Travel Guide > Funchal > Monte

Monte

 
The parish of the “carts”
 
Monte is one the most representative parishes of the city of Funchal. Located high up on the capital’s natural amphitheatre, it is limited to the north by the mountain.
There you can find Church of Monte. This church is the burial place of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Karl I. Every year this is the chosen location for a big festivity. 
 
In 1565, the civil parish, which was then known as Nossa Senhora do Monte, was created.
Due to its cool climate, Monte soon grew and became a holiday resort for the inhabitants of Funchal city centre. It has been welcoming many residents for a long time now, and it has also caught attention of tourism investors that built there high quality hotel units and model restaurants.
 
In this parish you can find beautiful gardens and well as the fantastic Quinta da Fundação Berardo, which well deserves an afternoon’s walk around what constitutes a live and historic museum.
In addition, another interesting place not to be missed by any visitor would be Quinta do Monte, which is open to the public. This is the place where the Emperor Karl lived.
 
Finally, Monte, one of the most visited civil parishes in Madeira, still has another two points of interest. Monte is the starting point of the traditional wicker sledges. You travel down hill on basket cars with controlled speed. Monte is also the arrival and departure point for the Cable Car, which goes down all the way to the Old Quarters of the city. 
 
Further up you can find Terreiro da Luta, where the train used to stop after passing Monte.  
Monte has about 7,500 inhabitants, and an area of about 1,865 hectares (4,609 acres).
 
How to Get There
 
To get to Monte, go all the way up Rua 31 de Janeiro and then Rua do Til. Afterwards, just go all the way up to Monte.