The quick version
- Cabo Girão stands 580 metres high, and the skywalk on top of it was completed in October 2012.[1][2]
- Cabo Girão entry is €2, with residents and children up to 12 years old exempt, and the site is open daily from 08:00 to 20:00.[1]
- Miradouro do Guindaste sits on one of the slopes of the Foz da Ribeira do Faial, in Santana municipality, looking over the north coast.[3]
- A return trip on the Teleférico do Rancho costs 10 euros, and the Fajã do Cabo Girão beach below is reached by cable car.[4][5]
- The 4WD tour booked from this site lasts 8 hours and starts from US$79, calling at the Cabo Girão Skywalk, Seixal, Porto Moniz and Fanal Forest.[6]
| Cabo Girão Skywalk | Guindaste Viewpoint | Which suits you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setting | 580 metre cliff on the south coast[1] | North coast view from Santana[3] | South for the drop, north for the sea |
| How to get there | About 15 km west of Funchal[7] | Santana municipality, north coast[3] | Two coasts, so plan separate half-days |
| Entry | €2; residents and children up to 12 exempt[1] | A roadside viewpoint stop | Both are quick visits, not day fillers |
| Opening hours | Daily 08:00 to 20:00[1] | Go when the cloud lifts | Check the north coast weather first |
| Nearby | Cable car to Fajã do Cabo Girão beach[5] | North coast villages along the road | Pair either with the Fanal forest |
| On a tour | Stops on the 4WD west tour[6] | Reached on a north coast drive | Book the guided tour from this site |
Located on one of the slopes of the Foz da Ribeira do Faial, in the municipality of Santana, the Guindaste viewpoint offers a breathtaking view over the north coast of Madeira.
Cabo Girão first, Guindaste when you are on the north coast
Tickets and timings
Madeira Skywalks Compared: South Cliff, North Coast
Madeira has two viewpoints that travellers file under the same heading, and they sit on opposite sides of the island. Cabo Girão, above Câmara de Lobos on the south coast, is the cliff-edge skywalk: 580 metres of rock below, a platform above it, completed in October 2012.[1][2] The Guindaste viewpoint sits on one of the slopes of the Foz da Ribeira do Faial, in the municipality of Santana, and offers a view over the north coast of Madeira.[3]
The two feel nothing alike on the day. On the south coast you get a sheer wall of rock, terraced fields far below and a lot of light. On the north you get a greener, wetter shoreline where cloud moves quickly and the sea is often rough and silver. Cabo Girão is a short hop from Funchal, and Guindaste is a north coast stop that suits a day already pointing towards Santana, São Vicente or Porto Moniz.
Both are viewpoints rather than whole days out. Cabo Girão works as a first stop on the way west, and Guindaste fits a north coast run towards Seixal or Porto Moniz. Build each one into a route along its own coast and you will see far more of the island than if you drive out and back for a single view.
Cabo Girão: Entry, Hours and the Cliff Below
Cabo Girão lies approximately 15 kilometres west of Funchal[7], close enough that you can drive out after breakfast and be back for lunch. The skywalk was completed in October 2012[2] and hangs over a cliff that is 580 metres high[1]. Entry costs €2, with residents and children up to 12 years old exempt[1], and the site is open daily from 08:00 to 20:00[1].
Cabo Girão is often called the Madeira glass skywalk, and it is the view people picture when they hear the word. Underneath the platform, the Fajã do Cabo Girão beach is known for the impressive fertility of its agricultural land, and this narrow, lush strip can be accessed by cable car.[5] A return trip on the Teleférico do Rancho costs 10 euros[4], so the cliff top can easily turn into half a day if you ride down.
Nearby Câmara de Lobos is known for its bay, which Winston Churchill immortalised when he painted it in January 1950 from the Espírito Santo Viewpoint facing the sea[10]. Walkers sometimes arrive at the cliff on foot, since the Levada do Norte walk described follows the route from Estreito de Câmara de Lobos to Cabo Girão[11].
Mist settling in the Fanal forest, part of Madeira's laurel woodland.
Guindaste Viewpoint: The Faial Skywalk Madeira Option
Miradouro do Guindaste sits on one of the slopes of the Foz da Ribeira do Faial, in the municipality of Santana, and offers a view over the north coast of Madeira.[3] You arrive on the coastal road and the coast opens out in front of you, with the sea below and the green hills of the north running east and west.
This is a viewpoint for the morning or late afternoon, when the light comes across the water and the fields below are still in shade. The north coast is wetter and greener than the south, so a light waterproof is worth carrying even when Funchal is sunny. From here you can carry on east towards Santana or west towards Seixal, São Vicente and Porto Moniz, all on the same side of the island.
How to Reach Both Viewpoints Without a Tour
Cabo Girão is roughly 15 kilometres west of Funchal[7], reached on a fast coastal road with the cliff, the cable car and the town of Câmara de Lobos close together. Guindaste is much further north, in Santana municipality[3], so the two are not a single morning's work. The island road between them crosses the high interior, past Paul da Serra and the laurel forest, and the weather up there is its own thing.
Driving gives you the freedom to wait for a clear window, and it lets you combine the skywalk with the cable car down to the Fajã beach or the Levada do Norte walk that finishes at Cabo Girão[11]. Fuel up before you leave the south coast, keep a jacket in the car, and allow for the fact that the mountain road is slower than the map suggests.
If you would rather not drive, the practical answer is a guided day: pickup, driving and commentary are handled, and someone else watches the road while you look at the coast. The 4WD tour booked from this site has 11 pickup location options, including Funchal, and includes the Cabo Girão Skywalk in its route.[6]
from US$79
The 4WD tour booked from this site lasts 8 hours and calls at the Cabo Girão Skywalk, Seixal, Porto Moniz and Fanal Forest.[6]
Tours That Include the Skywalk and the North Coast
The tour booked from this site, Madeira: Skywalk, Porto Moniz, Seixal, and Fanal 4WD Tour, runs for 8 hours and starts from US$79.[6] It is rated 4.87 from 9,297 reviews[6], and its stops take in the Cabo Girão Skywalk, Seixal, Porto Moniz, the Lombinho waterfall, Fanal Forest and Fanal Pond.[6] Pickup is included, with details on availability, private or small groups are available, and the live guide speaks Portuguese, Spanish, English and French[6].
Alternatives run at different prices. The Funchal: Enchanted Terraces, Porto do Moniz & Fanal 4WD Tour starts from US$80 and is rated 4.78 from 5,647 reviews.[12] The From Funchal: West Madeira Waterfalls and Fanal Forest Tour starts from US$40, lasts 8 hours and is rated 4.70 from 3,827 reviews.[13] Madeira: West Tour With Guide Fanal Forest SykWalkExperience starts from US$42, runs 7 hours and is rated 4.80 from 2,479 reviews.[14]
The 4WD tour and the Enchanted Terraces tour both let you reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[6][12] Book the vehicle that matches your group and your appetite for a long day, and keep the skywalk as the early stop while the light along the coast is still clean.
Porto Moniz Pools, Seixal and the Fanal Forest
The pools at Porto Moniz are the swimming stop on the western route. The complex has a lounging area of approximately 3,217 m2 and a swimming area of 3,800 m2 that is 2 metres deep, holding around 7,600 m3 of seawater.[9] Bring a towel and swimwear. The water is Atlantic cold even on a warm afternoon, and the dark volcanic rock around the pools warms up quickly once the sun is out.
Fanal is presented by Madeira's official tourism board as a mystical, century-old forest that visitors are invited to discover.[15] It sits inside the laurel woodland, and Madeira's Laurissilva forest has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.[15] The trees are twisted and mossy, and when the mist comes down the place turns quiet and strange. Walking shoes with grip are a good idea, because the paths stay damp under the canopy.
Seixal adds the other half of the day: black sand, a natural pool and a coastline of cliffs and waterfalls that run hard after rain. Keep a dry bag for phones and a change of clothes in the vehicle, and you can swim, walk and photograph without a bag full of wet gear.
When to Go, What to Wear and What to Book
Madeira has a subtropical Mediterranean climate with even temperatures all year round, and an average annual temperature of 20°C (67°F).[8] In practice that means layers rather than heavy kit: a T-shirt for the south coast, a windproof shell for the cliff edge and the northern valleys, and shoes you can walk in on wet stone.
The skywalk is outdoors, so pick your day if you can. The south coast is drier, the north catches the cloud, and the high plateau between them can be cold and windy even when Funchal is warm. Start early if you want the platform to yourself, and watch the afternoon light if photography matters to you.
Booking is the easy part on the tour booked from this site: reserve now and pay later, free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and pickup included with details on availability.[6] For a first visit, the 8 hour 4WD route through the skywalk, Seixal, Porto Moniz and Fanal covers the ground with none of the driving, and it starts from US$79.[6]
From prices for Madeira west coast tours
From prices per person from the GetYourGuide listings[6][12][13][14].
West coast tour prices in US dollars
From prices per person in US dollars for each listing:[6][12][13][14].
When to book and when to go
Plan your skywalk day
Pick your coast
Decide between the south coast cliff at Cabo Girão and the northern view at Guindaste, or take both on separate days.[1][3]
Sort out transport
Cabo Girão is about 15 kilometres west of Funchal; Guindaste is up in Santana municipality on the north coast.[3][7]
Time the light
Cabo Girão is open daily from 08:00 to 20:00, so an early or late visit beats the middle of the day.[1]
Add the extras
Entry is €2, and a return trip on the Teleférico do Rancho costs 10 euros if you want the beach below.[1][4]
Book the long day
The 4WD tour from this site lasts 8 hours and covers the skywalk, Seixal, Porto Moniz and Fanal with pickup included.[6]
Ride the west coast in a 4WD and stand on the Cabo Girão Skywalk
from US$80Reserve now & pay later
