Madeira Bars & Nightlife

Old-school grocery-shop-turned-poncha-bar in Câmara de Lobos. Pungent, shaken-by-hand poncha (rum, honey, lemon) served over the original wooden counter. The classic stop before or after a fish lunch.

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.

Loud, unpretentious rock bar at Rua do Sabão 82, on Praça Amarela in Funchal's Old Town. Classic rock and metal on the speakers, cheap beer, late hours — a fixture of the Funchal night-out circuit.

Authentic Irish pub in central Funchal — Irish food, live music, multi-screen sports and a great choice of drinks. 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.

Funchal's main LGBTQ+ club (formerly 23 Vintage), in the city centre. DJ sets, dancefloor and late hours — the default gay night out on the island.

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.

Independent rooftop cocktail and brunch bar in central Funchal — small terrace, signature cocktails, DJ sets on weekend evenings. One of the few non-hotel rooftops in the city.

Rooftop bar on top of the Savoy Next hotel near the centre — pool deck, cocktails and Atlantic-facing loungers. Quieter than the Palace's Galáxia and a shorter walk from the Old Town.

Rooftop bar and pool deck at the Castanheiro Boutique Hotel on Rua das Pretas — restored 18th-century townhouse below, panoramic Old Town view above. Cocktails, light menu, sunset crowd.

Rooftop bar on top of the Sé Boutique Hotel next to Funchal Cathedral — small pool, terrace and cocktail menu with a direct view over the Sé and the bay. Open to non-guests.

Small late-night club near Funchal's port with a house-music focus and resident DJs. Doesn't really get going until around 11 PM and runs through to about 4 AM — an intimate dancefloor rather than a big-room club.