Funchal's cable car up to Monte and the wicker-toboggan ride back down: how the experience works, what it costs in time, and whether it's worth it.
The cable car up to Monte and the wicker-toboggan ride back down is the best-known outing in Funchal. It is a tourist attraction in the plain sense of the term, and it is also genuinely worth doing: a smooth glass-cabin climb above the rooftops, a hillside village of gardens and a pilgrimage church, and a ten-minute slide back down a public road in a basket steered by two men in white. Nothing else on Madeira is quite like it.
This guide covers how the cable car and toboggan fit together, what Monte itself offers, the time and money involved, and whether it is worth your half-day.
The outing, in brief
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cable car | From near the old town up to Monte, around 15 minutes each way |
| At the top | The church of Nossa Senhora do Monte and the Monte Palace garden |
| Toboggan | A wicker sledge ride of about 2 km down to Livramento, roughly 10 min |
| Time | 1 to 3 hours, depending on how long you linger in Monte |
| Getting back | A short taxi or bus from Livramento, since the toboggan stops there |
The cable car
The Teleférico do Funchal runs from a station near the Zona Velha, the old town, up the hillside to Monte. The glass cabins climb in about fifteen minutes, rising over terraced gardens and rooftops with the harbour and the bay spreading out behind you. It is a calm, scenic ride and, for many visitors, the better half of the day.
Monte
Monte is a green, cooler hillside village above the city. Its centrepiece is the church of Nossa Senhora do Monte, reached by a long flight of steps and the focus of a major pilgrimage each August. Next to it, the Monte Palace tropical garden, a separately ticketed attraction, combines subtropical planting with imported tile panels, koi ponds and sculpture.
From Monte, a second, separate cable car descends to the Botanical Garden on a neighbouring hillside, which is an easy add-on if you want a fuller day in the gardens.
The toboggan
The carros de cesto, the wicker toboggans, began in the 19th century as a quick way down the hill and survive as Madeira’s most famous ride. Two carreiros, dressed in white with straw hats, stand on the runners behind a two-seat wicker basket and steer and brake it with their rubber-soled boots as it slides down the public road from Monte toward Livramento. It takes about ten minutes and covers roughly two kilometres.
It is brief, it is touristy, and it ends partway down the hill at Livramento rather than back in the centre. It is also good fun, and it is unmistakably of this place.
Is it worth it
For a first visit to Funchal, yes. The cable car earns its place on the views alone, Monte is a pleasant hour with its church and gardens, and the toboggan is a short, distinctive ride that visitors remember. The honest caveats are that each leg is paid for separately, the toboggan is over quickly, and you need to sort the trip back from Livramento. None of that outweighs the appeal for a half-day in the city.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take the cable car up and walk down instead of the toboggan?
Yes. The cable car and the toboggan are separate, so you can ride up, spend time in Monte, and take the cable car back down without doing the toboggan at all. Walking down is also possible but steep and long, so most people who skip the toboggan simply return by cable car.
Is the toboggan ride safe?
It is a long-running, controlled ride: the carreiros steer and brake the sledge on foot, and it moves at a modest pace down a public road. It is a gentle novelty rather than a thrill ride, which suits most visitors and families fine.
How much time should I allow?
Allow one to three hours. The cable car and toboggan rides themselves are short, so the variable is Monte: a quick look at the church takes under an hour, while adding the Monte Palace garden, or the second cable car to the Botanical Garden, fills a relaxed half-day.
Is it suitable for travellers with limited mobility?
The cable car is easy to board and a good way to enjoy the views without a climb. Monte itself is steep, and the church is reached by a long flight of steps. The toboggan involves stepping down into a low wicker basket, which is worth weighing if you have mobility concerns; the cable car alone is the simpler choice.
