Funchal: Private Tuk Tuk Old Town & Monte with Basket Descent

4.94

(124 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the sound—tuk tuk engines rattling against the quiet morning in Funchal. Our guide, João, waved from across the street, grinning like he’d known us forever. We squeezed into his tuk tuk (surprisingly comfy seats) and zipped through alleys where the walls are close enough you could almost touch both sides if you stretched. I caught a whiff of baking bread somewhere near Rua de Santa Maria—wish I’d stopped to grab some, honestly.

Monte came up fast, all green slopes and that church—Church of Our Lady of Monte—perched above everything. João told us about pilgrimages and pointed out little things: old tiles on the steps, a woman selling flowers with hands stained yellow from pollen. Inside it was cool and smelled faintly of wax. I tried to whisper “Nossa Senhora” but tripped over my Portuguese; João just laughed and said I had good spirit. Not sure if that was true.

Then came the part I didn’t really believe until we were doing it—the basket carts. Two men in straw hats grabbed our cart (these things have been running for over 100 years!) and suddenly we were flying down this 2km stretch of road. Wind in my face, shoes squeaking on polished wood, people waving from balconies above. It’s loud but also kind of peaceful? Hard to explain. My heart was pounding but I couldn’t stop laughing. Even now when someone mentions Madeira, I think of that wild descent more than anything else.