Manor Estate of the Crosses Museum (Quinta das Cruzes)
Manor Estate of the Crosses Museum (Quinta das Cruzes)
Manor Estate of the Crosses Museum (Quinta das Cruzes)
4
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
About
This "Manor Estate of the Crosses" museum is considered one of the most prestigious and well-kept museums of Madeira, which houses a splendid collection of silver, filigree and antiques that were part of a private collection of John Wetzler, a Czech citizen who lived on Madeira.
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- Jane H8 contributionsDec 2023 : an update on our previous reviewWe returned to see if there had been improvements since our last visit a year ago. The gardens on the whole remain very well maintained and the lofty trees, the shrubs and flower beds were in good condition and a pleasure to wander in and just sit and enjoy. The orchid area at the top of the gardens had evidently received some good attention, pots were weed-free and only good specimens retained. Larger ornamental containers were also looking better. Sadly the wooden frame shading the whole area has not been repaired, with many broken slats making it look uncared for still. Maybe just a question of time or it could be a cost thing of course. But 30 seconds less of end of year fireworks might have paid for the restauration, making the Quinta das Cruces and its otherwise superb gardens once more one of the jewels in Funchal’s crown. Something to look forward to in 2024…Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten January 2, 2024
- zxcvbn55Aylesbury, United Kingdom56 contributionsVery Highly RecommendedThe views are amazing. The Gardens are really nice. The Restaurant is incredible. Possibly the best steak I have ever eaten. All served by very friendly staff and cheap for the quality of food on offer. This is a must, must visit Restaurant.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten February 17, 2024
- Nichola CSouthampton, United Kingdom23 contributionsA quiet, off the beaten track garden and QuintaWe found the staff in the museum pretty unhelpful. The downstairs is currently closed which is a shame as we were looking forward to seeing the palanquin. Nobody told us it was closed when we bought our (admittedly cheap-€3) tickets. The gardens are free to walk around. The orchid house is currently out of bounds- I think the dilapidated roof makes it unsafe- which was a disappointment. The cafe was very nice. Delicious food - we had risotto and an omelette. Pricier than local cafes but what a view and setting! Overall I’d say worth a visit if you fancy something a bit different. Unfortunately the convent was closed (12.30-2pm every day) so we will have to come back to visit that another day. Check the opening times!!!Visited July 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten July 30, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.0
298 reviews
Excellent
94
Very good
144
Average
39
Poor
11
Terrible
10
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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Jane H
8 contributions
Dec 2022
More time, care and management and probably money need to be given to the gardens. We were shocked and saddened to see how they have gone downhill since we last visited in January 2020. There were more than enough gardeners working there during our visit - we saw them all together at what must have been their lunch hour. While the lower part of the gardens is well attended to, whole other areas seemed to have been abandoned, particularly the upper terrace where there is the shaded shelter for the orchid collection. The shelter itself is in a state of disrepair, the many pots there had been neglected for a long time, were full of weeds, and many were dying. The large ornamental planters had also been totally neglected. By the house, where we remembered some choice shrubs in well maintained beds, there were now some very ordinary unattractive annuals. It is letting the Quinta down certainly but it is also well below the standard of all the other splendid gardens open to the public in Funchal and is it letting the rest of them down.
Written January 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael B
Wakefield, UK491 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
In many respects this is a hidden gem as it is well away from the Funchal tourist trail and necessitates a fairly steep climb (by urban standards) from the city centre. It is well worth the effort. The gardens are very pleasant and offer extensive views. The cafe is currently closed. The museum itself is of historical interest with numerous artefacts and a large collection of silverware.
Written September 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nichola C
Southampton, UK23 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
We found the staff in the museum pretty unhelpful. The downstairs is currently closed which is a shame as we were looking forward to seeing the palanquin. Nobody told us it was closed when we bought our (admittedly cheap-€3) tickets. The gardens are free to walk around. The orchid house is currently out of bounds- I think the dilapidated roof makes it unsafe- which was a disappointment. The cafe was very nice. Delicious food - we had risotto and an omelette. Pricier than local cafes but what a view and setting!
Overall I’d say worth a visit if you fancy something a bit different. Unfortunately the convent was closed (12.30-2pm every day) so we will have to come back to visit that another day. Check the opening times!!!
Overall I’d say worth a visit if you fancy something a bit different. Unfortunately the convent was closed (12.30-2pm every day) so we will have to come back to visit that another day. Check the opening times!!!
Written July 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jane H
8 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
We returned to see if there had been improvements since our last visit a year ago. The gardens on the whole remain very well maintained and the lofty trees, the shrubs and flower beds were in good condition and a pleasure to wander in and just sit and enjoy.
The orchid area at the top of the gardens had evidently received some good attention, pots were weed-free and only good specimens retained. Larger ornamental containers were also looking better. Sadly the wooden frame shading the whole area has not been repaired, with many broken slats making it look uncared for still. Maybe just a question of time or it could be a cost thing of course. But 30 seconds less of end of year fireworks might have paid for the restauration, making the Quinta das Cruces and its otherwise superb gardens once more one of the jewels in Funchal’s crown. Something to look forward to in 2024…
The orchid area at the top of the gardens had evidently received some good attention, pots were weed-free and only good specimens retained. Larger ornamental containers were also looking better. Sadly the wooden frame shading the whole area has not been repaired, with many broken slats making it look uncared for still. Maybe just a question of time or it could be a cost thing of course. But 30 seconds less of end of year fireworks might have paid for the restauration, making the Quinta das Cruces and its otherwise superb gardens once more one of the jewels in Funchal’s crown. Something to look forward to in 2024…
Written January 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Global12321499384
1 contribution
Jul 2024 • Friends
We were not well received. Employees lack patience and often fail to be professional. We were very uncomfortable all the time we were there. I do not intend to go back into this establishment because when I speak in the face of the employees I would like them to look me in the face.
Automatically translated
Written August 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dugan
London, UK228 contributions
Aug 2021 • Solo
This palace contains a collection of fine furniture and musical instruments from Madeira’s golden age. Harp, harpsichord and square piano all made in London, a sign of British dominance of commerce at that time. Beautiful furniture with exquisite marquetry. In the cellar is a large display of good family silver, including table ornaments of a couple of servants, with black faces, as they were in fine houses at that time. There were only 4 other visitors while I was there, which is a shame as this place is well worth the trek up the steep hill.
Written August 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
zxcvbn55
Aylesbury, UK56 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
The views are amazing. The Gardens are really nice. The Restaurant is incredible. Possibly the best steak I have ever eaten. All served by very friendly staff and cheap for the quality of food on offer. This is a must, must visit Restaurant.
Written February 17, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
callisto_on_holiday
UK95 contributions
I went to the Quinta das Cruzes in February 2008. To get there from the centre of Funchal involves a little walk, ending with a rather steep hill, but you are rewarded for this, once you get up to the café balcony, by gorgeous views of the sparkling sea (on a sunny day!). You have to walk through the gardens to find the restaurant, and if you are not hugely interested in old houses or museums, you could go to have a look at the garden and stoneworks and then just enjoy a drink with the view. At the time I visited there was no entrance fee to the grounds; a ticket was needed only if you wanted to enter the museum/house.
The gardens are not extensive, but are shady and pleasant. The most interesting thing about them is that they are actually designated as an archaeological park because of the collection of stonework they contain. This includes early tombstones, the old town pillory, various carved coats-of-arms, and most intriguingly, two large Manueline window frames from the 15th/16th century.
The back of the garden is home to a large orchid conservatory, which may be of particular interest to keen horticulturists. Beside this you may spot some 18th century frescoes (although they probably wouldn't excite anyone but the very keen observer).
At the time of my visit the entrance fee for the Quinta was only EU 2.50, which is incredible value when compared with prices I have paid in other European countries for museums, but please do check more current price info.
The Quinta itself has lovely wooden floors, high ceilings, and full-length windows. It is rumoured to have been built on the site of Zarco's first house in Funchal, but in its current form it dates to the 18th century. I found much more inside the house than I was expecting. The period furniture includes both local, Portuguese, and English pieces (such as Chippendale), and is complemented by a host of intriguing artifacts from various countries, decorative pieces, paintings, Chinese porcelain, 17th-19th century jewellery, Madeiran clay Nativity figures, azulejos tiles, 19th century filigree work etc. etc.
There are staff on hand, though I suspect they are there to watch over everything rather than to offer you historical information, but you may as well try your luck if they look friendly, you never know what you may learn! Also, if my memory serves me well, I believe there are information cards for each room, which are printed out in (perhaps) 3 languages.
For me, it was well worth the effort and I happily spent about 3 hours here. But that time included the gardens, enjoying a snack at the café, and looking dreamily into the sea!
The gardens are not extensive, but are shady and pleasant. The most interesting thing about them is that they are actually designated as an archaeological park because of the collection of stonework they contain. This includes early tombstones, the old town pillory, various carved coats-of-arms, and most intriguingly, two large Manueline window frames from the 15th/16th century.
The back of the garden is home to a large orchid conservatory, which may be of particular interest to keen horticulturists. Beside this you may spot some 18th century frescoes (although they probably wouldn't excite anyone but the very keen observer).
At the time of my visit the entrance fee for the Quinta was only EU 2.50, which is incredible value when compared with prices I have paid in other European countries for museums, but please do check more current price info.
The Quinta itself has lovely wooden floors, high ceilings, and full-length windows. It is rumoured to have been built on the site of Zarco's first house in Funchal, but in its current form it dates to the 18th century. I found much more inside the house than I was expecting. The period furniture includes both local, Portuguese, and English pieces (such as Chippendale), and is complemented by a host of intriguing artifacts from various countries, decorative pieces, paintings, Chinese porcelain, 17th-19th century jewellery, Madeiran clay Nativity figures, azulejos tiles, 19th century filigree work etc. etc.
There are staff on hand, though I suspect they are there to watch over everything rather than to offer you historical information, but you may as well try your luck if they look friendly, you never know what you may learn! Also, if my memory serves me well, I believe there are information cards for each room, which are printed out in (perhaps) 3 languages.
For me, it was well worth the effort and I happily spent about 3 hours here. But that time included the gardens, enjoying a snack at the café, and looking dreamily into the sea!
Written May 2, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kamomilla77
19 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
The museum was rather boring. Beware, when they force you to leave stuff in the lockers; all the staff may suddenly leave the museum for hours without prior notice, thus leaving you stuck and waiting.
Written April 27, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Farky
Edinburgh, UK133 contributions
Dec 2014 • Friends
Wonderful collection housed in this museum. The silver ware in particular was just incredible. Some of the furniture, painting and ceramics were also quite fantastic. The garden which surrounds the museum building is an attraction in itself. In fact it was the garden that attracted us in the first place then we realised the building was a museum. Very much worth a visit.
Written December 9, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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