I already knew about some of the cable cars on Madeira, but I was surprised to learn there were a few more once I got on the island. Unfortunately, information about them is kind of spotty and spread out. I also wanted to know how to combine them with other sights nearby and found such info unavailable. Here is my attempt to rectify this together with my recommendations on which cable cars to do and which to skip.
Overview of Madeira Cable Cars
There are 7 cable cars on Madeira. Two are in Funchal, two are just west of Funchal, 1 on the west side near Porto Moniz, 1 on the north side near Santana, and 1 east of Funchal. Here is a map with all seven. You can click on this map for more info, but I go over them in more detail below.
Funchal Cable Cars
The two cable cars in Funchal are the Funchal-Monte cable car and the Botanical Garden cable car. They serve the two gardens in the suburb of Monte. The Funchal-Monte cable car goes UP from Funchal to the Monte Palace Tropical garden. The Botanical Garden cable car goes DOWN from Monte to the Botanical Garden.
Unfortunately, each cable car and each garden have their own website and info, so if you’re trying to combine all 4 into one trip, it’s hard to figure out how to do it. As of the writing of this post, there is a combo ticket for the botanical garden and its car online, but the Funchal cable car and Monte Palace tropical garden only offer a combo ticket in person at the Funchal cable car station. If you’re trying to save time and get tickets online, you’ll have to get them separately.
It’s also worth nothing that there is another option to descend from the Monte Palace Tropical Garden – the Monte Toboggans! Keep in mind that the Toboggans drop off roughly in the same area as the Botanical Garden, not all the way down by the waterfront. You’ll have to make the rest of the way down to the waterfront by walking or taxi.
I would have liked to do Funchal cable car one way, Monte Palace Tropical Garden and then toboggans down. But they don’t run on Sundays, which is the day I happened to do this, so I took the Funchal cable car both ways.
Cable Cars West of Funchal near Cabo Girao
I didn’t do either of these cable cars and I recommend skipping them in favor of Achadas da Cruz, but I include them here for completeness together with recommendations on what else do to in that general area.
Fajãs do Cabo Girão cable car was originally built for local farmers to access the villages, or fajas, at the bottom by the beach. There are only 2 cars, so there could be a wait to get on. You can combine it with a visit to the Cabo Girao skywalk, which is higher up and has a separate entry fee and parking area.
The Fajas dos Padres cable car is similar and about 15 minutes west of the Cabo Girao one by car. Once at the bottom, you can access vineyards and a beach.
I recommend visiting the Cabo Girao Skywalk only. Do it first thing in the morning as part of a day going to the west side of the island, where you can do the Achadas da Cruz cable car. That one will give you a similar feel but it has an amazing old faja at the bottom that’s still inhabited.
If you do want to these cable cars though, other nearby attractions include the Museum of Contemporary Art (MUDAS) in Calheta, PR6 – Levada das 25 Fontes, one of the most popular hikes in Madeira, and the Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse Viewpoint. For a longer stay on Madeira, I would stay in Calheta and add on all of these things to my itinerary.
Achadas da Cruz Cable Car near Porto Moniz on the west side
The Achadas da Cruz cable car connects Achadas da Cruz, in the Porto Moniz area, to the faja (agricultural plot) of Quebrada Nova. It is one of the steepest cable cars in the world, with a 98% gradient and descending 400 m (1200 ft) down. There are only 2 cars, so arrive early or you may have to wait.
The parking lot is pretty big and there is a great cafe at the top.
Once you are down, the walk along the seafront is gorgeous and you will reach a viewpoint of a waterfall at the end. Many old stone houses and terraced fields remain. This is also where we saw our first levadas, the historic irrigation channels of Madeira that carry water across and down the mountainous terrain.
If you have more time to spend in the area, consider hiking one way and taking the cable car the other way. Verada do Calhau is steep but it’s not long and I’ve read that the trail is nice and wide and not technical.
Although we did the Achadas da Cruz cable car, Porto Moniz and Seixal in one day, I would have loved more time in this area so I could also visit the Fanal forest. If I were to split my overnight stays to different parts of the island, Porto Moniz would be one of them!
Rocha da Navio Cable Car near Santana on the north side
The Rocha da Navio cable car is the only one I regret not taking. Its limited hours (9 am to 1 pm and 2 -5 pm) make it a little tough. The north side of the island would make an excellent day trip from Funchal. In addition to the cable car, sights nearby include Santana’s traditional houses, Queimadas Forest Park where PR9 – Levada do Caldeirão Verde starts, and the hike to Pico Ruvio via PR1.2 (if you’re not already doing the more popular PR1 Pico Areiro – Pico Ruvio and back).
Garajau Cable Car near Canical, east of Funchal
Inaugurated in 2007, this is the newest cable car on the island. The top of the cable car is right next to the Cristo Rei statue, one of the island’s major landmarks. However, this cable car is relatively short; you can also just walk or drive down, although the road to the beach is pretty steep. You can combine this cable car and the Cristo Rei statue with a hike on PR8 – Ponta de São Lourenço.
Want more Portugal info? Check out my two-week Portugal itinerary, which includes Lisbon, Porto and Madeira.