Câmara de Lobos★★
Câmara de Lobos is Madeira's most picturesque fishing village — and even Winston Churchill couldn't resist it, painting the harbor here in 1950. The small harbor with its colorful fishing boats, framed by a steep rock wall and overshadowed by the dramatic cliff Cabo Girão (580 m, one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe), is one of the island's most iconic scenes.
The village is only 10 minutes west of Funchal (Bus No. 154, every 30 min., €2) and is the home port of the Espada fishermen — the fishermen who catch the black scabbardfish (Espada), Madeira's culinary flagship, at over 800 m depth with longlines at night. Early in the morning, you can watch the boats return and marvel at the fresh catch.
The bar at the harbor is the perfect place for a Poncha (see chapter Food) — the view of the colorful boats, the towering cliff, and the Atlantic is priceless. The place itself has narrow streets with traditional houses, a small church, and a promenade that runs along the sea.
From Câmara de Lobos, a detour to the Cabo Girão Skywalk is worthwhile — a glass viewing platform on the 580-meter-high cliff with a free view straight down to the ocean and the "fajãs" (fertile terraces at the foot of the cliff, only accessible by cable car). The Skywalk is free and a must for those without vertigo. Accessible by car (10 min.) or Bus No. 154.
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The best time for Câmara de Lobos is late afternoon when the light turns golden and the fishermen mend their nets. At the harbor, be sure to have a Poncha at "Bar Ponte Velha" — the most authentic bar in the village, where the fishermen themselves stop by. The Cabo Girão Skywalk is empty early in the morning; bus groups arrive in the afternoon.