4.8
Day Trip: Funchal's Botanical Garden by Cable Car
- 5 hours
- Day Trips
- Funchal
Your local for this experience
Experience hosted by Luana
- Private Tour
- Carbon Neutral
- Destination
- Funchal, Portugal
- Category
- Day Trips
- Duration
- 5 hours
- Transport mode
- Walking tour
- Available languages
- English, EspaΓ±ol, Italiano, PortuguΓͺs
- Included
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- Private Guide
- Entrance ticket Botanical Garden
- Cable Car tickets to Monte and to the Botanical Garden v.v.
- All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral
- Excluded
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- Entrance to other attractions than mentioned
- meals or snacks
6 reasons to book this tour
- Visit the botanical garden with the cable car & explore it with a local
- Get insights straight from a local source
- No big groups: just you and your local host
- Can be 100% personalized to your wishes
- Forget about big tourist groups & audio guides!
- See the botanical gardens from a local perspective
What you can expect
Embark on a captivating botanical adventure with our Funchal Botanical Garden Tour! Begin your journey at the cable car lower station in Funchal, where our local guide awaits you. Together, ascend to the picturesque village of Monte, swapping cable cars for a breathtaking ride to the elevated haven of the Botanical Garden.
As you step into this lush paradise, your guide will lead you through a curated exploration of the garden's highlights. Encounter a breathtaking array of tropical wonders within climate-controlled greenhouses, featuring exotic orchids, vibrant bromeliads, and delicate ferns.
Marvel at the diversity of endemic plant species native to Madeira and the Macaronesia region, discovering their unique characteristics and cultural significance. The Herb and Medicinal Garden will unveil the traditional uses of various plants, adding a fascinating layer to your botanical experience.
Continue your journey through the garden's well-designed landscapes, adorned with colorful flowers, lush lawns, and scenic pathways. Explore the captivating Cactus and Succulent Garden, showcasing the resilience and beauty of desert plants.
After a leisurely and informative exploration, descend back to the cable car lower station in Funchal, savoring the memories of a day filled with natural beauty and botanical wonders. Let our local guide enhance your journey, sharing the hidden stories and unique features of this splendid garden. Join us for a tour that blends the charm of Funchal with the tranquility of the Botanical Garden, creating lasting memories of Madeira's rich natural treasures
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.
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Meeting point
Meet at At the entrance of restaurant Esplanada Teleferico - Funchal to start your journey
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Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but itβs not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
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From Funchal to undefined
Meet your host and get ready to mount the cable car. Your host will be there by your side to make the journey a more pleasant and enjoyable experience -
undefined Exploring
Let your local host show you around the botanical garden of Funchal. Here you can find must-sees, hidden gems, history, cultural treasures, and more! Your host will make sure to provide you with all the answers and insights you might have along the way -
undefined Off the Beaten Path
The best part about this private day trip is that you get to experience the botanical garden from a different perspective - through the knowledge of a local! -
Ask Away!
Your day trip is 100% private, meaning that itβs only you and your local host exploring the botanical garden. Take advantage of this opportunity and get all the answers and insights to your questions! -
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
Flexible cancellation policy
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Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, youβll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
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Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
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Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible β your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
SarahπΊπΈ United States
(About local )
10 April 2025
Luana led me on a nice tour through the Funcal market and its surrounding areas. My favorite part was trying many, many new (to me) tropical fruits. I ended up purchasing a monstera fruit that I carried around like a pet for the next few weeks eating the lovely kernels as they ripened. Tripical Fruit!
Katherine
(About local )
8 April 2025
Normally I wouldnβt write a bad review, I just would skip it, however in this case I need to be honest. First of all, Sherryl is a very nice women, however she has only lived in Madeira for 3 years and does not seem to know Madeira very well. For instance, we toured with her on a Sunday and she didnβt know any opening times nor did she prepare a tour given things were shut down. Literally she pointed to a building and told us the name. She didnβt know the history, architecture or anything. I knew more from the guide book. We finally decided to leave half way thru to spend our time in better ways. Finally, there is nothing βoff the beaten trackβ in this tour. Itβs 100% standard sites. The tour was a big disappointment due to her lack of knowledge.Left half-way thru
Philip
(About local )
5 April 2025
We had a wonderful 3-hour food tour around Funchal with Sherryl, booked through Withlocals. The weather was kind to us and the sun came out, adding to a lovely afternoon of sampling a wide variety of traditional Madeiran food and drink. There was plenty to enjoy, and Sherrylβs knowledge and insights into the islandβs history really added to the experience. A great way to explore the local culture through its flavours. Personally we would perhaps have liked more history and information about the island and possibly the inclusion of Madeira wine tasting. It was a lovely start to our stay on the island.Sampling Funchal
Johnπ¬π§ United Kingdom
(About local )
1 April 2025
We started our tour with two confusions- firstly our guide wasnβt Sherryl (but we didnβt catch her actual name when she introduced herself). Secondly, our meeting place: the Poncha de Pescador bar, 188 Rue de Santa Maria was a single closed door that looked nothing like a bar or somewhere weβd expect to meet someone. Fortunately, βSherrylβ was nearby and the tour went well from then on. βSherrylβ was very pleasant, helpful and seemed to know the old town well. A very interesting short tour.A very interesting short tour.
Ianπ¬π§ United Kingdom
(About local )
31 March 2025
What a lovely young lady Volha was.
We like to take these tours to get a feeling for a new city and it was very useful.
It seemed like we covered everything and the day after we were much better prepared to stroll around, knowing much better where we would end up.
The cafe where we met has the best Pastel de Nata and went back again for lunch thevday after. Off the main area so we would never have found it.
That is what WithLocsls is all about.Great introduction to Funchal
Christineπ¬π§ United Kingdom
(About local )
29 March 2025
Cheryl is a lovely lady, she is very knowledgeable and friendly. Our walking tour started in the market, through town and down to the harbour. We learnt a lot about the history and customs of Madeira. Cheryl also gave us lots of info about bus routes and times. There were many opportunities to sample and buy delicious food. Thank you Cheryl xxChristi
Steveπ¬π§ United Kingdom
(About local )
28 March 2025
We met Volha in the park and she then took us on a tour of Funchal taking us to places we would have missed on.Volha was a superb host so easy to talk to and my wife and I had a lovely time.I would thoroughly recommend a tour with Volha if in Funchal.Lovely walk with Volha
Miranda
(About local )
24 February 2025
Our tour with Luana was our first time using With Locals. Luana has great warmth and energy. The tour was was the perfect way to start our stay in Funchal. She even tried to find a specific pastry i requested. She also sent links to me after the tour for activities we mentioned an interest in doing. It was like having a friend show you their town. Great Experience!
Mariyaπ¨π Switzerland
(About local )
31 December 2024
Volha adjusted the route of the tour to accommodate us travelling with a baby buggy (not working great on stairs, of which there are many in Funchal!) and showed some lesser known corners of the city. She is very relaxed and easy going, it was interesting to explore her adopted hometown together. Thanks to a chance encounter with a friend of hers we also found out about Oscar Niyemeyer's buildings in Funchal and visited them as well.A nice stroll through Funchal
Dellaπ¬π§ United Kingdom
(About local )
23 November 2024
I had such a lovely evening with Volha, who is warm, friendly, interesting and she imparted lots of information about Funchal, and Madeira's history. It is lovely to see a place through the eyes of someone who knows and loves it. It felt like meeting a friend! Conversation was easy, and the overall experience was wonderful. We had a fabulous glass of wine and a delicious snack. Highly recommended.A wonderful evening in Funchal
Rosemaryπ¬π§ United Kingdom
(About local )
29 October 2024
We had SHERYLL as our guide on both tours and we thought she was very good . itour experience was one of pleasant learning and interaction and was relaxed and good.
We had difficulty meeting up the first time - wasting time- we were all in the same place but not recognizing each other as leader and participants - we even stood on the same step! if only she had had a badge or a particular coloured jacket or some way so that we could have identified her! this kind of thing is very difficult in a busy and for us - new place- with a different language too and is stressful.
That said, we enjoyed ourselves immensely and hope this comment will help future participants- once met up- the identification can disappear. also, e mails are easier than your portal- not everyone carries their passwords around and mobiles do not aleays cooperate, THis is no reflection on Sheryll, but rather for you to consider in your prep and organisation. #Many thanks - we love Madeira and were so glad to have pre booked for these exceptional experiences.Tasters and Hidden gems
Aleeta
(About local )
29 September 2024
Volha was a very welcoming Funchal tour guide. She was very knowledgeable about the history of Funchal and was able to tailor the tour to our interests. She is very friendly and the whole group got along very well with her - like meeting a new friend! Thank you Volha for an amazing tour!Fantastic private tour
Elenaπ©πͺ Germany
(About local )
26 September 2024
I had an unforgettable experience exploring Funchal with Volha as a guide! Her deep knowledge of the cityβs history, culture, and hidden gems made the tour not only informative but also truly enjoyable. Volhaβs passion for Funchal shines through in every story she shares, and her warm personality made the whole experience feel like a walk with a friend.
The tour was perfectly paced, covering all the major highlights while also taking us off the beaten path to discover some of Funchalβs best-kept secrets. Whether it was the historical landmarks, the charming local spots, or the breathtaking views, Volha made sure we saw the heart and soul of the city.
I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to connect with Funchalβs authentic side. Thank you, Volha, for an amazing day and for making Funchal come alive for us!
Great expirience π©·
Dπ¨π Switzerland
(About local )
21 September 2024
Es wahr eine enspante und gut organisierte StadtfΓΌhrung wir kΓΆnnen sie gut weiter empfΓ€hlen .
Danke Volha Tolle FΓΌhrung durch Volha Void
Els
(About local )
12 September 2024
Sherryl is a very sweet lady but for us, she is not βa localββ¦ She indeed lives in Madeira but for us a local should be someone who knows all the tips and tricks from eating in Madeiraβ¦ This is something we missed, instead of βhere you can eat a pastel de nata, which is very popular dessert in Portugalβ to βhere you can buy the most delicious pastel de nata in Madeiraββ¦ so in the end we were happy that we did the tour but a bit disappointed in the tour itselfβ¦Not local enough
Simone
(About local )
24 August 2024
Luana Γ¨ stata molto ospitale, ci ha spiegato nei dettagli la storia di Funchal, le tradizioni e le passioni degli abitanti di madeira. Appassionata dell'isola e di tutte le attrazioni che la contraddistinguono.
Grazie per tutto e anche per i suggerimenti su dove gustare la Poncha e dove poter cenare.Alla scoperta di funchal!
JenniferπΊπΈ United States
(About local )
13 August 2024
Sherryl was a wonderful guide through the city of Funchal. She is very knowledgeable about the city and the foods we tried. She was easy to talk to and give great recommendations for our stay in Madeira!Great day in Fuchal
Tonyπ¬π§ United Kingdom
(About local )
17 July 2024
Luana was great, approachable, friendly and excellent knowledge of Funchal. We really enjoyed the eating experiences, and a great introduction to traditional Madeiran food. Luana was able to recommend several restaurants. We ate at the Santa Maria Restaurant tonight and had a superb meal, which was excellent value. Thoroughly recommend a tour with LuanaEverything we wanted it to be
Marcπ±πΊ Luxembourg
(About local )
10 June 2024
Not much to say except that the tour was exactly what we wanted and totally flexible and adapted to our needs.
Luana, with her great personality and knowledge of the island, made this a very enjoyable tour and we highly recommend booking your tours with her."Thank you"
Marieke
(About local )
2 June 2024
On our first day in Funchal we had a great food&foot tour with Luana. She made a program special for our family and took us to very nice and unique places to eat and drink. We needed and extra hour to enjoy everything. Luana is very enthousiast and familiar and she knows a lot about Funchal and Madeira. We give Luana a very high recommandation!Great tour with Luana
TomπΊπΈ United States
(About local )
1 May 2024
Engerly was engaging, knowledgeable, and accommodating. She kept the tour interesting with personal and historical anecdotes. Weβll book her again next time weβre in Madeira.Funchal was beautiful
Johanπ³π± Netherlands
(About local )
25 April 2024
Volha is an entertaining young Italian wan living already for years in Madeira.
She speaks good english so easy to follow.
She did the 10 tasting in her own way and we loved her enthousiasm.
Because we also booked a standard Funchal tour, we made it difficult for her to tell and show things we will not see in the other tour. But she managed. Searching for the right places to eat was a challenge altough it is the title of the tour πVolha is a really nice guide!
CathyπΊπΈ United States
(About local )
24 April 2024
Engerly was very pleasant, and very knowledgable. We saw so much of Funchal. She took us to a nice local cafe for the a delicious treat. I would highly recommend her!Beautiful town and Island
Silvana π©πͺ Germany
(About local )
4 April 2024
It was a lovely and interesting time with volha, like walking through her city with a friend and discovering little secrets and hidden beauties. The cable car ride gave us a great overview of the city. It was a pleasure to be with Volha.
Absolutely recommendable! Many thanks and best regards from Silvana & Cameron Lovely walk through Funchal
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