Madeira Bars

Waterfront cocktail and snack bar in the renovated commercial area of Funchal Marina, with terrace tables right on the pontoons among the moored yachts and boats. Sandwiches, snacks, omelettes, desserts and ice cream alongside cocktails; one of the first venues to open in the new marina area.

Lively tapas-and-cocktails bar in Funchal Old Town, popular with locals well past midnight. Strong poncha, decent cocktails, big petiscos plates.

Open-air terrace bar set into the cliff below São Tiago fortress, hanging over the Atlantic at the east end of Funchal's seafront. Sunset drinks, occasional DJ nights in summer.

Tiny eco-conscious cocktail bar in central Funchal, short, well-made cocktail list using local fruit and herbs, low waste, packed at weekends.

Small craft cocktail bar in Funchal's Sé district where drinks are prepared calmly and with soul. Tables are capped at five people, there's outdoor seating, and the owners and staff are known for a warm welcome. Cash only.

A classic Funchal poncha bar serving the island's signature drink, sugarcane rum (aguardente de cana) whisked with honey and fresh citrus or passion fruit, best taken standing at the bar with a cup of boiled peanuts.

The champagne bar of Belmond Reid's Palace, Madeira's most storied hotel, flutes and vintage bottles served with delicate canapés on a terrace high above Funchal Bay, watching cruise ships come and go.

The original Irish bar in Madeira, on Rua Imperatriz Dona Amélia in central Funchal, proper Irish food all day, live music, multi-screen sports and what many call the best Guinness on the island. A reliable expat-and-locals favourite.

Friendly Irish-style pub in Funchal serving generous portions, beers on tap and live sports, a great place to unwind.

Rooftop bar on top of the NEXT Hotel Madeira in central Funchal, signature cocktails, light meals and panoramic city-and-bay views, with an adults-only pool, a resident DJ each evening and a Japanese-leaning small-plates menu. Open to non-guests.

Rooftop bar at the Nini Andrade Silva design centre, set inside the 17th-century Forte de São Tiago, Funchal Bay below, the Old Town directly underneath, cocktails and small plates above.

17th-floor rooftop bar on top of the Savoy Palace hotel on Avenida do Infante, the highest cocktail terrace in Funchal, with an infinity pool, full bay view from Câmara de Lobos to the Old Town, and a dressier sunset crowd. Open to non-guests.

Rooftop terrace and pool bar on the fifth floor of the Castanheiro Boutique Hotel, just off Rua do Castanheiro in central Funchal, restored 18th-century townhouse below, panoramic city-and-bay view above. Cocktails, coffee and a light daytime menu.

Fifth-floor rooftop cocktail bar on Travessa do Cabido, a minute from Funchal Cathedral and the Mercado dos Lavradores, plant-filled terrace, small pool and a direct view over the Sé and the bay. Open to non-guests.

Clifftop cocktail lounge at the Sentido Galomar hotel in Caniço de Baixo, rooftop and terrace seating straight over the Atlantic at Lido Galomar, cocktails, light bites and one of the best sunset views on this stretch of coast.

No-frills poncha bar in Caniço where the drinks are shaken by hand at the counter, traditional lemon and honey plus fruit versions, cheap petiscos and a mixed crowd of locals and residents. The back room is built into the rock, with barrels and a cave-like bar.

Classic neighbourhood bar in Caniço, coffee and pastries by day, beer, poncha and football on the TV by night. Cheap, local and always busy with regulars.

Small wine bar in Caniço pouring Madeiran and Portuguese wines by the glass alongside cheese and charcuterie boards. Quiet, chatty and a change of pace from the poncha bars.

Shipping-container cocktail bar right on the Reis Magos promenade in Caniço de Baixo, from the Mini Eco Bar team, the same low-waste ethos, local-fruit cocktails, parasols on the pebbles and DJ nights by the water.

Barefoot beach bar right on Praia da Laje in Seixal, grilled limpets (lapas), fresh tuna and cold drinks on the cobbled terrace, with the black-sand beach, sea stacks and towering green cliffs of the north coast in front of you.

Easy-going bar on the cobbled lane through Jardim do Mar, with bench tables on the front terrace and a shaded garden deck out back, wooden tables under an awning, an ivy-covered wall, a little pond strung with lights and the bar's old life ring on the wall. Chalkboards list fresh juices (sumos naturais) and cheap cider, and the resident cat usually has the best seat. A natural stop after the beach or a surf session in Jardim do Mar.

Sister bar to Peter's Poncha in Caniço de Baixo, this roadside poncha stop sits on the ER101 at Sítio da Degolada / Lombo de Baixo in Faial, just by the new Faial bridge. Poncha regional and poncha à pescador shaken to order, plus fruit versions such as strawberry and tangerine, the natural pause on a north-coast drive between Santana and Machico.