Discover the beautiful Monte Palace Madeira gardens
One of the best places to visit in Funchal!
When you visit Funchal on Madeira Island, the Monte Palace Tropical Garden is a must. Its location on top of the hills offers stunning views over the capital, and the exotic plants and flowers are unique to see! The beautiful garden is a favourite sight for many and a tranquil oasis of peace in the city. Discover how to get there and what there is to see!
A quick overview of Monte Palace Madeira in Funchal
The history of Monte Palace Tropical Garden
The history of Monte Palace Tropical Garden started in the 18th century when the British Consul General Charles Murray bought property on top of the hill in Funchal. The building close to the Church of Monte was soon known as Quinta do Prazer, which translates to “Pleasure Estate.” In 1897, Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues took over the property and built a stately house, which was later transformed into the Monte Palace Hotel.
In 1987, José Berardo bought the Monte Palace Hotel, and subsequently, the Monte Palace Madeira was born. The gardens offer a fantastic combination of art, botanical plants, and flowers. Some parts of the Monte Palace Garden might look familiar if you’ve been to the Buddha Eden Garden on mainland Portugal! Monte Palace Tropical Garden is now part of the Associação de Colecções, which continues to protect the environment.
What to see at Monte Palace Tropical Garden
You’ll easily stay 3-4 hours in the botanical gardens to fully enjoy Monte Palace Madeira and all its beauty, even more so if you wish to explore every corner of the 70,000 m2 estate! Below, you’ll find some of the highlights of Monte Palace Tropical Garden, but there is more to see!
Monte Palace Madeira Museum
From the Babosas Entrance, it’s only a short stroll to the Monte Palace Madeira Museum. The museum exhibition has different parts, like the Zimbabwe Sculpture Museum with African art and the Mineral Collection. The African Passion collection includes over 1000 sculptures from 1966 to 1969. The mineral and gem collection has more than 1000 specimens on display from all over the world. Most originate from Brazil, Portugal, Zambia, and Argentina.
History in the garden
Making your way further down, you’ll discover more about the history of Portugal and Madeira. Argentinean artist Alberto Cedrón created 40 terracotta tile panels that tell you more about Portuguese history. You’ll find boards of D. Afonso Henriques, the Third Republic, the 1974 Carnation Revolution and much more. The double panels are dedicated to showcasing the history of the island.
After José Berardo travelled to Japan in the 1990s, he decided to commission a panel dedicated to the arrival of the Portuguese in Japan. Alberto Cedrón also worked on this artwork, creating a panel titled ‘A Aventura dos Portugueses no Japão´(The Adventure of the Portuguese in Japan). The artwork has 166 mounted plates and is placed in an iron structure.
Art in the Botanical Gardens
Like the Buddha Eden Garden in mainland Portugal, the Monte Palace Tropical Garden contains a large collection of art. The collection includes Portuguese stone arches, a Manueline window, statues, a ceramic gallery, a Santana House, and many more. There are two oriental gardens with pagodas, Buddhas, bridges, and stone lanterns.
The central lake at Monte Palace Tropical Garden
In the central part of the garden, you’ll discover the palace. Monte Palace was used as a hotel between 1904 and 1943, and guests could make boat trips on the central lake. A journey around the fortress would mean you might get sprayed on, and the many fountains and waterfalls are beautiful to see. From the lake, you’ll enjoy a mesmerising view over the palace. From the palace, you’ll enjoy a stunning view over Funchal.
Flora in Monte Palace Tropical Garden
The Monte Palace Tropical Garden has many colourful flowers and unique plants. The collection of exotic plants comes from every corner of our planet. You’ll discover cycads, proteas, orchids, azaleas, and hydrangeas. Every season has surprises, and Madeira’s mild climate ensures a lush jungle.
The Laurissilva of Madeira was classified as UNESCO World Natural Heritage in 2000, and some examples grow in the garden. You’ll spot laurel, til, and barbusano, for instance. You can find more at Fanal Forest in the northeastern part of Madeira.
The laurel forest is known to be the home of endemic species such as the Madeira long-toed pigeon. The Canary Island juniper is another beauty that is unfortunately endangered. And if you’re visiting the garden between August and October, you can see the Dracaena draco flower!
Fauna in Monte Palace Garden
If you look closely, you’ll also spot some beautiful animals! The ponds are filled with Koi carp, which can live up to 100 years! In the central lake, you’ll spot swans, ducks and peacocks roaming the gardens. Don’t forget to check out the pink flamingos close to the wishing well! And if you’re lucky, you might even run into the house cat!
What time does the Monte Palace open?
When you visit Funchal, Monte Palace Tropical Garden is a must. Thankfully, the garden is open all year round except for December 25th. The park is open from 9.30 AM until 6 PM, and the museum is open between 10 AM and 4.30 PM.
Monte Palace Madeira tickets
You can purchase a ticket for Monte Palace Tropical Garden at two separate entrances: the Babosas Entrance and the Monte Entrance. Children younger than 15 can enter the gardens free of charge, but an adult must accompany them. Adults pay € 15,00 per person. You can pay in cash (euro only) or with Multibanco, Visa, and MasterCard.
How do you get to Monte Palace Madeira?
There are several ways to reach Monte, so let’s take a closer look at your options.
Cable Car Funchal
Here is the fun part: getting to and from the garden! The most adventurous way to get to Monte Palace Tropical Garden is by cable car. The Teleférico do Funchal runs from 9 AM until 5.45 PM, and the journey takes between 15 and 25 minutes. You’ll cover a 3.200-meter trip! So it’s clearly not a walk in the park, especially as it’s uphill!
A one-way ticket on the Funchal Cable Car costs € 12,50 per person or € 18,00 return. Children up to 6 can ride the teleférico for free, and children between 7 and 14 pay € 6,50 for a one-way ticket or € 9,00 for a return.
Bus to Monte from Funchal
You can also get to Monte Palace Tropical Garden by bus. Bus services 20, 21, 22 or 48 all stop nearby. Please note there are two entrances. The Babosas Entrance is close to where the cable car ends (Caminho de Babosas), and the Monte Entrance is located on Caminho de Monte.
Driving to Monte from Funchal
Did you rent a car in Madeira? There is a parking lot very close to the Monte Palace Tropical Garden. In Google Maps, follow the route to the Parking upper cable car station. From the parking area, it’s a 5-minute walk to the garden. A taxi ride from Funchal might cost between € 8,00 and € 20,00. (Bolt is the cheapest option, followed by Uber and regular taxis.)
How to get back from Monte Palace Tropical Garden to Funchal
And now things get really interesting! After a calm walk in the garden, it’s time for some action! The freguesia Monte is located on top of a steep mountain, and the easiest way down is by toboggan! You’ll sledge down the mountain in a wicker basket with speeds up to 30 kilometres an hour! For over 100 years, it’s been the most rapid transportation between Monte and the city of Funchal. And don’t worry, you’re in good hands!
You’ll slide 2 kilometres down to the Arrival Terminal in Livramento. From there, it’s a short 15-minute downhill walk to Funchal. Also, bus 19 can take you back to the city, and a taxi will cost you € 10,00. If you bought a return ticket for the cable car, you could also travel back to Funchal by teleférico.
Other things to do in Monte
Monte is a small village, and a visit is not complete without a visit to the Monte church, Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte. If you’re lucky, it might be open for a visit! There are also two botanical gardens nearby: Jardim Botânico da Madeira (Madeira Botanical Garden) and Quinta da Boa Vista.
There are many more things to see in Funchal, such as Mercado dos Lavradores with tropical fruits, Fortaleza de São Tiago, and Blandy’s Wine Lodge. Discover the many restaurants around Rua de Santa Maria, or enjoy a cocktail at the Three House Hotel, Bar, and Restaurant.
Hotels in Monte with a view
As you may have noticed, the views from Monte are stunning! The good thing is, there are some hotels on top of the mountain. For the complete list of hotels in Funchal, check the map below. But to make things easier, I’ve also highlighted three hotels in Monte with the best views!
📍 Budget with a view: Quinta do Monte is a cute cottage-like accommodation in the heart of Monte. The manor house has a stunning garden, and the balcony offers panoramic views of the sea and city.
📍 One of the best places for a romantic getaway: Check out Babosas Village for an unforgettable stay in the romantic hills above Funchal. The apartments are ideal for a longer stay and include a kitchenette.
📍 Luxury stay near Monte: Quinta Jardins do Lago is between Monte and Funchal, and the 18th-century mansion is surrounded by lush gardens. All rooms have a balcony and a garden view. The Quinta also has a large lagoon-style swimming pool and an on-site restaurant.
FAQ
Conclusion
A garden might not interest everyone, but Monte Palace Madeira is one of the best sights in Funchal! It’s an excellent combination of African art, museums, and nature. Many species in the gardens can be found on the rest of the island, whereas others are rare, even in the rest of the world. Every season, other species bloom, and the trees offer some shade on warm days.
Monte Palace Tropical Garden is a nice place to spend at least a couple of hours, and the views over the city are incredible. Take the cable car to reach Monte and then take the toboggan down. It’s a unique experience that will offer everlasting memories of your visit to Funchal!
Pin to read later
Looks a beautiful place to visit. I am olanning a visit to Madeira.
Ooooh you should! There is so much to see and do!
What a lovely looking place. I’ll be visiting Madeira soon so have added to my list of places to see.
I´m sure you´re going to love it!
This looks so colorful! Would love to visit one day!
It sure is! So many beautiful flowers and plants.
Wow, looks like a great place to take a group with different interests since this incorporates nature, history, and art. And taking the toboggan afterwards looks like a thrill!
It´s the best way down the hill! Hhahha
That looks really pretty. Love the architecture too. Wonderful!
A very peaceful place for sure!
That looks really pretty. Love the architecture too. Thanks for posting
I was coincidentally researching Madeira just the other day because it offers some of the cheaper flight prices from the US right now, so your post couldn’t have come at a better time 😊 . We typically enjoy visiting botanical gardens during our travels, so we’d definitely consider checking out Monte Palace Garden. Thanks for the idea! Xx Sara
You´d love it, Sara! The rest of the island is gorgeous too!
Ok this place is stunning! Portugal is definitely on my list of places to visit in this world. The climate there looks awesome too.
The climate is amazing! All year round!
I wish I visited this place when I was in Madeira. It looks so lush and green. Next time for sure!
Next time!
Looks like I’ll have to make a visit to Portugal. I’ve never heard of this before, but it looks amazing! Glad to hear that it’s open all year round. Portugal is definitely on my travel list, and this looks like a must-visit!
I hope you get to visit some day!
We have been to the Azores and mainland Portugal, but not Madeira yet. This palace looks amazing. I love the Portugal tiles and the other statues. Plus, the flowers are amazing.
Thanks for your comment, Karen! The Azores looks impressive too! That will be our next trip 🙂
Wow! The Monte Palace looks absolutely beautiful in the pictures. So green and so well designed with artwork strewn all over. Its history of it makes the garden even more interesting to visit.