Should you visit Funchal or Sintra-Cascais National Park?
Should I visit Funchal or Sintra-Cascais National Park? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Funchal
Funchal is the capital city of the autonomous region of Madeira on the island of Madeira. The city is located to the south between the cities of Santa Cruz and Camara de Lobos. It is actually named for the fennel plant which grows liberally on the island. The city was most significant as a shipping center between the 15th and 17th centuries. Today it has a population of over 100,000 people and is, arguably, one of the most picturesque cities in Portugal. It's appeal as a tourist destination has made it the leading Portuguese port for cruise line dockings.
Sintra-Cascais National Park
The Sintra-Cascais Natural Park is located on the west coast of Portugal and is often called the place where "the land ends and the sea begins". The UNESCO listed park is famous for being home to Cabo da Roca, a seaside cliff that is actually the westernmost part of Europe. Sintra-Cascais is interesting due to their large diversity in landscape which includes sand dunes, lakes, forests, and ocean cliffs.
Which city is cheaper, Sintra-Cascais National Park or Funchal?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Funchal is €75, while the average daily cost in Sintra-Cascais National Park is €114. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Funchal and Sintra-Cascais National Park in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about €82 in Funchal For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Sintra-Cascais National Park's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is €102. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is €51.
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Accommodation
Hotel or hostel for one person
Funchal €41
Sintra-Cascais National Park €51
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Accommodation
Typical double-occupancy room
Funchal
€82
Sintra-Cascais National Park
€102
Food
In Funchal travelers spend around €25 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
In Sintra-Cascais National Park travelers spend around €33 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
Typical Food prices in Funchal
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Funchal:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Funchal
For Funchal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Madeira Evening Tour with Dinner and Performance:
$44
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Madeira Nights Tour - Dinner and Show:
$45
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“Petiscos” cooking experience & Market Tour:
$70
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Madeira Sunset by 4x4 with Dinner from Funchal:
$70
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Funchal than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend €7.95 on transportation in Funchal on average per day.
The cost of a taxi ride in Sintra-Cascais National Park is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent €49 per person, per day, on local transportation in Sintra-Cascais National Park.
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Local Transportation
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
Funchal €7.95
Sintra-Cascais National Park €49
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Funchal
Also for Funchal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Madeira: Funchal Shared Transfer to or from Airport:
$11
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One-Way Private Transfer from Madeira Airport to Funchal or Monte:
$14
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Madeira: Private Transfer to or from Palheiro Golf or Choupana:
$15
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Madeira: Private Transfer to or from Camara de Lobos:
$15
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Funchal Shared Departure Transfer:
$18
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Madeira Private Transfer: To/From Funchal Airport:
$18
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Funchal Shared Arrival Transfer:
$18
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Private Airport Transfer: from Funchal to Madeira Airport (FNC):
$19
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Madeira Airport Round Trip Shuttle Transfers Service:
$19
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Madeira Airport Private Transfers Service To Funchal:
$21
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Funchal Private Transfers Service to Madeira Airport:
$22
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Private Service Airport Transfer:
$25
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Funchal, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of €12 per day, per person.
Entertainment and activities in Sintra-Cascais National Park typically cost an average of €21 per person, per day. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
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Entertainment
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
Funchal €12
Sintra-Cascais National Park €21
Tours and Activities in Funchal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Funchal.
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Funchal Jesuits' College Tour:
$6.38
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3d Fun Art Museum Ticket:
$11
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Wine and Sugar Walking Tour:
$16
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The Mysteries of Funchal Walking Tour:
$16
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Old Funchal Walking Tour:
$16
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Funchal Hop-On Hop-Off Tour:
$17
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Câmara de Lobos Hop-On Hop-Off Tour:
$17
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Camara de Lobos and Funchal Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour:
$19
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São Tiago fortress tour:
$20
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Madeira Valley of the Nuns Tour:
$21
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Funchal Hop-On Hop-Off Tour 3 in 1:
$21
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Madeira: Best of Madeira Shuttle Tour Half Day:
$22
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Funchal, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €13.
The average person spends about €10 on alcoholic beverages in Sintra-Cascais National Park per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Funchal
Also in Funchal, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Funchal City Tour with Madeira Wine Tasting:
$15
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Half Day Traditions and Enchanting Valleys - Eira do Serrado, Curral das Freiras, Monte, Madeira Wine Tasting:
$49
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Skywalk & Professional Wine Tasting and Vineyards Tour in Open Roof 4x4:
$60
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Shore Excursion: Private Madeira Tour & Wine Tasting:
$94
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Cabo Girão Skywalk+Vineyards+Wine Tasting Tour in Open Roof 4x4+Dolphin Watching:
$98
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Full-Day Madeira Wine Tasting Tour with Lunch:
$166
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Madeira wine tasting and sightseeing private tour from Funchal:
$534
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Funchal and Sintra-Cascais National Park, we can see that Sintra-Cascais National Park is more expensive. And not only is Funchal much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Funchal would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Funchal and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Sintra-Cascais National Park would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Sintra-Cascais National Park than you might in Funchal.
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