The five Ballons
Originals, not replicas.
Abby M. — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tkotw12 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Tkotw12 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Tkotw12 — CC BY-SA 4.0
The CR7 Museum is the island's greatest son's shrine: Cristiano Ronaldo was born in Funchal's Santo António quarter and began at Nacional da Madeira — so the city built its legend a harbourside museum run by his brother Hugo: the five Ballons d'Or in the original, the golden boots, official Champions League replicas, and hundreds of shirts and trophies as a timeline from Madeiran child to the world — his bronze statue at the door (feet polished by luck-rubbing) and the selfie with his wax figure the closing rite. It is a light hour delighting the whole football generation — and in truth the island's airport itself bears his name: Ronaldo here is geography, not mere sport. The Pestana CR7 hotel sits above for thematic lodging — and harbour and marina around it complete the walk.
Originals, not replicas.
Polished by luck's rubbing.
Avenida Sá Carneiro 27, 9004-518 Funchal
Funchal Cathedral (the Sé)Funchal's Sé is the Age of Discoveries' oldest surviving daughter: a 1514 cathed4 minutes walk4.7
Quinta VigiaA historic country house and its gardens above Funchal harbour, today the offici5 minutes walk4.4
Photographia Museu VicentesA museum in a photographic studio that operated in Funchal continuously from 1865 minutes walk4.6
Casa-Museu Frederico de FreitasA seventeenth-century house in the upper part of Funchal, home to the lawyer and6 minutes walk4.5
Nini Andrade Silva Design CentreA design centre in an eighteenth-century sea fort on the quay of Funchal harbour7 minutes walk4.6Santo António quarter his birthplace (the childhood house no longer stands as was), Andorinha then Nacional his first clubs before leaving for Sporting Lisbon at twelve — crying in the airport that would later carry his name: the story the museum tells as a timeline moving for any father and son.