Monte Palace Tropical Garden: a guide

Madeira is famous for its beautiful gardens, flourishing in the subtropical climate of this Portuguese island. But while the Monte Palace Tropical Garden is among the best-known on the island, there’s far more to this particular attraction than a chance to stroll among the impressive array of flowers.

Set on an 18th century estate, later a luxurious hotel, it had been left to fall into ruin after the Second World War, until the Jose Berardo Foundation transformed it into today’s Monte gardens, which are also home to a museum and collection of artwork, along with birdlife and fish.

As well as admiring the beautiful views from its hilltop location near Funchal, here’s everything you need to know before a visit to Monte Palace Madeira.

Allow plenty of time for your visit to Monte Palace, at least a couple of hours to appreciate all the attractions. The gardens are spread over an area of 70,000 m2, with around 100,000 plant species from across the world, and are also home to sculptures, a collection of tiles, a small museum and more.

Understandably, it’s the astonishing collection of plant life and flowers which draw most visitors to Monte Palace Tropical Garden, including the fascinating centenary cycads, considered living fossils.

But you can also discover an impressive variety among the thousands of species found in the gardens.

Monte Palace Tropical Gardens

Look out for azaleas and orchids from the Himalayas, as well as heather from Scotland, protea from South Africa and camellias from China and Japan.

You’ll also discover flora native to Madeira, including the dragon tree and laurisilva, a relic of a previously widespread laurel forest, now found only on this island, and in the Azores and Canary Islands.

Human visitors aren’t the only ones roaming the grounds at Monte Palace Tropical Garden, which is home to various different birds from around the world.

You’ll spot swans and ducks on the lake, including rare black swans which originate in Australia and New Zealand, as well as peacocks, originally brought over from the Tropical Garden of Belem in Lisbon in the mid-90s. Viewed as messengers of peace and prosperity, as well as a symbol of divinity and fertility in multiple cultures across Asia, you might be lucky enough to see them fanning out their famous tail feathers as you stroll.

A white peacock at Monte Palace

The gardens also house several different species of chicken, including local ‘palheiras’ as well as cockerels from Indonesia, bred in the past for cockfighting.

Around the lake you may also see Capped Herons, striking grey and white birds with pale yellow chests, which reach around one metre in height. The lake itself is inhabited by koi (who are doubtless less happy to see the heron) in a whole rainbow of colours and array of sizes.

In the early 20th century, guests at the hotel could take boat trips onto the lake, but that’s no longer permitted – you can still enjoy the views of the birdlife and the waterfall which feeds the lake though.

Set within the lovely tropical garden, the Monte Palace Madeira Museum houses a collection of sculptures and minerals from around the world.

Two of the three floors are focused entirely on sculpture, with more than 1,000 separate pieces on display. The exhibition, called African Passion, features contemporary Zimbabwean sculpture from the late 1960s, as well as work capturing the environment in which the sculptors created their pieces.

On the lower floor, another display called Mother Nature’s Secrets features one of the world’s finest private collections of minerals, with around 700 exhibited from a collection of more than 1,000.

Most come from Portugal, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, North America and Zambia, some displayed to show the environments in which they form in the depths of the earth.

There’s also a separate exhibition featuring more than 300 semi-precious and precious gems, including a number of cut and uncut diamonds.

Discover a little slice of China and Japan in the heart of Madeira, in the Oriental Gardens at Monte Palace. Inspired by a trip to the countries, José Berardo became fascinated by their history and culture, as well as the influence of Portugal on this part of Asia.

Each Oriental Garden aims to recreate aspects of the culture, with Buddhist sculpture, stone lanterns, pagodas and decorative water features. Cross the ornamental bridges to miniature islands, where you’ll also find bamboo in the shape of pipes – designed to fill with water, they have a practical purpose of scaring birds away when it gushes into the lake, but are also intended to represent the passing of time.

Oriental Garden at Monte Palace

Elsewhere you’ll find marble Foo dogs at the entrance to one of the gardens; also known as lion dogs they’re usually found guarding the entry to temples. Look out for the moveable ball in their half-open mouths, as according to Chinese tradition, those who give it one complete turn will be blessed with good luck.

Portugal is famous for its tiles, or azulejo, so another highlight of a visit to the Monte Palace Tropical Garden is enjoying the collection of tile panels spaced along walkways and among the plant life.

Considered one of the most important in the country after that in the National Tile Museum, the collection includes Moorish tiles from the 15th and 16th centuries, as well as Portuguese panels produced over several centuries, dating from the 16th to the 20th centuries.

The designs from the different eras reflect everything from social, cultural and religious events to specific locations, including palaces and churches from across Portugal.

Along with the tile collection at Monte Palace Madeira, visitors can find a variety of artworks from around the world dotted through the gardens, some dating back to the 2nd century CE.

The works include historic Manueline pieces, from the period in Portuguese history between around 1495 to 1521, as well as a marble bust of Roman Emperor Hadrian. You’ll also see 18th century marble statues, 16th century coats of arms and more recent pieces including bronzes from the 20th century.

Don’t miss the four granite angels as you explore, representing four of the five senses; smell, sight, hearing and taste.

The gardens of Monte Palace

Located in the village of Monte, the gardens are very close to the island’s capital, making it an easy day trip from Funchal. It also gives you a chance to enjoy one of the most unusual Funchal Madeira things to do, riding the cable car from the old part of the city right to the garden.

The trip takes around 15 minutes, although it’s advisable to choose an early departure during peak season.

The Monte Gardens are also easy to access by car or taxi, as well as being part of various island tours, included an excursion on our Madeira’s Enchanting Gardens itinerary and Gardens of Madeira break.

We offer escorted tours to Madeira as well as hotel stays, so it’s never been easier to discover the island’s highlights for yourself. Grab your sunhat and book Saga Madeira holidays here.