The most beautiful parks and gardens Funchal

The Madeira Botanical Garden is a wonderful opportunity to discover the exceptional flora of Madeira and beyond. Species from all over the world have been introduced in this lush garden. Its colorful expanses dominate the city, at an altitude of 200 to 350 m. An exceptional and immense site that covers an area of 8 ha, including 3.5 ha just for the garden. More than 2,000 exotic plants are cultivated on 35,000 m², from orchids to "birds of paradise" (strelitzia), including splendid magnolias, azaleas and cacti. In addition to the section reserved for endemic plants (observe them well to find them during your hikes!), appreciate the beautiful collection of cacti and succulents, the superb geographical beds or "choreographic gardens", translating the meticulous and creative work of the landscape designers, the fruit trees (papaya, guava, Mexican sapodilla...), the aromatic and medicinal plant garden or the numerous species of palm trees presented at the end of the tour.

The Reid family lived in the quinta do Bom Sucesso from the middle of the 19th century, and the botanical garden was installed there in 1963. It is also a place of study for scientists, with a small natural history museum (not so young!), with various stuffed birds and marine species in jars, and even a herbarium (24,000 plant samples). The view is breathtaking over the whole bay of Funchal.

In the city centre, on a surface area of 8,300 m², it offers an astonishing density of species. For the record, this garden, established in the 1880s, also took the name Jardin Dona Amélia between 1897 and 1910. The convent of São Francisco once stood there, as some ruins show. At the entrance to the garden, observe the bust of Simón Bolívar (nicknamed el Libertador), the dragon trees or the Canary palm trees. A kiosk with a terrace installed under the trees invites you to make a restorative stop.