Funchal Photo Gallery

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At the start of the Monte Toboggan run

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The Monte toboggan run, where passengers in a wicker basket on wooden runners slide down the steep roads towards Funchal, dates back to the 1850s. Originally introduced to offer a means of fast transport for the local inhabitants, it soon became a tourist attraction. Certainly, by the early 20th century, cruise liner holidaymakers were frequent customers of the carreiros de Monte. It is also documented that, during this period, it was the habit of the locals to shower gardenias and roses on the passing tourists as they made their descent. The route taken is shown on the map below, starting at point “A” and finishing at point “B”.

Route taken by the Monte Toboggan run

“A” marks the start - “B” marks the finish