We spent one of the less hot days in the nearby capital.
After breakfast we drove to Funchal, parked and then continued our journey in a special vehicle.
We took the so-called „teleférico”, or cable car, for the first leg of the journey. The lift starts from the beach and takes you up the mountains on a cable car that stretches over the city. It covers the almost 3,200 metres in 15 minutes, climbing to an altitude of 560 metres, while enjoying beautiful views of the sea and the city.
From the terminus, you are half a minute from the entrance to the Jardim do Monte Palace, the Tropical Gardens of the Monte Palace. The gardens, which used to be a hotel, have over 100,000 species of plants, special palm trees and free-living bird species (swans, ducks, geese and peacocks). The Africa Museum houses geology and art exhibitions, and the largest open-air collection of tiles on the island. Halfway along the recommended route, it’s nice to stop for a break at a small café. A tour around the 70,000 square kilometre garden is a good half-day activity, but make sure you allow 3-4 hours. In the guidebooks, this place is usually recommended more than the nearby Madeira Botanical Garden, and we don’t regret choosing it.
We took the lift back to the car and headed to the next stop for a special museum.
Football has been a pretty significant part of my life, more than twenty years as a player and then coach. Shame-no shame-I didn’t know that Funchal was the hometown of one of the most famous footballers of our time. My only excuse is that I’m not really a CR 7 fan, but while we were here we visited the Cristiano Ronaldo museum and it was well worth it. Walking through this exhibition, looking at the multitude of medals, trophies, trophies, titles, pictures, photographs, fan letters, gifts, you understand something of why and how much this young man is adored by so many people around the world. I, of course, still have my favourites, but I also have a huge respect for him. It has been a great experience to visit and I am sure that in the future this huge collection will grow.
Afterwards, we took a walk along the nearby beach, visited two tourist shops and then drove back to the hotel. Another day well spent.
