Transportation in Madeira

We provide transfers from the airport to your hotel and vice versa.

Individual transfers for 1-3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children by taxi is aprox € 25.- per service from the airport to Funchal centre.

We also provide transfers for bigger number of guests using different type of cars or buses, ask us for a quote.

Tourists can use their driving licence in Madeira providing they are over 21 years old.
In Portugal driving is on the right hand side of the road.

It is compulsory for the driver and all passengers to wear safety belts. Infant car seats must be used for children over the height of 1,50 meters.

Hiring a car is not very expensive, although prices vary according the number of days you wish to hire. If you decide you just want one day hire, it is very expensive in proportion to hiring for a week, if you are staying that long. Driving in the country is not on busy roads so you can take your time and visit the many viewpoints along the way.

One of the ways in which to reach the Golden Island ‘Porto Santo' is by boat on the ‘Lobo Marinho'.

With capacity for 1150 persons and 145 cars, this trip is made in, more or less, two and a half hours with the choice of first or tourist class.

On the boat you may enjoy several services such as the cinema, Games Room and Multimedia Room (you must request your password at the reception). There are several areas to choose from to sit down in lounges or airplane type seats facing a television.

The ship has also got a restaurant and several bars. There is also a small shop and a children's playroom.

Volcan de Tijarafe: This ship makes the connection between the Mainland (Algarve) and Madeira Island. It began the operation in May 2008, being 154 meters long and 25.60 meters wide. It is divided into two floors, having capacity to carry about 1.000 passengers, divided into cabins and seats. It has also a maximum capacity for 500 vehicles.

The "Volcan de Tijarafe" also has a solarium, heliport, restaurant, bars and a disco.

The seats are comfortable and the chairs have an adjustable back, like the chairs in the aeroplanes. In the lounges and the seating area there are LCD televisions with the exhibition of films during the trip.

The Cabins have maximum capacity for 4 persons. The beds are individual, being the third and fourth bed bunks. All the cabins are equipped with a private bathroom with a shower.

This ship also offers one Bar, located at the entrance, where drinks and snacks are served. There is also a Bar at the pool. The restaurant is self-service, and the meals have the average cost of € 9.00/ €10.00 per person.

In this 21 hour trip, you may enjoy the pool and solarium or take part in the several activities that take place at the ship such as gymnastics, yoga, dance contests among others. At night there is a show and the disco is opened until 04H00. For the passengers that have children there are specific programs and animation for them.

Animals are allowed in the ship, and the reservation must be requested directly on the boat. The animals are transported in proper containers where the owners can visit and feed them at any time.

You can only smoke in the outside areas of the ship. The weight of luggage allowed is 35 kg per person.

Due to the lack of lockers on the ship, you may save your values at the safes that are at the reception.

The Toboggan is one of the most well known attractions of Madeira Island. These traditional toboggans made from wicker and wood are pulled and guided by two men, called “carreiros”, men that use their own boots as brakes!

This means of transport was used mainly by wealthy foreigners, some of the owners of these toboggans are of times past.

Dated as far back as 1850, the toboggan was a quick means of transport used to make the connection between Monte and Funchal.

The journey to Funchal is, more or less, in 10 minutes reaching speeds of 48 km per hour, providing moments of pure emotion.

The Cable Car in Monte was inaugurated in November  2000, and it was created so that its passengers could enjoy the trip between Funchal and Monte, and its gardens and points of interest.

The Funchal ticket office is located in the old part of the city, in the area named Almirante Reis. The other ticket office, in Monte, is located in the Caminho das Babosas, a few meters from the Nossa Senhora do Monte Church and the Quinta Monte Palace Tropical Garden, where you can see many of the local plants and flowers.

At Monte Palace Tropical Garden, you may see exotic plants from several continents, an important feature of this garden being the specimens of the Laurel Forrest. You may also see the Koi fish and the highest ceramic vase in the world, catalogued in the Guinness Book.

Schedule:

Open: Daily except Christmas day

From 10:00 to 18:00 (last passenger loading at 17:45)

The Cable Car up to Monte can be bought as a return trip, or as a one way, for example, you can choose whether to go up by bus and down by Cable Car or vice versa.

The Botanical Garden cable car is situated at “Quinta do Bom Sucesso”. This “Quinta” is located about 10 minutes from the center of Funchal the capital of the Island.

From the moment that you set foot in the cable car, prepare yourself for an unforgettable experience, a dream trip. From personal experience believe me, you have never seen anything like this before! The journey takes you to a world of exotic and natural beauty. The panoramic views are wonderful, from the coast and ocean, to the greenery of the mountains.

From 9:30 to 17:45 everyday, except December 25^th

Prices:

One way € 7.75, and return: € 12.25

Children (4>12 years): € 3.90, with return € 6.15

Children below 4 years old: Free

Reserva da Rocha do Navio

Originally designed to aid the transportation of people and merchandise to places with difficult access, nowadays the cable car is used to give people new sensations and to experience something different.

The “Teleférico da Rocha do Navio” is located in Santana, this cable car give us a feeling of being on a slide and the images of the landscape in that area is breathtaking...Yes you must have this experience, it's something that you will always remember. When you reach the end of the trip, you will see a nice area with a wine plantation, and the “Ilhéu da Rocha do Navio” just a few meters away. Because this area is a natural reserve you will see a variety of plants and fish, careful it´s forbidden to go fishing there!

We would not recommend this for people who are afraid of heights.

Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 9:00 – 12:30 and 14:00 – 17:00

Price €3.50