3 Best Sights in Madeira, Portugal

The Botanical Garden is on the grounds of an old plantation 3 km (2 miles) northeast of Funchal. It's home to more than 2,000 well-labeled plants—including anthuriums, bird-of-paradise flowers, and a large cactus collection—hailing from four continents. From the grounds, it is possible to savor wonderful views of Funchal, and check out the petrified trunk of a 10-million-year-old heather tree. There's also a natural history museum and a small birds garden. You can get here on Bus 29, 30, 31, or 31A, or you can ride the cable car, departing from the small hilltop settlement of Monte.

This 30-acre estate 5 km (3 miles) northeast of Funchal is a lovely spot to see the many colorful plants that bloom year-round in Madeira. Visitors will see hibiscus and bougainvillea most of the year, while jacaranda and bauhinias crop up seasonally. Owned by the wine-producing Blandy family, the manicured gardens make for a pleasant afternoon, and the teahouse here serves delicious homemade cakes and tarts. It's a steep drive—Nos. 36, 37, and 47 buses pass several times a day, and it's a popular stop on organized tours of the island.

This colorful garden is known around the world, and for good reason. Tiled panels recall the adventures of Portuguese explorers, pagodas and gateways lend touches of Asia, and cannons pour their salvos of water from a stone galleon in a lake. The garden was once part of a luxury hotel that closed in 1943 and languished for years. Fortunately, millionaire entrepreneur José Manuel Rodrigues Berardo bought the property in 1987 and transformed it into the garden you see today.