Madeira Island Off The Beaten Path Tips by PALLINA

A very special way to travel from Monte

Monte is a hilly village just outside Funchal, the capital of Madeira. It was used to be the place where rich English merchants used to live to escape from the hotness of the seaside. Actually, it is still very pictoresque. I would reccomand, however, to go there only for a visit without staying there, although the "Quinta do Monte" is pretty attractive (but no comparison with Casa Branca, which is much better and much closer to Funchal centre). In Monte you can visit a very nice church and experience a very strange means of transportation, born in the last centuries. Some white-dressed people pull and push a sort of basket where one person or more can sit and go down (for 1 mile more or less) just taking advantage of the gravity. I did not have enought courage but people who did seemed to have a great time. You can't miss it, when you arrive in Monte.
Actually I found it was terrebly expensive: I think 20 € was the minimum fee for one person ride.