Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat, and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira, in the North Atlantic Ocean, just northwest of the continent of Africa. The city has a population of 111,892, making it the sixth largest city in Portugal. Funchal has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries. Because of its lovely cultural and historical ambiance, Funchal is one of Portugal's most popular tourist attractions. It is a celebrated destination for New Year's Eve, and is an important Portuguese port of call for transatlantic cruise passages.
The name of the city comes from the Portuguese word funcho (which means fennel in English) and the suffix -al, to denote "a plantation of fennel."
Information from:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funchal 