Quinta Magnólia

The Quinta Magnólia, situated a little to the north of Reid's Hotel, was originally a private house constructed by Anglo-American J. Howard March in the first half of the 19th Century. Both he and the subsequent owner, Herbert Watney, were enthusiastic collectors of exotic plants and spent a lot of time and energy on creating extensive gardens with species from around the world.

In 1931, it became the British Country Club and then in 1980 was acquired by the Madeira Regional Government.

The grounds are now open as a public park, with a large area given over to tennis courts, though some of the original planting is preserved. If you don't want to play tennis, it's a pleasant place for a stroll.

There is a restaurant, a café/bar and a playground for children. During the summer there is usually a programme of outdoor concerts.

Getting there

You can find Quinta Magnólia on a map here. It's not far to walk from the Lido area of Funchal. From the centre of Funchal HF buses 1, 2 and 4 stop near Reid's Hotel and HF buses 8, 24 and 45 stop outside Quinta Magnólia itself.