Photos: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Dietmar Rabich, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Up by cable car, down by wicker sledge
Your local guide
Miguel Andrade
View profile
Highlights
- A cable car climb over Funchal
- Monte's twin staircases up to the church
- Wicker sledges steered by two carreiros
- A tradition that began carrying the mail
- Rooftops and gardens seen from above
About this tour
This session rides the cable car from Funchal's seafront up to Monte, then follows the wicker toboggan run back down through the streets. You see the terraced gardens and rooftops from above and the carreiros steering their sledge at close range. Miguel explains a tradition he once trained for himself.
The cable car ascent runs a few minutes of quiet, scenic footage before the walk around Monte's church square, and the session closes on the toboggan run itself. Miguel keeps the camera on the sledge and its two guides rather than narrating over the best moments.
This suits anyone who wants Madeira's most photographed experience explained by someone who nearly did it for a living. It also works well for viewers curious about how an old transport method became a visitor draw.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
-
Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Funchal before heading out.
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Cable car ascent 21 min
The camera looks down through the cabin floor as the cable car climbs from the seafront, over rooftops and terraced gardens, toward Monte.
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Monte church square 21 min
At the top, the camera settles on the twin staircases leading up to Monte's church, where pilgrims still climb on their knees each August.
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Toboggan run 21 min
Two carreiros in white and straw hats steer a wicker sledge down the steep street ahead of us. I explain how the run began in the 1850s as a way to carry mail and produce downhill quickly.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Funchal: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Bolo do caco and Câmara de Lobos, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Madeira time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 8 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Funchal, showing you Cable car ascent and Monte church square live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I ride the cable car and film the toboggan run live.
Times shown in Madeira time (WET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Thu 29 Oct · 8 seats left From 29,00 €
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