Madeira’s 7 Cable Cars – Teleféricos da Madeira
Madeira is a volcanic island with a very rough landscape and plunging cliffs. Albeit being a rather small island, it boosts a total of 7 scenic cable cars.
Two of them are well known to Madeira visitors, namely the cable car linking the city of Funchal to Monte and the one linking Monte to the botanical gardens. The other five are much harder to find and are used for touristic purposes as well as to transport utensils and crops. These five will also get your adrenaline going. The scenery is definitely worth it.
Funchal – Monte Cable Car
This cable car takes you from Funchal to Monte with a climb of 560 meters. It is a wonderful way to admire the amphitheater of Funchal and the ocean from atop. The trip takes about 20 minutes. Have your cameras ready … Once in Monte, you can decide to visit the Monte Palace Botanical Garden, the famous church, try out the wicker basket ride. Alternatively, you can continue to the Botanical Garden by taking the second cable car.
More information: www.madeiracablecar.com
Monte – Botanical Garden Cable Car
This is a convenient cable car which allows for a visit to the famous botanical garden of Madeira while stopping in Monte. The trip takes about 9 minutes.
Find out more: www.telefericojardimbotanico.com
Garajau Cable Car
The municipality of Garajau, on the south coast, is close to Funchal. Garajau is only a 10 minutes drive away. This cable car takes you down 150 meters to Garajau beach and Garajau Nature Reserve. Hence, this beach is an excellent place to dive or just relax really. This is one of the best places close to Funchal to see the sunset. So, if you feel romantic, why not head to the Cristo Rei next to the departure of the cable car with your significant other?
Fajâ dos Padres Cable Car in Quinta Grande
This cable car descends 300 meters to the ocean level in a sort of garden of Eden. The owners cultivate the land with love and the farm is eco-friendly. A restaurant awaits you for lunch at the bottom as well as a pebble beach. However, this tends to be quite crowded in the Summer time as locals and visitors alike love this place.
Rancho Cable Car in Câmara de Lobos
The Rancho cable car is more recent that the others. Mostly farmers use this cable car to transport their crops. It is close to Cabo Girao and much less crowded than Faja dos Padres. There is no restaurant in the bottom. However, there is one next to the departure point at the top. Furthermore, this restaurant offers fantastic views of Madeira’s coastline.
Achadas da Cruz Cable Car
This cable car is in the municipality of Porto Moniz on the north of the island. The cable car takes you down 450 meters to a beautiful and resourcing fleck of land. There are no amenities in the bottom, so come prepared with drink and snacks. It is not advised to swim in the crystal-clear waters as the current can be very strong. This is a special place.
Rocha do Navio Cable Car
The cable car of Rocha do Navio is situated on the north coast of the island in the municipality of Santana. The trip down to the Nature Reserve of Rocha do Navio lasts about 5 minutes. It is mainly used by local farmers. However, it is also open to visitors.
Where are the 7 Cable Cars?
Here is an interactive map.
