At 589 metres above sea level, Cabo Girão is the highest cliff in Madeira and, according to many tables, the 2nd highest in Europe and the 12th highest in the world, although the criteria for determining what is still a cliff and what is already a mountain vary considerably, so these statistics must be taken with a grain of salt.

Either way, the Cabo Girão cliff is impressive. It drops almost perpendicularly down into the ocean, and incredible views can be had both from the top of the cliff and from sea level.

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The cliff is already visible from Funchal, but the best views from below are from the nearby village of Câmara de Lobos.

Skywalk - a glass viewing platform

A glass-bottomed lookout has been built on top of the cliff, which juts out over the edge of the cliff and offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside, 9km away in Funchal and down to the small cultivated fields on the coast.

Nowhere else in Europe will you find a higher cliff lookout with a glass floor. Unforgettable are the views from here of the setting sun and later the play of lights of Funchal at night in the background.

At the entrance to the viewpoint, you can refresh yourself in the café and shop in the overpriced souvenir shop.

Cabo Girao Skywalk

Cabo Girao Reef

Entrance fees and opening hours

As of 2023, the viewpoint is subject to a fee and charges 2 eur for admission.

It is open from 9:00-20:00.

How to get there

It is very easy to get to the viewpoint with a rental car. It is close to the old coastal road ER229 winding around the edge of the island and the turn off is well signposted.

The viewpoint is located within the municipality of Quinta Grande between Ribeira Brava and Câmara de Lobos. There is free parking right next to the Skywalk.

The Cabo Girao Miradouro bus stop is also located right next to the car park. This stop is only reached about 2-3 times a day by line 7 services from Funchal, Câmara de Lobos and Ribeira Brava.

The rest of the services (about once an hour) stop at the Cabo Girao stop on the main road about 400 metres from the viewpoint. Timetables can be found on the website siga.madeira.gov.pt/horarios/7.

Tickets can be bought from the driver with cash only and cost 2,60 eur to all destinations.

Cable cars

Two tourist cable cars literally drop down from either side of the cliff. They cover a very short distance over an elevation gain of around 400 metres, and breathtaking views can be had both during the ride and from the small pebble beaches bordered by perpendicular half-kilometre cliffs.

Rancho - on the east side of the cliff, round trip ticket costs 10 eur, but only runs between 8:00-9:00am and 6:00-8:00pm
Fajã dos Padres - on the west side of the cliff, return ticket costs 10 eur, runs daily between 10:00 and 19:00