13 x CR7 – 13 places on Madeira associated with Ronaldo

UPDATED:  16-03-2020   ◊   ZMIEŃ JĘZYK: POLSKI

Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal, Madeira

Ronaldo is proud of his island, just like his island is proud of him.

Are you a fan of CR7? Are you visiting Ronaldo’s birthplace island and would you like to visit places associated with him? This post is for you.

The birthplace of Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro…

Ronaldo was born on Madeira Island, a small, but beautiful Portuguese island on the Atlantic. During my regular visits on the island, I came across multiple places on the island which are more or less associated with him. I thought it would be great to share my list and map with you. Have you discovered other “Ronaldo places” on Madeira which worth mentioning? Let us know in the comments!

1 – Cristiano Ronaldo Airport Madeira (FNC)

We notice that Madeira is proud of Ronaldo since the moment we land on… yes – Cristiano Ronaldo’s Airport. Regular visitors are no longer surprised when they see Ronaldo’s face in the logo of the airport, but occasionally you can still hear disbelief while the pilot announces the airport name. 

Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 - Madeira Island Airport

2 – Ronaldo’s bust 

Ronaldo’s bust can also be found at the airport, next to the Arrivals Hall exit. This is the second bust placed there. The previous bust wasn’t a big success and looked more like a caricature. The present bust still doesn’t resemble Ronaldo perfectly, but it is much better.

Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 - Bust at Madeira Airport - hometown of Ronaldo
AEROBUS – bus service from/to the airport in Madeira. Bus stop on Cristiano Ronaldo Airport in Madeira | AEROBUS – Autobus z lotniska w Funchal. Przystanek autobusu na lotnisku na Maderze - gdzie się znajduje?

Places associated with Ronaldo in Funchal

In Funchal you will find: 

3 – Cristiano Ronaldo’s Museum (CR7 Museum)

In the area next to Funchal Marina you will find the Hotel, Museum, Monument and Cafe/Restaurant of CR7. Even the square where the building is located was named after the footballer – Praça CR7.

I visited the restaurant/bar multiple times, but I did not visit the museum until the fifth visit. I am not crazy about football, but I must admit that the museum did not disappoint me – just the opposite.

If you are not a fan of football or Cristiano, I would rather recommend taking a picture with his monument and a lunch or a coffee at Cristiano Cafe – CR7 Corner Pizza Burger Beer and Wine – in which you can find decorations referring to Ronaldo, ie his autographed t-shirts, and even Ronaldo’s face instead of the mirror in the bathroom:

CR7 Corner Pizza Burger Beer and Wine - Restauracja i miejsca związane z Ronaldo na Maderze
CR7 Corner Pizza Burger Beer and Wine - Footsteps of Ronaldo on Madeira Island
CR7 Corner Pizza Burger Beer and Wine - Restauracja Ronaldo na Maderze

However, if you are into football, you should definitely enter the CR7 Museum

Tickets cost 5 euro each. You will find there Ronaldo’s medals, prizes and trophies, his interactive career history, letters from his fans, gold and silver shoes and t-shirts. 

The most interesting is the opportunity to take a virtual photo with the star on the interactive screen “CR7 AUGMENTED REALITY”. This pleasure costs an additional 5 euro, but if you do not feel like paying extra, you will be able to take a picture with two of the other statues of Ronaldo inside the museum. 

Muzeum Cristiano Ronaldo w Funchal na Maderze
Must see museums Madeira: Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal
Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal, Madeira
Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal, Madeira
Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal, Madeira
Must see museums Madeira: Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal
Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal, Madeira
Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal, Madeira

It was very interesting to see letters from Ronaldo’s fans from all over the world…

Must see museums Madeira: Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal
Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal, Madeira

The museum, which is surprisingly large, is located on level -1. On the ground floor by the entrance, you can buy official Ronaldo souvenirs, for example, a bottle of Madeira wine for 15 euro. A T-shirt costs 80 euro. 

Cristiano Ronaldo's souvenirs - perfect souvenir from Madeira Island
Cristiano Ronaldo's Madeira Wine - perfect souvenir from Madeira Island
Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal, Madeira

4 – Ronaldo’s Monument 

When I came to Madeira for the first time, the monument was located in a slightly different place. Soon after, the monument was moved and placed in front of Ronaldo’s museum
 
LEFT: Old monument; RIGHT: The present monument
Pomnik Cristiano Ronaldo w Funchal na Maderze - Śladami CR7 Madera
Pomnik Cristiano Ronaldo w Funchal na Maderze - Śladami CR7 Madera
Pomnik Ronaldo na Maderze - Ronaldo Monument on Madeira Island - Footsteps of Ronaldo on Madeira Island

5 – Cristiano Ronaldo’s Hotel (Pestana CR7 Funchal)

Located in the same building as the museum and the restaurant. It is a modern, contemporary design, 4-star hotel located in the very centre of Funchal, on a walking distance from the port, marina, city centre and the Old Town (Zona Velha). 

GO TO POST: THE STREET ART OF ZONA VELHA, FUNCHAL

Ronaldo places Madeira: Pestana CR7 Hotel Funchal CR7 Museum and CR7 Monument Funchal

6 – Official Cristiano Ronaldo (‘s sister) store in Funchal

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2019: During our September visit we were informed that the CR7 Store was moved again, back to its previous location outside of the centre of Funchal. When I was writing the original post, the CR7 store was still located close to the Cruise Terminal, inside the Marina Shopping (Avenida Arriaga, 75, Funchal). 
 

The current address is:

Rua Vale D’ Ajuda , Loja 90
9000-116 Funchal, Madeira
Phone 291 766 332
 

This is how it looked before the move:

Cristiano Ronaldo's Official Store in Funchal
Cristiano Ronaldo's Official Store in Funchal
Cristiano Ronaldo's Official Store in Funchal
Cristiano Ronaldo's Authorized Store in Funchal, Madeira
Cristiano Ronaldo's Authorized Store in Funchal, Madeira

You could (and probably still can) buy there clothes for men, women, kids, backpacks, mugs, footballs and other CR7 accessories. 

7 – Cristiano Ronaldo’s mural in Santo Antoni

In the neighbourhood where Ronaldo grew up, you can find a large and well-done mural of the footballer. It is painted on the wall of St. Antonio Civic Center and it presents Ronaldo wearing the shirt of the Portuguese national team.

CR7 Cristiano Ronaldo Mural in Madeira, Portugal - made by Richard Wilson - richardwilsonartwork
Cristiano Ronaldo mural in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal - made by Richard Wilson - richardwilsonartwork
Mural Cristiano Ronaldo w Funchal na Maderze - Portugalia - Śladami CR7 Madera

Picture credits: richardwilsonartwork.com @richardwilsonartwork

In my opinion, the author of the mural – Richard Wilson – did a great job. Of all Ronaldo’s portraits available in Madeira, this one is by far the best and resembles Ronaldo the most. 

8 – Small mural of Cristiano in the centre of Funchal

If you are not able to visit Santo Antonio… Just next to the famous fruit market Mercado dos Lavradores, on a wall of Auto Silo do Campo da Barca you will find another, smaller mural/graffiti of Ronaldo.

GO TO POST:  MERCADO DOS LAVRADORES IN FUNCHAL – GREAT ATTRACTION OF A TOURIST TRAP?

Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 - Mural in Funchal, Madeira - hometown of Ronaldo

On another wall of this same building, you will also find the famous whale mural La Baleia made by Marcos Milewski. 

9 – Pico dos Barcelos Viewpoint

The picture was published worldwide and you can see it [HERE]. It was even parodied by a [LOCAL COMEDIAN].

Would you like to visit the same viewpoint and take your own version of this photo?

Here is the exact location in question – the railing on the eastern side terrace:

Even if you do not intend to copy Ronaldo’s picture, the Pico dos Barcelos Viewpoint is still a place worth visiting.  It is on the way to the beautiful Curral das Freiras (Valley of the Nuns) and offers magnificent views of the entire Funchal Bay.

10 – Ronaldo’s first football clubs in Madeira

The first club in which Ronaldo played was Clube de Futebol Andorinha de Santo António. The Club Complexo Desportivo do Andorinha is located at Caminho do Ribeirinho 4.
Must see museums Madeira: Cristiano Ronaldo - CR7 Museum in Funchal
It was this small club, where at the turn of 1994/1995 young Ronaldo started his career. From 1995 to 1997 he played in the club Nacional da Madeira, and then as an 11-year-old boy, he moved to Lisbon to play in the first serious club – Sporting. 

11 – Ronaldo’s house(s) in Funchal

The house where Ronaldo grew up (Quinta do Falcao 27 A) has unfortunately been demolished. You won’t be able to see his childhood house – you will only be able to walk through the streets where he used to play football as a child. 

Some time ago, the love of Ronaldo, Georgina Rodríguez, posted on her Instagram an interesting picture [SEE PHOTO] of them walking through the streets of Santo Antonio. Seeing Ronaldo’s childhood neighbourhood was a very touching moment for her.

The hospital where Ronaldo was born is Dr. Nélio Mendonça Hospital (Av. Luís de Camões 6180, 9000-177 Funchal).

What about his current house? Does Ronaldo currently have a house on Madeira and does he ever visit the island? 

Well, yes. His house is located at Rampa do Carvão (Rua Princesa D. Amélia & Rua Carvalho Araújo), next to the Funchal Port roundabout. 

 
House of Cristiano Ronaldo CR7
Cristiano Ronaldo's house - where is it?
During the infamous March 2020 Corona outbreak, that is where he was spending time with his family while his entire football team was quarantined. He arrived on the island in March, to visit his mother, who suffered from a stroke. 
 

12 – Ronaldo’s signed T-shirt in Madeira Story Centre

Ronaldo is so important in the history of Funchal that his footprint – an autographed t-shirt – can also be found at the Madeira Story Center Museum in the Old Town of Funchal.

RELATED POSTS:

4 REASONS TO VISIT MADEIRA STORY CENTRE

FUNCHAL OLD TOWN STREET ART

Ronaldo's autographed T-shirt in Madeira Story Centre Funchal #ronaldo #cr7 #madeira

Places associated with Ronaldo – outside of Funchal

13 – Ronaldo collection in Câmara de Lobos

While getting a Poncha at the famous colourful fishing village Câmara de Lobos, we did not expect such a large collection of CR7 souvenirs. 

GO TO POST: CAMARA DE LOBOS

You will find it in the bar: Filhos D’Mar on Largo do Poço.

One of the pictures presented Ronaldo with the owner of the bar, who at the same time was busy preparing our drinks. 

The owner, however, didn’t seem to be in a mood for a chat about the history of these souvenirs- I was only able to find out that Ronaldo is a good friend of the bar owner.

Ronaldo Auographed T-shirts at Bar Filhos D' Mar in Camara de Lobos, Madeira Island, Portugal
Ronaldo Souvenirs at Bar Filhos D' Mar in Camara de Lobos
Ronaldo Souvenirs at Bar Filhos D' Mar in Camara de Lobos
Madeira in December: Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Madeira Island, Portugal #madeira #madeiraisland #portugal #christmas #xmas #funchal

Bonus: Elvis and Ronaldo Sanctuary

If you love quirky and random places, pin this spot on your Madeira bucket list map. When driving from Ponta dos Sol towards Paul de Serra (ER209), you will notice a small exhibition – a tribute to Elvis Presley and Cristiano Ronaldo.

 

More about this place: HERE

Ronaldo – the icon of Madeira?

Despite this fairly long list of places, I do not think the island is “full of Ronaldo”. You won’t find his face looking down on you on every corner, as you might have expected. We found some Ronaldo gadgets in a souvenir store, saw some posters in the mall and a couple of cheap shirts at Mercado dos Lavradores, but.. that was basically it. 

Yes, Madeira is proud of Ronaldo, but being the birthplace of Ronaldo is just one of the many, many things which Madeira can be proud of…

Do not miss our new travel and wedding posts – follow us!

House of Ronaldo Madeira I Museum of Ronaldo Madeira I Murals of Ronaldo Madeira I Monuments of Ronaldo Madeira I CR7 Airport Madeira, Portugal
House of Ronaldo Madeira I Museum of Ronaldo Madeira I Murals of Ronaldo Madeira I Monuments of Ronaldo Madeira I CR7 Airport Madeira, Portugal
Subscribe
Notify of
5 Comments
most voted
newest oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

The sister shop of cr7, is no longer there!

We just checked it!

Greetings

We stayed at the Quinta da Penha de Franca last week. It has a sister hotel/annexe called Penha de Franca Mar on the sea front, separated from the Quinta by a small bridge, Ronaldo’s new house is sandwiched right between the two of them. Incredible that he got permission (well maybe not: it’s Ronaldo, after all!) as it blocks much of the view of the sea from the gardens and rooms of the Quinta. It’s really quite ugly. I’ve nothing against its modernity but its architecture seems remarkably bland – and very opaque, with only a limited attempt to make… Read more »

what about this place – the best museum to Ronaldo on the island (not my blog by the way)

https://atlanticiscalling.wordpress.com/2020/10/01/elvis-and-ronaldo-sanctuary-unexpected-trip/