If you’re wondering what Funchal day trips to take, you definitely have a lot of options. Any decision you take won’t be wrong – the surrounding area offers some lovely sights. Anyway, here are a couple of options that are worthy.

Monte

The small town of Monte is located less than 3km northeast of Funchal. Here, you can experience the famous toboggan ride. The toboggan is a wooden sledge that has 2 passenger seats and is navigated by 2 drivers, dressed in traditional white uniforms. The toboggan ride itself is an exciting downhill journey to Funchal and lasts less than 10 minutes, with the speed reaching up to 50 km/h. Other interesting sights in Monte are the Nossa Senhora do Monte Church (an impressive church dating from the 18-th century) and the beautiful Monte Palace Garden (a tropical garden hosting few thousand plant species).

The Deserted Islands

The Deserted Islands or Ilhas Desertas are 3 small volcanic islands located about 16km southeast of the shores of Funchal. Boat trips are possible from the Funchal harbor and cost roughly $100. The islands are called Chao, Deserta Grande and Bugio, and are uninhabited, with Deserta Grande usually being the end point of the trip from Funchal. The Deserted Islands are home to 16 species of birds, rabbits, feral goats, different rodents, reptiles, tarantulas and a small population of monk seals, which makes them a must-visit for every nature lover. They are an established nature reserve.