Madeira Botanical Garden, Funchal

Madeira’s Botanical Garden sits on a hillside above Funchal, with terraces of exotic and native plants, cacti, palms, colourful bedding displays and sweeping views over the city and the bay. It’s a peaceful spot to see why Madeira is called the “floating garden”.

Quick answer: reach the garden by bus or taxi from Funchal, or by the cable car from Monte. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Highlights are the patterned flower beds, the native laurel forest plants, the cacti and succulents, and the views. Combine it with Monte and the toboggan ride.

Why go

Madeira’s mild climate lets plants from every continent grow side by side, and the Botanical Garden is the best place to see them in one visit. It’s run by the regional government, it’s less crowded than the big private gardens in Monte, and the views over Funchal’s amphitheatre of hills are some of the best in the city.

A little history

The garden sits on the Quinta do Bom Sucesso, an estate that belonged to the Reid family, of Reid’s hotel fame, from 1881. The regional government opened it as a botanical garden in 1960. In 2009 it was renamed after its founder, the agronomist Rui Vieira, so you may see it signed as Jardim Botânico da Madeira Eng. Rui Vieira.

What to see

• Bedding displays: geometric patterns of colourful plants, laid out like a carpet on the slope. This is the classic photo.
• Native plants: species from Madeira’s laurel forest and cliffs, many found nowhere else in the world.
• Exotic plants: palms, cycads, cacti, succulents and tropical flowers from around the world.
• Useful plants: sections of crops and medicinal and aromatic herbs, including ones grown on the island.
• Birds: an area with parrots and other exotic birds, which children usually enjoy.
• The views: over Funchal, the harbour and the ocean.
• A natural history museum on site, along with a herbarium.

Getting there

• By bus: Horários do Funchal city buses 29, 30 and 31 stop at the garden. Check current times, as services are less frequent at weekends.
• By cable car: the Funchal cable car runs from near the Old Town up to Monte. From there, walk to Largo das Babosas and take the smaller Botanical Garden cable car across the valley. It usually starts around 9am and stops boarding late in the afternoon.
• By taxi: about 10 to 15 minutes from the centre, depending on traffic.
• On foot: the garden is about 3 km from the centre, but the climb is very steep. Walking down is easier than walking up.

How long to spend

Allow 1 to 2 hours for the garden itself. For a half day, combine it with Monte.

A half-day route

• Start: take the cable car from the Old Town up to Monte. See Funchal Old Town.
• Monte: visit the church and the Monte Palace gardens.
• Cross over: ride the Botanical Garden cable car from Babosas.
• Finish: walk the garden, then take a bus or taxi back down. Or do it the other way round and end with the toboggan ride from Monte.

Food

There is a small cafe in the garden for drinks and snacks. For a proper meal, head back to Funchal. Try espetada, black scabbard fish with banana, or a slice of bolo de mel, the spiced honey cake.

When to go

• Spring is best for flowers, around the Flower Festival in Funchal. See the best time to visit Madeira.
• Year round: something is always in flower, thanks to the mild climate.
• Time of day: mornings are usually clearer and cooler. Cloud often builds over the hills in the afternoon.

Tips

• Combine with Monte by cable car. See the Monte toboggan.
• Hours: the garden is usually open daily from 9am to 6pm, closed on Christmas Day. There is an entry fee. Check times before you go.
• Shoes: the paths are steep in places.
• Sun: much of the garden is open terraces, so bring a hat and water in summer.

More: things to do in Funchal and romantic Madeira.

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