Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte

Beautiful Church. I do recommend going up to the choir loft and the bell tower. It costs only €1.50 and from there one gets a fabulous panoramic view of the Funchal Marina.

Having taken the cable car to the top, we went to explore around the gills and came across this stunning church. Definitely worth a visit around the church and the surrounding gardens. We lit candles for lost loved ones, stopped in a nearby shop for ice cream (there bar and restaurant too) and watch the queues of people waiting for a toboggan ride back down the hillside.

Nice little church. If you want to get to the top just gotta humour the workers there and take some pics with poses on their direction. Then up you go and check out the amazing views. When you get back down you get to check out the pics they took of you. Reminds me of rollercoaster pics. No hard sell to buy them.

Category: Attractions. Check out this beautiful, twin-towered church where the exiled Charles I of Austria sleeps, forever. It’s an easy walk from the upper cable car station. If the steep steps are too much for you, take either the road on the right side of the church (still pretty steep) or the gradually ascending path through the gardens on the left side. The platform at the top of the steps provides a birds-eye view of the sledges being launched below. After you make your way up and into the church, be sure to walk up to the choir loft (not many steps) to see the pipe organ and liturgical accoutrements. From this loft you can also get a good view of the wonderful painted tongue-and-groove concave and convex arched ceiling. From the floor of the nave, be sure to look back and up at the choir loft and its Corinthian-ish columns, at the interesting wooden box seats on the two side walls, and at the ornate pulpit. After viewing the church, be sure to stroll the multiple paths of the gardens, which are lush and full of different plant and tree varieties. Charles I (a statute) stands guard. I especially liked the big old trees and the mottled-paint-and-plaster old building to the left of the church. We wondered if it’s possible to walk all the way around the church. It is. If you are interested, there’s a tea house on the right side, up the hilly street. YouTube’s Chef’s Apprentice

The church has a lot of stairs, but it’s very beautiful and has a great atmosphere. Definitely worth a visit.

A great little church in top of the mountain . Remains of A King was there with a peaceful interior. Hope and pray ..Will come back again one day. Because nearby grill of a traditional roast of beef steaks were incredible

We were looking forward to visiting Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte, but our experience was unfortunately soured by the behavior of the entrance staff today. When we arrived around 16:45, we were not greeted at all. My husband politely asked how much the entrance fee was, and a woman at the door (who had black hair and looked to be in her late 20s or early 30s) barely acknowledged us. She simply gestured at the card machine while remaining focused on her phone, showing no interest in engaging with visitors. When I offered to pay in cash, she finally responded, but did so curtly, saying they were closing. This was confusing and disappointing, specially since we later saw that the official closing time was listed as 19:00. We had made the trip up specifically to visit the church and were unfairly turned away over two hours before closing. The pilgrimage site is worth the visit, but the dismissive and inattentive attitude of the staff left a poor impression. A little courtesy and clear communication would have gone a long way in making fellow Catholics feel welcome.

Wonderful Church and so worth walking up those stairs! Fantastic views, incredible architecture, and you can actually access the upper balcony inside the Church if you choose to climb more of those stairs! Worth every step to see!

My experience does not give credit to the interior of this church. Service was held at the time of my visit, so I can acknowledge it's an active church. For religious folks you'll probably feel as though you're serving part of your penance climbing those stairs :P For the outdoorsy workout type of people, those stairs may fill or help fulfill your steps-count. For you people who lack exercise, this is a perfect gluts cruncher. This is an ancient church built around the mid 1700's. It was rebuilt in the early 1800's because of an earthquake. I can't imagine it - too scary! ...especially this structure being at the top of a hill :( Still, the reward is at the top of the steps. Breathtaking views of the ocean front, city, and hillside. I'm not a historian, but if you want more facts, try your research skills. What I loved most has been captured in pictures. A visit is an experience worth a short moment!