Monuments to visit Funchal Region

It was the foundation of the Portuguese businessman José Berardo who bought the Monte Palace in 1987. Nestling beneath the Monte Cathedral, spread over seven hectares, rich with more than 10,000 species of plants from the five continents (some of which are endangered), this exuberant park is well worth a visit (some even prefer it to the Botanical Garden!). Ponds, covered walkways, Japanese-style gardens, art gardens, azulejos, skilful architecture of the green spaces, viewpoints overlooking the bay of Funchal, and everywhere a restful calm. Don't miss the important collection of cycads (between the palm tree and the fern, this plant is said to be even older than the dinosaurs!), nor the section reserved for the island's endemic flora (zone E). Glass of Madeira offered at the end of the tour (in the café).

Monte Palace Museum. We meet it at the beginning of the visit. This small, modern museum has two temporary exhibitions, one dedicated to Zimbabwean sculpture and the other to a collection of minerals.

Quinta Monte Palace. In the middle of the vegetation, this residence was built at the beginning of the 20th century by a wealthy merchant, Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues, who was inspired here by the castles on the banks of the Rhine that he discovered during a trip to Germany. It was later the headquarters of the Monte Palace Hotel, which remained in operation until the 1940s. Today, the estate is home to the social solidarity foundation of billionaire José Berardo.

The São Lourenço Fortress now serves as the residence of the Military Governor and the Minister of the Republic (the representative of the Lisbon Government). Most of the building is closed to the public, but the gardens and some of the halls and lounges can be visited on certain days, and a mini military museum briefly telling the story of the fortress built in the 15th century can be visited. It was attacked by the French in 1566.