Quinta da Boa Vista is a historic estate and orchid garden in the Santa Maria Maior parish of Funchal, on a slope overlooking the centre and western side of the city. It was built in the late 18th or early 19th century and worked first as a market garden, then as a flower farm. The Garton family turned it into an orchid nursery in the 1960s. It now holds one of Madeira's most important orchid collections, on one of the last walled stair terrace gardens left in Funchal, still fed by levada water.
Quinta da Boa Vista
The collection began when Betty Garton brought part of her father's English orchid stock to Madeira in the 1960s; her son Patrick still runs the garden.
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance and parking. Inside, the garden is laid out on stair terraces.
- Parking
- Car parks about 350 m and about 440 m from the garden; the further one charges a fee. Wheelchair-accessible parking is available.
- Transport
- Nearest bus stop, Rua Mãe dos Homens, about 190 m away.
- Hours
- Sunday 9:00–18:00. Closed Monday to Saturday.
What makes it special
The orchids are the reason to come. The collection was built up from the 1960s by Cecil Garton, a retired Royal Air Force group captain, and his wife Betty, daughter of the orchid breeder Sir William Cooke. She brought part of her father's collection to Madeira and went on breeding here, increasingly for conservation. Their son Patrick, a botany graduate, runs the quinta today.
The setting is a piece of working Funchal history: one of the last walled stair terrace gardens left in the city, still drawing its water from the levada irrigation system. The slope gives a view down over the city. Staff explain the plants at length and answer questions, and orchids are sold on site.
Good to know
- Upkeep is uneven. This is not a manicured botanical garden; parts of the estate look worn, though work has been going on to bring it back up.
- The approach is uphill. Walking up from the city centre is hard work. Driving up or taking transport is easier.
- Orchids are sold here. Plants can be bought at the garden.
- Ask the staff. They talk through the collection in detail, which is most of what makes a visit worth the climb.
Getting there
Quinta da Boa Vista stands on the hillside above central Funchal. It is not far from the market in the town centre, but the route climbs the whole way, and walking it is real work. Driving up or taking transport is the easier choice. The garden itself is laid out on walled terraces up the slope, so there are steps inside the grounds.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you buy orchids at Quinta da Boa Vista?
Yes. Orchids are sold at the garden.Was the garden damaged in the 2016 Madeira fires?
No. Quinta da Boa Vista came through the 2016 wildfires unscathed, while the nearby Jardim Orquídea was almost completely destroyed.Can you walk up from central Funchal?
Yes. The garden is not far from the market in town, but the road climbs the hillside all the way, and the walk is hard going. Driving or taking transport up is easier.Is it a good place to take children?
It suits a family visit. Staff explain the orchids and answer questions, and the terraces are open to walk through.Is the garden wheelchair accessible?
The entrance and the parking are wheelchair accessible. The garden inside is built on stair terraces.