Funchal Cable Car

The Funchal cable car climbs from the edge of the old town to Monte, several hundred metres above the bay, in a ride of about fifteen minutes. What makes it worth the fare is what passes underneath: tiled rooftops, laundry lines, banana plots wedged between houses, ravines cut by the streams that come down off the mountain, and terraced gardens as the slope steepens. At the top are the Monte church, the tropical garden and the start of the wicker toboggans, basket sledges steered down a stretch of public road by two drivers in white on greased runners. A second cable car drops from Monte across to the botanical garden on the other side of the valley.

History

The cable car's route was chosen to replace the old Monte Railway, which ran from 1886 to 1943. Construction began in September 1999 and the line opened in November 2000; it is 3,173 m long, climbs 560 m and can carry up to 800 passengers an hour (Wikipedia, Funchal Cable Car).

Highlights

• The ride over the ravines - rooftops, banana plots and stream valleys below.
• The Monte terrace - the bay and harbour seen from several hundred metres up.
• The wicker toboggans - basket sledges steered downhill by two drivers.
• The garden link - a second cable car across to the botanical garden.

When to go

It runs daily in most conditions but stops in strong wind. Mornings are clearer, since cloud often builds on the slope by early afternoon. Cruise ship days fill both stations, so it is worth checking what is in port. Going up by cable car and returning by bus or taxi costs less than a return ticket and shows a different route.

Good to know

It is expensive for the distance, especially as a return, and the queue at the lower station can be long when ships are in. Cabin windows scratch and reflect, which frustrates photographers. Cloud regularly swallows Monte while Funchal stays sunny. The toboggan ride is short, costs about as much as the cable car and ends well above town.

Nearby

Monte's church and gardens, Funchal's market hall and the old town streets.

Key facts