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Enjoy a ride with the toboggan in Madeira!
A quick overview
What to do?Β Race down a mountain in a wicker basket!
Costs?Β From β¬ 25,00
Where?Β From Monte Church downhill, close to Funchal in Madeira, Portugal.
Worth it?Β If you’re up for a thrillβ¦ YES!
The history of the Monte toboggan ride in Madeira
Before you think, ahβ¦ another tourist trap, the toboggan rides in Madeira actuallyΒ have a very long history. Since the 19th century, theΒ Monte Toboggan SledgesΒ slide down the hill overlooking Funchal in Portugal. Back in the day,Β it was a form of public transport. It was the easiest way for local residents to travel from the village ofΒ Monte to Funchal. As public transport developed, there was no more need for sledges to travel down. Still, it has becomeΒ one of the most popular tourist attractionsΒ on the island of Madeira, and now the Funchal toboggan transport tourists. And let’s be honest; it’s anΒ unforgettable and unique experienceΒ for all ages!
How does the Funchal toboggan ride work?
The Monte toboggans areΒ made of wicker, which is then connected to two wooden runners. They areΒ traditionally handcraftedΒ using techniques from the mid-1800s! The highest quality wood is used to make the sledges, and the toboggan sledges, or Carro de Cesto, areΒ steered and powered by two men, Carreiros. The drivers are dressed in white, wearing the typical Madeira straw hats, theΒ Straw boater. Check out their shoes as well! The rubber-soled boots are heavy, and the shoes assist in stopping the sledge downhill if needed.Β The boots function as brakes!Β How cool is that? All this is possible using ropes and greased-up rags to grease the wooden runners. The Carreiros are incredibly experienced, offeringΒ a safe journeyΒ down the hill. Back in the day, the sleighsΒ had to be carried back upΒ by staffing! How cool is this way of downhill public transportation? Check the pictures around the entrance to get a glimpse of the old days.
What to expect during your Madeira toboggan ride?
The Monte toboggan ride down isΒ 2 kilometres long, and you reach speedsΒ up to 30 kilometres an hour! It’s a steep hill with a curvy road that adds extra fun to the journey. Two men with their rubber-soled boots will assist the toboggans downhill the windy roads. TheΒ finishing point is in Livramento, a Funchal suburb. Here you canΒ buy a pictureΒ that a photographer took during your ride, and there is a souvenir shop, bar and a toilet. From here, there is also aΒ taxi and bus serviceΒ back to Funchal.Β Check the video belowΒ to get an idea of what it’s like.
Where can you ride the Madeira toboggan?β
Monte is a small villageΒ on top of a hill, just outside the capital city of Funchal. The Madeira toboggan ride startsΒ close to the cable car, and the Nossa Senhora do Monte Church. The starting point is marked asΒ Associação dos Carreiros do MonteΒ (see the below map). From the cable car’s exit, it’s around a 5-10 minute walk. The exact address isΒ Caminho do Monte nΒΊ4Β (GPS: 32Β°40’31.32 “N16Β°54’9.67” W).
When you arrive, you can purchase your tickets andΒ join the queue. This might be the most significant downside, as riding the toboggan in Madeira is popular! The line sometimes starts at Nossa Senhora doΒ Monte Church ( a minute walk) on busy days. Depending on the time of year and day, you mightΒ have to wait a whileΒ (2 hours can be normalβ¦). Please remember that all the toboggans and staff slide down butΒ must also come back up! The sledges are placed onto trucks to be transported back to Monte, and the team will take a bus back up. This isΒ a timely process, but one that’s been mastered. Waiting is, unfortunately, part of the game, butΒ well worth it! There are toilets also in the waiting area, and you can purchase something to eat and drink nearby.
The Funchal toboggan route map
How to get to the Madeira toboggan?
Getting uphill is fun if you decide to take the cable car. The Funchal Cable Car starts in Funchal on Av. do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses. From there, it’s a 15 to 25-minute trip to the top.Β TelefΓ©rico do FunchalΒ opens at 9 AM, and you can ride the cable car until 5.45 PM. A one-way ticket costsΒ β¬ 12,50 per person. A return ticket for the cable car costs β¬ 18,00. Don’t purchase a return ticket if you decide to ride the toboggan unless you want to return to Monte afterwards.
If you prefer to avoid heights and like to take a bus, you can useΒ services 20, 21, or 48. You can also take aΒ taxi, which costs between β¬ 8,00 to β¬ 20,00. Bolt is usually the cheapest option, followed by Uber and the regular cab.
If you prefer a hotel pickup, there areΒ taxi services between the toboggan rides and Funchal. From Monte to Funchal, you pay β¬ 20,00. Between the start of the toboggan and the endpoint, you pay β¬ 10,00. From the endpoint to Funchal, it’s also β¬ 10,00. If you decide to walk back to Funchal, it will take around 15 minutes, and it’s all downhill.
Did youΒ rent a car? You can also drive to Monte and park at aΒ free car park. The closest place to park your vehicle is Parking Upper Cable car station.
Buying tickets for the Madeira toboggan rides
You can buy tickets to ride the toboggan in Madeira atΒ Associação dos Carreiros do Monte. Please note thatΒ you must pay cash and card payments are not accepted! The wicker baskets have a place for 1, 2, or 3 people at a time.Β
Prices are as follows:
Children up to 5 years old: free (must be accompanied by an adult)
One person: β¬ 25,00
Two people: β¬ 30,00
Three people:Β β¬ 45,00
Opening hours for the Madeira toboggan
The Monte Toboggan in Madeira is open from Monday to SaturdayΒ from 9 AM until 6 PM Departures. The Monte toboggan run closes at 17:45, and the Livramento Terminal closes at 18:15
Sunday: closed
If theΒ weather is badΒ and it rains, the sledges will probably not ride. After all, it’s already slippery as it is! Depending on the number of waiting customers, theΒ ticket booth might close earlyΒ also. There are also some holidays that the toboggan isn’t available:
- August 14th and 15thΒ (Festivities in honour of Our Lady of Monte)
- ChristmasΒ DayΒ (December 25th)
- New Year’s Day (January 1st)
- Easter on Good Friday and Easter Sunday
Other things to do in the area
Don’t leave Monte just yet, as there is more!Β Monte Palace MadeiraΒ (pictured below) is a must-see when visiting Funchal! You can, of course, alsoΒ visit these stunning gardensΒ before you ride the toboggan. Other highlights in the area areΒ Madeira Botanical GardenΒ (Jardim BotΓ’nico da Madeira),Β Quinta da Boa Vista, and Nossa Senhora do Monte Church (Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte). The Senhora do Monte Church is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 9 AM until 7 PM or Sunday and Monday from 9 AM until 6 PM. When you visit the church, you can also seeΒ the tomb of Emperor Charles IV, also known as Charles of Luxembourg, who died in exile in Madeira.
Hotels in Monte and Funchal
From Monte, you’ll enjoy one of theΒ best views over Funchal. So why not stay the night here? There is a fabulous selection of hotels here, such asΒ Babosas Village,Β La Chambre de Ker Briac,Β Vila da Portada, andΒ Quinta Belmonte Funchal. Do you prefer to stay in Funchals city centre? Then you can check the complete list of hotels in Funchal below:
FAQ
The sledges in Madeira are located in Monte. You can get there by TelefΓ©rico do Funchal, taxi or public transport. The ride starts close to Nossa Senhora do Monte Church and goes down to Livramento, a suburb in the Madeira capital of Funchal.
Children up to 5 years old: free (must be accompanied by an adult). One person: β¬ 25,00. Two people: β¬ 30,00. Three people:Β β¬ 45,00.
The route from Monte to Livramento is about 2 kilometres, and the toboggan ride down takes about 10 minutes.
Conclusion
A Madeira toboggan ride might not be for the faintest of hearts, but it’sΒ not super scary, either. So if you are up for a bit of a thrill, do it! The Carreiros are dressed in white, wearing the typical straw hats and rubber-soled shoes, while tourists are racing in the toboggan down towards sea level. TheΒ queue moves quickly, and before you know it, you boardΒ one of the coolest commutes in the world! It’s one of the most famous attractions on the island, and a ride with the toboggans will be a great memory of your trip to Portugal. Enjoy the ride!
There is, of course, a lot more to do in Funchal. Check out thisΒ comprehensive listΒ that will help you with your Funchal itinerary!
16 Responses
A cable car ride up and a toboggan ride down. I can do this all day long!!! This certainly looks like a lot of fun.
I wish it took a lot longer for sure!
This looks so cool. Portugal is on our someday list of places to go. I’ll be checking out your other posts!
I hope you get to visit some day!
Such a lovely traditions, it sounds so fun..I didn’t try though when I was at Madeira..
A sign to go back? Hhahaha
This reminds me of what we call hand carts in Jamaica except they are made of wood, have wheels and are mainly used to transport goods from one point to another. This was a great read thanks for sharing!
YouΒ΄re very welcome, Kimberley! Sounds like the Jamaica carts are fun too!
This looks absolutely terrifying but I would love to do it!
Hahaha it`s not so terrifying! I hope you have fun when you get to go!
I would have never guessed there was such a thing. I’m pretty sure my husband would convince me that “we” needed to do this.
It kinda is needed π Your husband is right on this one!
I’ve actually heard about this but haven’t experienced it yet. I’ll definitely be trying this when I visit Madeira!
You should try it when youΒ΄re there! IΒ΄m sure youΒ΄re going to love it π
This is so cool! Sign me up, for sure. And what a picturesque city π
ItΒ΄s a lovely city, for sure! And with many sights to visit π