Monte Palace Tropical Garden
While I was doing research for this trip, I kept wondering what the difference was between the Madeira Botanical Gardens and Monte Palace as they were both on the side of the hill and seemed to fall under the category of “garden”. However, this place is not just a garden, it’s an experience. Descend into this fantastical world that masquerades as a mere “tropical garden”.
There are two entrances. This is the one closest to the cable car, but if there is a line up, you can continue on down the road to the second entrance called Babosas (which, in my opinion, is also the nicer one).
The Babosas entrance hosts a little cafe and a thousand year old olive tree growing around a granite rock.
The journey starts off with a few small museum exhibits. There are several rooms of contemporary Zimbabwean sculpture and a room called “Mother Nature’s Secrets” is filled with some of the largest examples of crystals and minerals I’ve ever seen (about 700 specimens) collected from around the world.
After the museums, follow the paths lined with 16th - 20th century tile. I know, so far…this all seems just okay, but wait. Now the surprises start. Here’s where things start to get a bit…Asian?
Dragons, pagodas, and red wooden gates all add to the feeling that we might not be in Portugal anymore.
A little gathering welcomes us as we walk by. Peek in the little niches and cross the stepping stones to explore what other creatures and creations are hidden around this area.
A stone lion wishes us good luck on our continuing journey as we walk through the final red gate (which was a little like walking through a doorway into another world).
Welcome to the beautiful Central Lake area!
Inhabitants of this place include koi, a small flock of flamingos, some very beautiful blue tiled panels, and a few other surprises.
With its narrow paths lined with little waterfalls, green niches, and small caves holding stone secrets, there’s plenty here to explore.
The main building has had several reincarnations. It was originally a private residence built around 1897, and then eventually turned into a hotel. It is now simply titled “Palace” on the map and is currently not open to the public.
Around the back of the Palace are several niches displaying a ceramic gallery which hints at what sort of furnishings and decorations could’ve been inside.
What palace isn’t complete without its own sphinx?
At this point, we realized that Monte Palace is no small garden and we later discovered that it covers 70,000 square meters. By this time, our feet were getting a little tired. We thought we were nearly done. But then, we looked over the Palace balcony.
There are two Asian gardens on the grounds. This second one is the Japanese garden which combines peaceful temples and waterways with stunning views.
This place is technically a garden as well, so I have to include at least one flower close up.
After leaving Monte Palace, why not return in style? These wicker toboggans are an unusual alternative to get back down to Funchal. We opted to take the cheaper and more direct bus, but it was still fun to watch.