Tropical Garden of Funchal

Welcome to the Monte Palace Madeira Garden, where plants from all over the world come for a little vacation and the views are so good, even the swans stick around! Nestled on a prime hilltop, this garden offers panoramic views over Funchal’s bay — so if the plants don’t take your breath away, the views will. It’s like nature and art decided to throw a party, and you’re invited!

But wait, there’s more! Let’s jump back to the 18th century, when Charles Murray, the English consul, bought this prime real estate (because of course, the English couldn’t resist a good hilltop). He turned it into an estate, which was later snapped up in 1897 by Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues, who thought, “You know what this place needs? A palace.” And so, Monte Palace Hotel was born. Spoiler alert: it’s no longer a hotel, but it’s still as grand as ever.

Now the Monte Palace Garden boasts a whopping 100,000 plant species from every corner of the globe — basically, it’s like a plant version of the United Nations. Among these, you’ll find the ancient cycads, which are so old they could probably tell you stories about the dinosaurs. These "living fossils" are the real MVPs of the garden.

As you wander through, you’ll notice that this garden doesn’t stop at just plants. Oh no, it’s decked out with all kinds of artistic treasures. Picture yourself strolling past stonework from different eras, or discovering a random Buddha statue chilling next to some lush greenery. And if that wasn’t eclectic enough for you, there’s even a collection of stone lanterns and tiles ranging from the 15th to the 20th century. It’s basically a museum disguised as a garden.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the garden is home to a bunch of fancy residents. Majestic swans glide across the lakes like they own the place, peacocks strut around like they’re on a catwalk, and the koi fish? They’re probably more pampered than you are. It’s like nature’s version of a 5-star hotel.

So whether you’re a plant lover, art aficionado, or just here for the swans, Monte Palace Madeira Garden has something for everyone. Just be sure to take a deep breath and take it all in — because with 70,000 m² of beauty to explore, you might need a moment (or several)!

‍