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.