Lookout, Cliff
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…
Read moreLookout
Balcões is one of the most popular sights in Madeira. Built on a high rock promontory above a deep wooded valley, the small viewing platform with railings offers spectacular views of Madeira's forested mountainous hinterland. [btn "The cheapest accommodation in Madeira" https://www.booking.com/region/pt/madeira.cs.html?aid=2380460;label=p-madeira-balcoes] Often the view is obscured by fog, but if you're lucky you'll be able to see the highest…
Read moreVillage, Valley, Lookout
The picturesque village of Curral des Freiras lies in the valley of the same name, or rather in a place resembling a deep volcanic crater surrounded by forested peaks of steep mountains. The valley floor is not flat, so the village is built on terraces in the steep slopes. The villages in the valley have been cut off from the outside world for a long time, supposedly by nuns fleeing pirate raids during the 16th century. [btn "Compare car…
Read moreCable car, Lookout, Cliff
The cableway is out of operation for a long time. A smaller cable car in the Rocha do Navio Nature Reserve, which was built for local farmers to make it easier for them to get to their fields, now serves tourists. Panoramic views can be enjoyed on the 5-minute ride. A return ticket costs just 5 eur. The cable car operates between 9:00-13:00 and 14:00-17:00. [btn "Compare car rental prices - FNC Airport" https://booking.com/city/city/pt/funchal…
Read moreStatue, Lookout, Cable car
The statue of Christ the King rises to a height of about 15 metres on a high cliff above the sea to protect all Madeira fishermen. At night it is illuminated to act as a beacon. [btn "View accommodation in Madeira" https://booking.com/region/pt/madeira.cs.html?aid=2380460;label=p-madeira-socha-garajau] Built in 1927 in the Art Deco style, the statue is not dissimilar to the more famous statues in Rio de Janeiro or Lisbon. It stands in the…
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