Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte

Two things bring people up the steps. One is the tomb of Charles I of Austria, the last emperor, who died in exile on Madeira and was laid to rest in this parish church. The other is the climb inside. Stairs lead to the choir loft, where the pipe organ stands and the painted tongue-and-groove ceiling, concave then convex, is close enough to read. Above the loft, the bell tower opens onto Funchal, the bay and the marina.

Back at floor level, look up and back at the loft and its Corinthian columns, at the wooden box seats along the side walls, and at the ornate pulpit. Chandeliers hang over the nave, and the revered statue of Our Lady of Monte stands at the altar. Outside, paths run right around the church through gardens of old trees, past a statue of Charles I.

• Getting up: the flight of steps from the square is steep. The path through the gardens on the left side of the church climbs gradually.
• Inside: stairs run past the choir loft and the pipe organ to the bell tower, which looks over Funchal and the marina.
• Toilets: free public toilets stand within 100 m of the church, and there are cafés and a restaurant close by.
• Toboggan: the sledges start below the church. The platform at the top of the steps looks straight down on the launch and the queue.
• Gardens: the paths lead all the way round the church, past a statue of Charles I and large old trees.

The church stands in Monte, on the hill above Funchal, and the last stretch is done on foot. From the upper cable car station it is a walk through the village. From the square below the church, a flight of steep steps climbs straight to the terrace in front of the twin towers. There are two other ways up: the road along the right side of the church, which is also steep, and the path through the gardens on the left, which ascends gradually. Once you are up, it is possible to walk all the way around the church on the garden paths.

Better: 15 August, the feast of the Assumption. It was first held here in 1551 and has been held every year since. Locals light fires, and the food is espetada, bolo do caco and bacalhau.

Avoid: a day of low cloud. The bell tower and the terrace at the top of the steps are half the reason to come up, and both of them look out over Funchal and the bay. With the hill in cloud, the climb buys you nothing but the interior.