Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal
The bustling and colourful Mercado dos Lavradores is more than just a
market; it is one of the social hubs of Madeira, a meeting place for people
from all over the island, who come from the country by bus to shop and to
sell their wares. The prices charged here are cheaper than those found in
most of the supermarkets that are springing up all over Madeira - and who
could resist buying fresh fruit, flowers or herbs from stallholders who make
such efforts in creating their colourful displays?
Top 10 Features
1 TheMarketHall
2 LedaandtheSwan
3 TilePictures
4 FlowerSellers
5 GroundFloor
6 Cobbler
7 FruitandVeg
8 Herbalist
9 FishMarket
0 ButchersandBars
Wickerwork, ground floor,
Mercado dos Lavradores
For a tasty morsel,
head for the hole-in-
the-wall bars found
around the outside
of the market hall.
!
The Market Hall
Visit the fish market
in the morning.
ThisArtDecohallwas
designedin1937by
EdmundoTavares(1892-
1983).Thoughbuiltfrom
modernmaterials,itscol-
oursechothegreyand
rust-redbasaltoftradition-
alMadeiranarchitecture.
• Rua Profetas
• Map P4
• Open 7am-5pm
Mon-Thu, 7am-8pm Fri,
7am-3pm Sat
• Free
£
Tile Pictures
Moretilepicturesadorn
theentranceporch.Thework
ofartistJoãoRodriguesand
madein1940,theydepict
stallholdersandthecoatof
armsofFunchal(featuring
ivesugarconesinacross).
$
Flower Sellers
@
Leda and
Today'slowersellers
stillweartraditionalclothes.
Theseareascolourfuland
eye-catchingastheirtropi-
calorchids,bird-of-paradise
plants,liliesandlamingo
lowers
(below)
.
the Swan
Totherightoftheentrance
porch,atilepictureshows
themarketasitwasatthe
turnofthe20thcentury
(above)
,withstallsunder
canvasawningsand
stallholdersintraditional
costume.Thefountainin
thepicture,toppedbya
marblestatueof
Leda and
the Swan
,hassurvived
andisnowinthetown
hallcourtyard
(see p42)
.
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