Trip Around Madeira to Ribeira Brava

We finish our stay in Funchal, Madeira with a bus ride to the Pico da Torre viewpoint for a fabulous view over the fishing village of Camara de Lobos to the sea.  From the viewpoint, we head over to Cabo Girao, the highest sea cliff in Europe, featuring a skywalk with a glass floor balcony 589 meters (1,932 feet) above the sea, followed by a stop in Ribeira Brava.

First, our stop at the viewpoint.

Views from Pico da Torre 

We make a stop at another viewpoint more inland where we sample poncha, a local drink made of rum and honey.

More great views

Poncha

From both viewpoints, we see fields and yards planted with bananas, a small, sweet variety grown on terraced farms on the steep hills, often with the help of levadas (irrigation canals).  The bananas are sold primarily within Madeira and mainland Portugal, with very little to other EU countries as their small size and shape don't meet EU standards, making them a local delicacy that we are lucky enough to enjoy.

Bananas planted everywhere

Our next stop is the Cabo Girao sea cliff, where we take in the view up and down the coast and down through the glass floor.

View out over the sea

View through the glass floor

Our next and final stop in this island exploration is in the small town of Ribeira Brava, filled with beaches, quaint shops, cafes, and more great views (and, of course, more bananas).

Rebeira Brava

This has been a fun look around the island, but it's time for us to move on to the next island.

Riding the Funchal, Madeira Cable Car

The Funchal Cable Car (Teleférico do Funchal), also called the Madeira Cable Car, is a gondola that transports us from the lower section of Funchal, Madeira to the elevated suburb of Monte.  The cable car began service in 2000, replacing the Monte Railroad (which ran from 1886 to 1943), with the bottom station located in central Funchal near the sea.  The ride takes around 15 minutes to bring us up 560 meters (1,837 feet).  The line waiting for the cable car extends down the street and so we wander through the city, have lunch, then catch the cable car in mid-afternoon when we can basically walk right on.

Cable car line

Cable car over the city

Boarding the car

View from the top, welcome to Monte 

We exit the cable car and walk over to the Babosas Chapel, built in the early 20th century to be the center of the jubilee celebrations of the island of Madeira.  The chapel was completely destroyed in a storm in February 2010 and was rebuilt in 2022.

Babosas Chapel

From the chapel, we walk down the street to the start of the Funchal toboggan (Carreiros do Monte), a unique and historic wicker sledge ride in which toboggans slide down the winding streets with only the boots of the men steering the sleds for brakes.  Originally a fast transport method in the 19th century, the steep ride down the public streets is now principally a tourist attraction.

Original toboggan use

Riding the toboggan

Up the hill from the toboggan ride is the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte (Church of our Lady of the Mount) overlooking the city, with great views and beautiful gardens leading down.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte

Views of Funchal

Gardens below the church

Returning to lower Funchal on the cable car, we find two boats on display near the station, the Mosquito, built in England in 1900 to provide service between ships and the city quay, and the Aquila Airwais, also built in England under the direction of  T. E. Lawrence, known as Lawrence of Arabia, and used for coastal patrols and training of RAF pilots.

Mosquito and Aquila Airwais

We wander along the sea, returning to the port and to our ship, passing many roasted chestnut stands along the way (12 for 3 euros).

Roasted chestnuts

We're still enjoying our days in Funchal!

Continuing to Wander in Funchal, Madeira

We walk through the the Zona Velha (historic old-town center) of Funchal, wandering along the narrow, table-and-chair-lined streets with painted doors on the buildings, restaurants, and cafes, heading over to Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação (Our Lady of the Incarnation church), and then finding, along the sea, the old fort Fortaleza de São Tiago.

Streets of the Zona Velha

Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação was built in the 17th century on land originally occupied by a small chapel (destroyed by a flood) in honor of Our Lady of the Incarnation.  The neoclassical architecture of the small chapel is beautiful and inviting.

Our Lady of the Assumption

A few more streets in old town

The Fortaleza de São Tiago (Fort of São Tiago) is located on the edge of the old town district and was constructed in the early 17th century to protect the island against pirate attacks and foreign invasions. The fort is notable for its yellow walls (contrasting with the surrounding buildings), its strategic position overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and its panoramic views of the sea and the city of Funchal.

 Fortaleza de São Tiago

After exploring the fort, we stroll back through the city streets, along the sea, over to the Funchal cathedral, Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Assunção (Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption).  This late fifteenth-century cathedral (construction was started in 1486) is one of the few structures that survives virtually intact since the early colonization of Madeira.

 Sé Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Assunção

Leaving the front of the cathedral, we walk down a pedestrian boulevard, past the shop Comur de Portugal selling a wide variety of tinned Portuguese sardines.

Pedestrian Boulevard

Walls of sardines

We continue along the boulevard from the cathedral and reach Parque de Santa Catarina, overlooking the port, and stroll the paths through the botanical features, playgrounds, lake, and stunning views of the sea, a tranquil escape from the city nearby.

Parque de Santa Catarina

Old equipment on display in the park

Map of Madeira

Returning to our ship

We're in Funchal for two days and are truly enjoying every moment!