Fortaleza do Pico

Easy to spot, but taxing to reach, it's worth the slog up to this rock-top fortress northwest of the city centre for the stupendous views, possibly the best of Funchal in its entirety you'll get anywhere. Built in the 17th century as a surveillance point, the building has been Portuguese navy property for the last seven decades. Undervisited, it now has a cafe and an exhibition but also serves as a tranquil, if sometimes windy, picnic venue.