9 Best Viewpoints in Madeira
Waterfalls plummeting into the ocean, tiny villages nestled in the heart of the mountains, crystal clear water lapping at black sand beaches, and a sea of clouds swirling below jagged mountain peaks; Madeira’s landscapes are unlike anywhere else in the world. Continue reading to discover the best viewpoints in Madeira and everything you need to know for your visit.
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Madeira; the island of viewpoints! Every corner you turn makes you want to stop and whip out your camera.
Madeira is home to some of Europe’s most striking landscapes! Steep-sloping cliffs tumbling into the ocean, waterfalls crashing into deep pools, jagged mountain peaks sitting peacefully above the clouds; you’ll often feel like you’re on another planet entirely.
This guide will share with you all of the best viewpoints in Madeira as well as where each is located, whether there are any facilities, the best time to visit Madeira and how to get around. So, continue reading for everything you need to know to discover the best places to visit in Madeira for spectacular views.
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Contents
Viewpoints in Madeira
Miradouro do Guindaste
We’ll kick off this guide to the best viewpoints in Madeira with Miradouro do Guindaste.
Miradouro do Guindaste offers an incredible view of the Atlantic Ocean across the striking rugged northern cliffs to Ponta de São Lourenço on the east of the island. On a clear day, you can even see out to the beautiful white sand island of Porto Santo.
Location: Santana
How to get there: Miradouro do Guindaste is a 9-minute drive from Santana and half an hour from Funchal
Facilities: none
Miradouro das Cabanas
Miradouro das Cabanas was one of our absolute favourite viewpoints in Madeira!
One of the lesser-known viewpoints on the island, you’ll find fewer crowds compared to some of the others.
Miradouro das Cabanas offers an unparalleled view over Arco de São Jorge and the Atlantic Ocean with a dramatic mountain backdrop. Here, you can see how green and mountainous Madeira is as the lush interior slopes down to meet the turquoise ocean.
Location: Arco de São Jorge
How to get there: an 8-minute drive from Arco de São Jorge, 16 minutes from Santana and an hour from Funchal
Facilities: none
Miradouro do Veu da Noiva
Miradouro do Veu da Noiva is one of the most unique and Instagrammable viewpoints in Madeira!
Located on the Old Road that connects Seixal to São Vicente is this incredible viewpoint where you’ll find a waterfall gushing out the side of the cliff to meet the ocean.
From here, you can also enjoy a wonderful view across the slopes of the north coast of Madeira and over the Atlantic Ocean.
Location: between São Vicente and Seixal
How to get there: a 4-minute drive from Seixal, 6 from São Vicente and 40 minutes from Funchal
Facilities: a coffee and souvenir shop
Pico do Arieiro; best viewpoints in Madeira
Pico do Arieiro is without a doubt the most spectacular of Madeira’s viewpoints!
Pico do Arieiro is the third-highest mountain in Madeira and offers an amazing view of the island’s central mountains. The best time to arrive is half an hour before sunrise when the sky is lit up in reds, gold and oranges and watch the new day begin.
Located at 1,818 metres above sea level, you’re usually sitting just above the clouds giving way to a mystical atmosphere as the sea of clouds rolls over the mountains below. This was the highlight of our Madeira itinerary!
Our Top Tip: one of the best things to do in Madeira is to hike from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo; the tallest peak on the island.
Location: Funchal
How to get there: a 35-minute drive from Funchal. Alternatively, you can book a tour with your accommodation pick up and drop off included
Facilities: visitor centre, toilets, souvenir shop and restaurant
Miradouro de São Cristovão
Miradouro de São Cristovão is a spectacular viewpoint with views of the sea and the island’s verdant interior.
This is another one of the lesser-known viewpoints in Madeira and is incredibly peaceful. You could spend hours gazing at the waves lapping at the mountain slopes.
Location: São Vicente
How to get there: a 10-minute drive from São Vicente or a 45-minute drive from Funchal
Facilities: restaurant and toilets (for restaurant customers only)
Miradouro da Santinha; top Madeira viewpoints
Miradouro da Santinha is a scenic viewpoint looking out across Madeira’s dense mountainous interior.
Although Miradouro da Santinha is stunning, we found one of the most striking Madeira viewpoints on the opposite side of the bend as we were driving towards the viewpoint from Arco de São Jorge.
Here, you can see much farther into the mountains through the valley and you’re slightly lower down so the mountains loom high above you. Make sure to pull over (where it’s safe) and snap some photos from here too!
Location: Boaventure
How to get there: a 5-minute drive from Boaventure or a 45-minute drive from Funchal
Facilities: none
Miradouro da Bica da Cana
Miradouro da Bica da Cana was one of the viewpoints in Madeira we were most excited about visiting.
Situated at 1,580 metres above sea level, this viewpoint offers magnificent views of Pico Ruivo and Pico do Arieiro with a sea of clouds sitting in the valley beneath you and the world below.
Miradouro da Bica da Cana is incredibly peaceful and one of the most breathtaking places in Madeira to watch the sunrise. However, on the day we set our alarms for 5:15am, Madeira had other plans…
Unfortunately, we couldn’t see more than about 15 metres in front of us but we’ve kept it in this guide as on a good day it’s definitely one of the best viewpoints in Madeira.
To see what Miradouro da Bica da Cana should look like, see this blog post.
Location: Ponta do Sol
How to get there: a 40-minute drive from Ponta do Sol or 50 minutes from Funchal
Facilities: none
Cabo Girão
Although one of the busiest viewpoints in Madeira, Cabo Girão is an absolute must-see!
At 580 metres elevation, Cabo Girão is the highest cape in Europe and offers breathtaking views over the ocean and municipalities of Câmara de Lobos and Funchal.
In 2012, the viewpoint was renovated and a transparent glass skywalk was suspended in the air, making it the highest cliff skywalk in Europe!
Anywhere else with a glass skywalk would charge you to visit, however, this is completely free!
Our Top Tip: due to its proximity to Funchal, Cabo Girão is one of the busiest places to visit in Madeira so we advise visiting outside of peak hours.
Alternatively, after visiting the viewpoint, continue up the road for a couple of minutes where, at one of the bends, you’ll have the same view with no crowds. (Just make sure it’s safe to pull over.)
Location: Câmara de Lobos
How to get there: an 8-minute drive from Câmara de Lobos and a 20-minute drive from Funchal. Tours to Cabo Girão are also extremely popular
Facilities: a restaurant, toilets and souvenir shop
Pico Ruivo; the highest viewing point in Madeira
Sitting at 1,861 metres above sea level, Pico Ruivo is the highest viewing point in Madiera!
If you’re lucky enough to experience Pico Ruivo on a clear day (which, of course, we were not) you’ll be able to see the village of “Curral das Freiras”, also called “Nun’s Valley” and out to Ponta de São Lourenço.
You can drive to the viewpoint where you’ll also find a cafe and toilets, however, for one of the best things to do in Madeira, we recommend hiking between Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo.
Hiking between these two peaks was a highlight of our Madeira itinerary. The landscapes are absolutely breathtaking as you hike above the clouds, through tunnels, climb narrow staircases and go in and out of the clouds as you change altitude. Often, you feel like you’re on another planet entirely.
Location: Santana
How to get there: a 16-minute drive from Santana and an hour from Funchal
Facilities: a cafe and toilets
Everything You Need to Know to Visit the Best Madeira Viewpoints
Getting Around Madeira
The easiest way of getting around Madeira is with your own car. This gives you the freedom and flexibility to travel around the island at your own pace and visit the most popular places in Madeira before peak times.
If renting a car in Madeira doesn’t sound up your street, however, Get Your Guide has a fantastic selection of tours. These usually come with hotel pick up and drop off and incredibly knowledgeable local guides. Have a look at a few below or click the link to browse tours in Madeira.
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The best time to visit Madeira
The best time to visit Madeira is actually all year round. It has a sub-tropical climate with hot summers and mild winters offering year-round sunshine.
However, the interior of the island is mountainous and can be unpredictable at any time of the year. Where you might have glorious sunshine by the coast, 20 minutes inland to the mountains, it might be raining and chilly so bear this in mind when visiting the viewpoints inland.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our guide to the top 9 viewpoints in Madeira. If you have any questions or feel we’ve missed any off, please leave a comment below.
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