Day Tour: Museums & Roses

About this service:

This Museums & Roses tour will start with us leaving Funchal and heading to the King Christ statue (Christo Rei) at Garajau. Then we'll travel to Caniçal to the east for a visit to the Whale Museum (Museu da Baleia da Madeira) which explains the history of whaling in the Madeira archipelago, no longer practised, and about the natural history and the conservation of cetaceans. The museum has no stairs and is fully ramped. Wheelchairs are available for hire if needed. There is also a café and a shop. Next we travel north to the rose garden, 'Roseiral Quinta do Arco'. On the way, we'll be able to stop at the viewpoint of Guindaste at Faial and also visit Santana to see the traditional, thatched A-frame houses. The rose garden in Arco de São Jorge is one of the largest in the world, with over 1,500 species. There are standard roses and climbing varieties and some rare species that are labelled. It's open every day from April until December, but closed between January and March. The garden also has a restaurant if you wish to have a meal or some refreshment. From there, we continue around the island to São Vicente... a small pretty village on the north coast, then on to the west for a visit to the contemporary art museum in Calheta called Casa das Mudas. It's a modern gallery built into the landscape and contains artwork from the 1960's to the present day. Casa das Mudas does have quite steep stairs to each level, but also has a lift if you don't want to use the stairs. There is a café here too! On the way back along the coast to Funchal, we stop at Câmara de Lobos, the picturesque fishing village where Sir Winston Churchill painted. Depending on the weather, we may start the tour by going the other way around. It will be approximately an 8 hour day to give you time to enjoy each venue and allow time for lunch etc. It will be my pleasure to be your guide on this Museums & Roses tour of Madeira. **PRICE OF ADMISSIONS ARE NOT INCLUDED WITHIN THE COST OF THE TOUR AND PLEASE NOTE, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO BOOK THIS TOUR ON SUNDAYS OR MONDAYS DUE TO THE MUSEUMS OPENING HOURS** Current admission prices (2025): The Whale Museum: 10€ for adults, 8.50€ for seniors (over 65), and a family pack (2 adults and 1 child up to 11 years) for 20€. Groups of 8 people pay 8.50€ per ticket. Rose Garden is free entry but there is a charge if you wish them to provide you with a guided tour. Casa das Mudas admission is 4€ per person.