In Madeira, the word quinta means a landed property with a large house surrounded by gardens and trees. Quintas have always been considered high-status homes and people lived in them all the time in the 19th century. Some of them have farmland for vegetables, bananas and vines. We often find a belvedere or gazebo on these estates. The following are some of the quintas to be found in and around Funchal.
Quinta Monte Palace
This quinta used to belong to Charles Murray and, until the 1940s, housed the Hotel Monte Palace. This wonderful quinta, with its palatial house surrounded by gardens and lots of trees, was once visited by Isabella of France, when the consul George Stoddart lived there. Today it houses the José Berardo Foundation, a private charitable institution, which safeguards and preserves works of art. It also has a museum and restoration workshop.
Quinta Vigia
Building work on this baroque and neoclassic style quinta lasted throughout the 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. It is surrounded by parkland and overlooks the Port of Funchal and is one of the most famous quintas on the island. Notable residents here over the years were Nicolau de la Tuelière, the Count of Lambert, Queen Adelaide of England, Empress Elizabeth of Austria, Archduke Maximilian, the Prince of Oldenburg, the Duke of Leuchtenberg, Queen Amélia, and the Empress of Brazil and her daughter Maria Amélia, who died here in 1853. Today, Quinta Vigia is the official seat of the Madeira Regional Government.
Quinta do Bom Sucesso
This quinta used to belong to the Reid family, who settled in Madeira in the mid-19th century to open a hotel. The Botanical Garden was set up here in 1963 and today exotic flowers and trees and many other local flora grow here.
Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro
This quinta was built in the early 19th century by the first Count of Carvalhal and is considered one of the largest and most sumptuous quintas in Madeira. It is situated to the east of Funchal at the top of high mountains where it commands an excellent view. Here we can find gardens, orchards, farmland and lakes. Over the years, the quinta has been visited by Empress Leopoldina, first wife of King Pedro IV, Prince Luís, King Carlos and Queen Maria Amélia and the Duke of Edinburgh. Today it belongs to the Blandy family and houses a luxury inn with a golf course.
Quinta das Cruzes
João Gonçalves Zarco is believed to have lived at this quinta. Today, this baroque-style building houses a decorative art museum and is surrounded by beautiful gardens full of a wide variety of plants and flowers. Quinta da Palmeira This quinta in Rua da Levada de Santa Luzia belonged to H. Hinton, and his descendants still live there today. It includes an impressive house surrounded by gardens with large trees and spacious lawns. In the gardens, there is a Manueline-style window that once belonged to João Esmeraldo’s building, where Christopher Columbus is thought to have lived for a while.
Quinta Magnólia
Quinta Magnólia in Rua Dr. Pita occupies an area of about 40,000 m2. It used to belong to a British family but was bought by the Regional Government, which has restored it. Today, it is one of the nicest places in Funchal. In addition to its natural heritage, the quinta also has a variety of sports facilities, such as a jogging circuit, two tennis courts, a swimming pool, a children’s playground and an outdoor bar. There are musical events at the quinta every year, including Funchal Jazz.
Quinta da Boa Vista
Only a five-minute drive from the centre of Funchal, in Rua Lombo da Boa Vista, is Quinta da Boa Vista, two hectares of green oasis. The house was built over 200 years ago and currently belongs to the Garton family, who have been recreating the habitats of many endangered species of flowers in its gardens.
Quinta Jardins do Imperador
The gardens of the famous Quinta do Monte have been restored and the quinta is now called Quinta Jardins do Imperador. Emperor Charles of Austria once lived, and died, here. The well-known artist, Lurdes de Castro, was another of the famous figures to have lived here. There is now a café for visitors in the famous Malakof Tower. This tower is particularly interesting, not only thanks to its fine architecture but also because it affords a view of the romantic landscape from Monte to Funchal. Nearby is a garden of the same name, with a small fort surrounded by a vast, multicoloured rose garden.