Madeira is famous for its gardens and Monte Palace Tropical Garden (Jardim do Palácio do Monte) is the best of the bunch.
Get the lowdown on why this should be at the top of your Madeira bucket list, what to expect from a visit and how to get there. And if you are trying to decide between Monte Palace Madeira, I’ll take a quick look at how these compare.
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A Short History of Jardim do Palácio do Monte
Monte Palace was formerly Quinta do Prazer, the estate of Charles Murray, the British Consul General. Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues bought it in 1892.
Inspired by the Rhine palaces he had seen on his travels, he built a magnificent house that became the Monte Palace Hotel. This was the place to be for both domestic and foreign visitors until its closure following the death of Rodrigues in 1943.
In 1987, the property was bought by the entrepreneur José Manuel Rodrigues Berardo and the Monte Palace Tropical Garden opened its doors four years later.
How to Get to Monte Palace Tropical Garden
Monte Palace Tropical Garden is located in the village of Monte in the hills high above Funchal.
Funchal cable car
The best way of getting to Monte Palace Tropical Garden from Funchal is by cable car. The Madeira Cable Car (Teleférico do Funchal) leaves the base station next to Funchal’s seafront promenade for the wonderful 15-minute journey to Monte.
A one-way ticket will set you back €12.50; a return ticket is €18 (2024 prices). You can check current prices and opening hours here.
But before you buy a two-way ticket, you will need to decide whether you will take one of the world’s most unique forms of transport for the return journey. More about that later.
>>> Buy your cable car ticket in advance here.
By bus
Local buses 20, 21, 22 and 48 serve Monte Palace Tropical Garden. In 2024, the fare is €1.35 using a prepaid GIRO card (€1.95 from the driver on board).
You can check routes and fares here.
By rental car
If you are brave enough to tackle Madeira’s challenging roads and have rented a car for your stay, this is the easiest way to get to Monte Palace Tropical Garden. Parking is available close to the entrance.
Book a tour
If you are not keen on the cable car or want someone to take care of the arrangements, book a private tour of Monte Palace Tropical Garden.
Monte Palace Tropical Garden Tour | MORE INFO
This 3-hour guided tour includes a transfer from Funchal
Monte Palace Tropical Garden & Toboggan Ride by Tuk Tuk | MORE INFO
Inject a dose of fun into your visit with a tuk-tuk ride from Funchal to Monte
Walk from Funchal
Although it’s an option, walking from Funchal to Monte Palace is not a good option.
It may be less than three miles from Funchal, but Monte sits at over 1,000 meters above sea level. That’s one heck of an uphill climb.
Even as a keen walker, I wouldn’t begin to contemplate it.
Monte Palace Madeira: Practical Information
Opening times & ticket price
With the exception of 25th December, Monte Palace Tropical Garden is open daily from 9.30 am until 6 pm. The museum is open from 10 am to 4.30 pm.
In 2024, the ticket price for adults is €15. Children under the age of 15 go free when accompanied by adults.
Cards and Euros are accepted.
When to visit
Monte Palace Tropical Garden is a year-round destination. I visited in November and the garden was lush and the flowers were in bloom.
That said, the best time to visit gardens in Madeira is during late spring / early summer (April to June) when more flowers are blooming.
How long do you need in Monte Palace Tropical Garden?
I recommend spending at least two hours in Monte Palace Tropical Garden, preferably three hours. There’s a lot of ground to cover, including the museum, and you want to be able to enjoy it at a relaxed pace.
Eating & Drinking
There are two cafes in Monte Palace Tropical Garden.
The Greenhouse, at the highest point of the garden, and the Bluehouse Café, which offers tastings of Madeira wine.
What to Expect from Your Visit
Monte Palace Madeira is home to exotic plants from across the globe.
Depending on when you visit, you may spot Himalayan orchids or hydrangeas, cycads, proteas and clivia from South Africa. The garden is also home to plants typical of the Laurissilva, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000. These include laurel, Lily of the Valley and Canary Island juniper.
But there is so much more to this garden than flora.
Monte Palace Museum
If you are arriving by cable car, this is the first building you will come across as you enter the garden. Monte Palace Museum has two outstanding collections: the Zimbabwe Sculpture Collection and the Mineral Collection.
Zimbabwe Sculpture Collection
Paixão Africana (African Passion) is the Berardo Collection of Zimbabwe stone sculptures.
This has its roots in the early 1960s and has grown to become one of Africa’s most prolific art movements. Most of the stone sculptures in this extraordinary collection date from the early days in Tengenenge in the 1960s.
Some of the artists have found fame on the international stage, including Henry Munyaradzi and Bernard Matamera. Women artists are also represented, notably Erina Fanizani.
Mineral Collection
Segredos da Mãe Natureza (Mother Nature’s Secrets) displays around 1,000 gem and mineral specimens, mostly from Portugal, Brazil, South Africa, Zambia, Argentina, Peru and North America. There are fabulous examples of petrified wood.
The tiles of the Monte Palace Tropical Garden
There are tiles throughout the garden. Dating from the 16th to the 21st Centuries, this most traditional of Portuguese art forms depicts religious scenes and historical events.
Forty panels are dedicated to the History of Portugal, each portraying a key event during that rich history. The Adventure of the Portuguese in Japan is a monumental panel comprising 166 tiles that celebrates the long relationship between these two nations.
Oriental gardens
A large swathe of the garden is a homage to Chinese and Japanese cultures. The two large oriental gardens have many symbolic and natural elements associated with the East.
There are stone lanterns, bridges, Buddhas and pagodas. Vibrant koi carp dance in the ponds and a line of wooden Samurai solemnly stand guard.
Central lake
At the heart of Monte Palace Tropical Garden is a show-stopping central lake with its man-made waterfall. Monte Palace itself is not open to visitors.
Stop at Monte Church Before You Head Back to Funchal
Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte (Our Lady of Monte) is a short walk from the garden.
Dedicated to Madeira’s patron saint, thousands make an annual pilgrimage here on the Feast of the Assumption (15th August) every year.
The church is also a magnet for those wishing to visit the tomb of Charles I of Austria, the last of the Austro-Hungarian emperors. He died in Madeira in 1922 and was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2004.
Monte’s Wicker toboggans
When it’s time to leave Monte, you can simply reverse your outbound journey. But why not take a ride with Madeira’s downhill racers?
Two carreiros, wearing traditional straw boaters, will happily push you down the slippery slope towards Funchal.
Originally, these wicker toboggans were used to carry freight down the steep 5km hill between Monte and Funchal. Today’s ride covers 2km of the original route.
From the endpoint, it’s an easy walk downhill back to Funchal.
This is not a cheap way to return to Funchal (and be prepared for long queues). In 2024, the Monte to Funchal toboggan ride cost €27.50 for one person and €35 / €52.50 for 2 / 3 people. You can check the current prices here.
Buy your ticket from the booth next to Monte Church and then join the line to wait for the next available ride. The wicker toboggan service does not operate on Sundays.
Monte Palace vs Botanical Garden Madeira
You may know that Monte Palace is not the only garden in Funchal. Downhill from Monte Palace Tropical Garden is the Madeira Botanical Garden (Jardim Botânico).
So which is better: Monte Palace Tropical Garden or the Madeira Botanical Garden?
I have visited both of these gardens. Each is beautiful – outdoor works of art if you like – and offers spaces to relax and take in the views. But they differ in size and scope.
Monte Palace Tropical Garden covers an area of 70,000 square metres, approximating ten football pitches. The Botanical Garden Madeira is half this size.
These relative dimensions reflect the scope of the gardens.
Although the Botanical Garden has a superb collection of plants and trees, there is not much else, save a reconstructed palheiro (traditional house). By contrast, Monte Palace Tropical Garden has attractions other than flora, including African sculptures and tiles.
In an ideal world, you would visit both. To get from Monte Palace Tropical Garden to the Botanical Garden take another cable car (Teleférico do Jardim Botânico). A time-efficient way to do this is to join a half-day tour of both gardens.
But if you are faced with a tough choice, I would plump for Monte Palace Tropical Garden.
Enjoy Madeira’s Monte Palace Tropical Garden!
It is a gorgeous spot that’s 100% worth visiting.
If you have found this article helpful, check out my other destination guides to help you plan your Madeira vacation:
- A Week in Madeira Without a Car: An Easy 7-Day Itinerary
- Solo Travel in Madeira: The Ultimate Guide
- 35+ Fabulous Things to Do in Funchal, Madeira
- How to Do a Day Trip to Câmara de Lobos, Madeira from Funchal
- How to Visit the Sensational Valley of the Nuns, Madeira from Funchal
Happy travels!
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.