Monte offers several specific reasons to explore: Monte Palace Madeira - Tropical Garden, Parque Municipal do Monte, religious art and history, and the cable car connection to Funchal. These themes are quite distinct from one another. If you decide in advance whether gardens and parkland, religious tradition, the August festival or the connection to Funchal city centre is the main consideration for your stay, you can get a clearer sense of what Monte has to offer.
Gardens and park: two distinct highlights
Monte Palace Madeira - Tropical Garden covers 70,000 m², making it considerably larger than Parque Municipal do Monte, which covers 26,000 m². Its plant collection comprises around 100,000 species. Parque Municipal lies between 543 and 586 metres above sea level. The Tropical Garden features Buddhist sculptures and stone lanterns, as well as tiles dating from the 15th to the 20th century. Swans, peacocks and Asian koi fish also live there.
Parque Municipal is home to native and exotic plants as well as several centuries-old trees, and footpaths run throughout the grounds. Your choice therefore depends on which specific features matter more to you: the botanical collection, cultural objects and animal species at the Tropical Garden, or the park plants, old trees and paths at Parque Municipal.
Churches, history and festive traditions
Igreja do Monte is an 18th-century church; its tile panels are dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Monte. The tomb of Carlos I, Emperor of Austria, is located in Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte. At the foot of Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Paz stands a rosary made from the chains of ships that sank during the attacks. These sacred sites therefore offer different perspectives: a religious dedication, an emperor’s tomb and a rosary with a specific history of the materials used to make it.
The festival in honour of Nossa Senhora do Monte provides a specific date to plan around. According to festival tradition, the novenas begin on 5 August, and the main festival takes place on 14 and 15 August. If the festival is the reason for your trip, check the specific programme details in advance. You can still experience the traditional Carrinhos de cesto in Monte. They add a different traditional highlight to your travel plans than the gardens and religious sites.
Connection to Funchal
The Funchal Cable Car connects Funchal city centre with the parish of Monte. The ride takes 15 minutes and covers an elevation difference of 560 metres. The system has 39 cabins and a 3,200-metre-long steel cable. The 15 minutes refers to the ride itself, not the time needed for the gardens, churches or a stay in Monte. If you combine sightseeing with the connection to Funchal, allow extra time for other journeys and your stay.
Discover more destinations: SĂŁo Martinho.
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