Botanical Gardens & Cabo Girão

Madeira is a botanical garden in itself — the subtropical location, volcanic soil, and irrigation through the levadas create conditions under which plants from all over the world thrive. Funchal and its surroundings have some of the most beautiful gardens in Europe.

Jardim Botânico da Madeira

The Botanical Garden (founded in 1960) is located on a terrace above Funchal and houses over 2,500 plant species from around the world: tropical trees, succulents, orchids, bromeliads, medicinal plants, and — the highlight — the terrace beds with geometrically arranged flower beds in bright colors, which look like a living painting. Admission: €6. Accessible by cable car (Teleférico do Jardim Botânico, €5 from Funchal center).

Cabo Girão

20 kilometers west of Funchal rises Cabo Girão — the second highest sea cliff in Europe (580 m) and one of the highest in the world. Since 2012, a glass viewing platform (Skywalk) juts over the abyss: You stand on transparent glass, and beneath your feet, the rock wall plunges 580 meters vertically into the sea. Below, you can see the Fajãs — narrow terraces at the foot of the cliff, cultivated by cable car from above (vines and bananas!).

Entrance to Cabo Girão is free, parking available. The view is best in the morning (often cloudy in the afternoon). On clear days, the view extends to Funchal in the east and the lighthouse of Ponta do Pargo in the west. Not suitable for those with extreme fear of heights — the glass floor is not for the faint-hearted!

Combination tip: On the way to Cabo Girão, a stop in Câmara de Lobos is worthwhile — a picturesque fishing village that Winston Churchill loved so much that he painted it several times. Colorful fishing boats, a tiny harbor, and the best Poncha bars on the island. From here, hikes along the coast also start.