Cabo Girão is Madeira’s highest officially measured sea cliff, rising 580 metres above the Atlantic, but the island’s most dramatic coastal drops extend far beyond its famous glass skywalk. In this updated guide, we explain the highest sea cliffs in Madeira ranking using published elevations, where each cliff can be safely admired, and which places require a skywalk visit, short walk, cable car or simple roadside stop. We also clarify an important detail: Madeira does not publish one official geological ranking of every cliff face, so some spectacular north- and west-coast escarpments cannot be honestly assigned an exact vertical height.
- How this highest sea cliffs in Madeira ranking works
- 1. Cabo Girão: 580 metres and Madeira’s definitive sea cliff
- 2. Raposeira viewpoint: around 600 metres above the west coast
- 3. Ponta do Pargo: 290-metre western cliffs by the lighthouse
- Unranked but unmissable: Achadas da Cruz and Rocha do Navio
- What to expect and how to visit safely
- Perguntas frequentes
How this highest sea cliffs in Madeira ranking works
It is tempting to treat every high viewpoint above the coast as a measured sea cliff. They are not always the same thing. A viewpoint may sit hundreds of metres above sea level while looking over a long, stepped hillside, rather than a single near-vertical rock wall.
For that reason, this ranking separates officially stated cliff or promontory heights from high coastal viewpoints whose published figure refers to their altitude. Cabo Girão is the clear, verified leader because Madeira’s official tourism authority identifies it as a 580-metre coastal cliff and promontory. Raposeira, above Paul do Mar, is slightly higher in elevation at around 600 metres, but this is the altitude of the viewpoint overlooking the slopes rather than an officially measured 600-metre cliff face.
1. Cabo Girão: 580 metres and Madeira’s definitive sea cliff
Location: Câmara de Lobos, on the south coast, roughly west of Funchal.
Cabo Girão is the essential answer for travellers searching for Madeira’s highest sea cliffs. The headland rises 580 metres above the sea and is described by Visit Madeira as Europe’s highest promontory. Its main visitor area is the suspended glass-floored platform, where you can look straight down towards the cultivated fajãs at the base of the cliff.
This is the island’s easiest high-cliff experience: drive or join a tour to the upper car park, walk a few metres to the entrance, then step onto the skywalk. The view takes in the south coast, Câmara de Lobos, Funchal and the Atlantic. On a clear morning, it is particularly good for photography; on a windy or cloudy day, the height still feels extraordinary but the distant panorama can disappear quickly.
The official visitor information lists a €5 entry charge for visitors over 12 and daily opening from 08:00 to 20:00. Buy access through the regional SIMplifica system before arriving where possible, and allow extra time during cruise-ship days and late morning.
2. Raposeira viewpoint: around 600 metres above the west coast
Location: Fajã da Ovelha, above Paul do Mar, on Madeira’s south-west coast.
At around 600 metres above sea level, Raposeira is the highest verified coastal viewpoint in this guide. It ranks above Cabo Girão by viewpoint altitude, but not by proven cliff-face height. From the roadside platform, the land drops through very steep slopes towards Paul do Mar, a fishing village squeezed between the ocean and the mountains.
Come here for scale rather than glass-floor drama. The view opens along the west coast towards Prazeres, Jardim do Mar and the open Atlantic, and it is one of Madeira’s strongest sunset locations. The setting is quieter and more rural than Cabo Girão, with no admission charge stated by the official tourism authority.
Access is by mountain road, so this is best reached by car, taxi or organised west-coast tour. Drivers should use the designated stopping area rather than stopping on bends; Madeira’s steep roads, fog and limited parking need more care than distances on a map suggest. For practical driving advice, see our guide to Madeira’s mountain roads.
3. Ponta do Pargo: 290-metre western cliffs by the lighthouse
Location: Ponta da Vigia, Ponta do Pargo, Madeira’s westernmost cape.
Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse stands on a cliff with an altitude of 290 metres. It is lower than Cabo Girão, but the location feels dramatically remote: there is nothing between the lighthouse, the rock edge and the Atlantic horizon. The coast visible from here runs north towards the rugged slopes around Achadas da Cruz.
This is a straightforward roadside stop, suitable for visitors who want big scenery without a long hike. The lighthouse itself began operating in June 1922, while the adjacent viewpoint gives a broad side-on perspective of the cliffs rather than the downward vertigo of a skywalk. Pair it with the short walk to Garganta Funda waterfall, where a 140-metre cascade drops through a deep green valley towards the sea.
| Place | Verified height or elevation | Best safe viewing method | Access and practical note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabo Girão | 580 m | Glass skywalk | Daily 08:00–20:00; €5 for visitors over 12 |
| Raposeira Viewpoint | About 600 m altitude | Roadside viewpoint above Paul do Mar | Free public viewpoint; use caution on mountain roads |
| Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse Viewpoint | 290 m cliff-top altitude | Roadside lighthouse viewpoint | Free coastal stop at Madeira’s westernmost cape |
| Achadas da Cruz | No official cliff-height figure published | Cable car descent and shore-level view | Adult return cable-car ticket: €5 |
| Rocha do Navio | No official cliff-height figure published | Viewpoint over nature reserve | Cable car closed for maintenance as of September 2026 |
Unranked but unmissable: Achadas da Cruz and Rocha do Navio
Some of Madeira’s most memorable cliffs cannot be given a reliable numerical place in a ranking because official visitor sources do not publish a height for the escarpment itself. That does not make them less impressive.
Achadas da Cruz, near Porto Moniz, is one of the best examples. From the upper station, the cable car descends to Fajã da Quebrada Nova, a cultivated strip beside the sea beneath a huge green wall. The municipal fare list states €3 one way or €5 return for a standard ticket. If you go down, confirm the day’s operating conditions and last ascent before committing to time at the shore; the alternative paths are steep.
Rocha do Navio, near Santana, offers the wild north-coast version: sheer green slopes, isolated fajãs and the protected Rocha do Navio Nature Reserve. The cable car is normally a short way down to the reserve, but Santana Municipality announced that it was closed for maintenance for an indefinite period in May 2026. Visit for the upper viewpoint only unless reopening has been confirmed directly before travel.
For another spectacular north-coast stop, include the Véu da Noiva viewpoint between Seixal and São Vicente. It is not a height-ranked cliff site, but the waterfall pours from a suspended river mouth down a vegetation-covered coastal slope towards the ocean.
What to expect and how to visit safely
- Do not cross barriers: Madeira’s coastal cliffs are exposed to falling rocks, unstable ground and sudden gusts, especially after rain or during strong wind.
- Choose Cabo Girão for the classic experience: It is the best option if you want a secure platform, easy access and a clearly measured cliff height.
- Choose Raposeira for sunset: Arrive early, park considerately and expect changing light rather than a formal visitor attraction.
- Check cable cars on the day: Wind, maintenance and operational changes can affect small coastal cableways; Rocha do Navio remains closed at the time of verification.
- Bring layers: A sunny Funchal morning can become cool, windy or misty on the west and north coasts.
- Make a coastal day of it: Combine cliffs with Seixal, Porto Moniz or a waterfall stop rather than rushing between viewpoints.
The west coast is particularly rewarding in the final hours of daylight, while Cabo Girão often works best earlier in the day before the busiest tour groups arrive. For more timing ideas, see our best sunrise and sunset viewpoints in Madeira guide. If waterfalls are part of your plan, our Madeira waterfalls visitor’s map helps connect the best coastal stops.
Perguntas frequentes
Is Cabo Girão the highest sea cliff in Madeira?
Yes. Cabo Girão is Madeira’s highest officially measured coastal cliff and promontory, at 580 metres above sea level. Raposeira sits at a higher published viewpoint altitude, around 600 metres, but that figure is not an official measurement of one vertical cliff face.
Do you have to pay to visit Cabo Girão?
Yes. The official tourism information lists an entry charge of €5 for visitors over 12, while children aged 12 and under are exempt. Check the SIMplifica portal for current access arrangements before travelling.
Which Madeira cliff viewpoint is best without a skywalk?
Raposeira is the strongest high-altitude alternative for views over Paul do Mar, while Ponta do Pargo is ideal for a remote lighthouse-and-ocean setting. Both are roadside viewpoints rather than ticketed attractions.
Can I visit Rocha do Navio by cable car?
Not at present. Santana Municipality stated in May 2026 that the Rocha do Navio cable car was closed for maintenance for an indefinite period. Confirm its status directly before planning a descent.
Facts and prices verified in September 2026. Continue planning with our guides to Madeira’s highest viewpoints, Madeira’s natural swimming pools e Madeira in five days by car.
