairs best with the museums on the same hillside. The best day is Tuesday to Friday: the fort is open Monday to Friday and the museums Tuesday to Saturday.

• Museu Quinta das Cruzes, about 700 m: a former estate with a garden, Tue–Sat 10:00–17:30, €10 (DRC),
• Convento de Santa Clara, about 750 m: a 15th-century convent, Tue–Sat 10:00–12:30 and 14:00–17:00, €10 (DRC),
• Casa-Museu Frederico de Freitas, about 900 m: a house museum with a collection of azulejos (painted tiles), Tue–Sat 10:00–17:30, €6 (DRC),
• Igreja de São Pedro and the Museu de História Natural (Natural History Museum), about 950 m, already on the way down to the centre.

You’ll find more ideas for exploring the city in my guide to Funchal, and I describe what March in the city is like in Madeira in March.

Fortaleza do Pico: frequently asked questions

Details checked on 17 October 2026. I calculated distances and walking times with OSRM and the climb from a terrain model.