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Why Cabo Girão is worth it
Cabo Girão is one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe, rising about 580 metres straight out of the Atlantic just west of Funchal. At the top, a glass-floored skywalk juts out over the edge, so you can look down past your feet to the farm terraces and the ocean far below.
Even if glass floors are not your thing, the view alone is worth the trip: the whole south coast stretches out towards Funchal, with Câmara de Lobos and its colourful fishing boats at the foot of the cliff.
What to expect on the skywalk
- Entry to the skywalk is free.
- It gets windy. Bring a light jacket, even on a sunny day in Funchal.
- Clouds come and go. If the top is in cloud when you arrive, wait ten minutes — the view often opens up quickly.
- You only need 20–30 minutes at the top for photos and the view.
Go early in the morning or later in the afternoon. Tour buses tend to arrive mid-morning, and the light is softer for photos at the start and end of the day.
How to get there from Funchal
Cabo Girão is about 20 minutes by road from Funchal. The public bus works, but it is slow and stops a walk away from the entrance, and the roads up are far too steep to walk comfortably.
By private tuk tuk we take you right to the entrance, wait while you enjoy the view, and stop on the way at the viewpoint over the Rancho cable car and in Câmara de Lobos, the fishing village Winston Churchill came to paint.
Combine it with Câmara de Lobos
Câmara de Lobos is the natural partner to Cabo Girão: a small harbour full of painted fishing boats, steep lanes with street art, and the bars where poncha — Madeira's honey and lemon drink — was born. The tour can include a walk around the village and a poncha stop.
