One Day in Madeira (Cruise Port): Cable Car, Toboggan Ride & What We’d Do Differently

Madeira wasn’t a port we overplanned.

We knew about the toboggan ride. We knew there was a cable car. Beyond that, it was more of a “we’ll figure it out as we go” kind of day.

That worked… up to a point.

By the end of it, we had a clear highlight, a couple things we’d skip next time, and one moment that felt way more meaningful than expected.

Early morning view of Funchal Madeira coastline with city lights reflecting on the ocean

Street view near Funchal Madeira cruise port with city buildings and mountains in the background

Colorful street mural on a building in Funchal Madeira featuring traditional figures and lanterns

Fountain with globe sculpture in Funchal Madeira city center surrounded by buildings

Historic square in Funchal Madeira with cobblestone streets and traditional Portuguese buildings

Hillside homes and terraced landscape in Madeira with lush greenery and mountain backdrop

Starting with the HOHO + The Cliff Stop

We started the day by hopping on a hop-on hop-off (HOHO) bus right from the cruise port, heading out toward the coastline.

Our first stop was the seaside town of Câmara de Lobos, known for amazing views of the cliff.

If you’ve seen photos of Madeira where people are standing on a glass platform over a massive drop… this is that place. That’s Cabo Girão.

It’s a quick stop, but worth it just for the view alone.

Coastal cliffs and hillside homes in Madeira overlooking the Atlantic Ocean near Funchal

Street in Câmara de Lobos Madeira with colorful buildings and a church on the cliff in the distance

Quiet street in Funchal Madeira with pastel buildings and hillside homes in the background

Palm trees and stone wall along a hillside in Madeira under a clear blue sky

Travelers walking along a narrow street in Funchal Madeira during a cruise port day

Fun Fact

Cabo Girão is one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe, standing at about 580 meters (1,900 feet) above the ocean. There’s a glass skywalk makes it feel every bit of that height. Of course, we viewed from a distance.

The Hidden Tradeoff with HOHO Buses

This is where we learned something the hard way. HOHO sounds easy. And it is… until the timing stops working in your favor. You’re on their schedule, not yours.

We started noticing that if we weren’t careful, we’d end up waiting longer than expected, backtracking, or rushing through stops just to stay on track.

Pro Tip

If you’re using a HOHO bus, pick your must-do stops ahead of time and plan your route around those first. Otherwise, it’s easy to lose a couple hours just trying to loop back.

The Market Stop (Glad We Prioritized This)

This is where the day shifted a bit.

After realizing we missed the market stop on the HOHO, we decided not to wait it out and just grabbed a taxi back toward Funchal. It ended up being one of the better decisions we made all day.

Good to Know

Inaugurated in 1940, the Mercado dos Lavradores or Farmers’ Market is the supply point of the city. You can find the most fresh and tropical products of Madeira’s archipelago here.

We got there earlier than planned, before things started winding down, and the whole place still felt alive. Stalls full of fruit, vendors calling out samples, people weaving through tight spaces trying to decide what to try next.

Busy outdoor section of Mercado dos Lavradores in Funchal Madeira with shoppers and fresh produce stalls

Fresh fruit stand with bananas, papaya, and local produce at Madeira farmers market in Funchal

Visitors browsing fruit stalls inside Mercado dos Lavradores in Funchal Madeira

Hanging dried peppers and flowers inside Mercado dos Lavradores in Funchal Madeira

Colorful display of tropical fruits including bananas and dragon fruit at Funchal Madeira market

Instead of doing a full sit-down, we popped into a nearby grocery and grabbed a few baked goods, including pastel de nata. Quick stop. Nothing fancy. But this ended up being one of the more memorable moments of the day.

We had a full conversation with an elderly woman working there who didn’t speak the same language as us. And somehow… it still worked.

Smiles, gestures, a few shared words here and there. One of those moments that just sticks.

Getting Up to Monte

Next up was heading to Monte. We decided to take the cable car, bought tickets on-site, and waited maybe 10 minutes.

Easy process. No issues there. The ride itself is actually really nice — great views over the city and coastline as you go up. But this is where things got a little inefficient.

Once you’re at the top, you’re committed. There’s no quick loop back down unless you:

Wait again for the cable car
Take a taxi
Or commit to another route (like the toboggan)

For us, it didn’t matter… we were up there for the toboggan.

Passengers riding the Madeira cable car above Funchal with city views in the background

Aerial view of Funchal Madeira from the cable car with red rooftops and hillside homes

Cable car gondola over Funchal Madeira with panoramic views of the city and mountains

Terraced hills and homes in Madeira seen from above near Monte during cable car ride

Monte Area (What We Skipped)

At the top, we walked around the Monte area but didn’t go into the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens. It looked beautiful. But with limited time, it felt like too much to add on top of everything else we wanted to do.

If you have a full day or are staying overnight, this is probably worth it. For a cruise stop, it’s a tradeoff.

Monte Palace Tropical Garden sign in Madeira near entrance to Monte area

Carreiros do Monte toboggan ride ticket brochure showing history of Madeira sled ride

Visitors standing near Monte gardens in Madeira before toboggan ride experience

The Toboggan Ride (The Highlight)

This is why most people come up here. And honestly, it lived up to it.

The line looked long when we got there — one of those “this might not be worth it” moments — but it moved way faster than expected. We waited about 30–40 minutes.

Traditional wicker toboggan sleds lined up in Monte Madeira before the ride

Carreiros do Monte drivers pushing wicker toboggan sled down cobblestone street in Madeira

Couple riding Madeira toboggan sled guided by Carreiros down a steep street in Monte

Carreiros do Monte drivers walking uphill with ropes after completing toboggan ride in Madeira

Cost Info

Toboggan rides are typically around €25–€35 per sled (shared by 2 people). Prices can vary, so it’s worth checking day-of.

Once you’re up, two drivers in white guide you down the road in a wicker sled, steering with their feet and ropes.

It sounds ridiculous. It kind of is. But it’s also one of those experiences that’s completely unique to Madeira.

Transcript

Transcript: Lori and Pam ride a wicker toboggan down a steep street in Madeira as two Carreiros in white uniforms guide and steer the sled using ropes and their feet. No talking, just ambient sound.

What Happens After the Ride

This is the part that can catch people off guard. The toboggan doesn’t take you back to where you started. At the bottom, you’re just… there. No clear loop. No obvious next step unless you’ve planned it.

We ended up grabbing a taxi back toward town instead of trying to piece together another route or wait again. That saved us a lot of time.

What We’d Do Differently

This is one of those ports where a little planning would’ve made a big difference.

If we did it again:

Take the cable car up to Monte first thing to beat the crowds
Do the toboggan ride first, then take a taxi to the market.
Wrap up the day with the HOHO bus, or skip it altogether and explore.

The HOHO wasn’t bad. It just didn’t fit well with the timing of everything else.

Practical Tips & Takeaways

Start early, especially if using HOHO
Visit the market earlier in the day
Expect hills everywhere
Toboggan lines move faster than they look
Plan your exit after the ride (taxi is easiest)
Don’t try to cram everything into one day

Final Thoughts

Madeira ended up being one of those ports where the highlight was obvious.

The toboggan ride… Everything else added to the day, but that’s the thing you’ll remember.

If you build your day around that and keep the rest flexible, you’ll have a much smoother experience than trying to connect everything on the fly like we did.

If you’re planning to go, this will take you right to the Monte area where the toboggan ride begins.

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