Visit Miradouro do Cristo Rei & Câmara de Lobos Bay: How To Spend Your First Day In Madeira

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Webcams In Madeira

We recommend keeping an eye on the weather forecast (it can change fast!) and the webcams to decide what to do each day. Check them out here because you don’t want to head to a hike or viewpoint only to be greeted by bad weather.

This post is part of 9 day itinerary on Madeira. To check out the full itinerary along with a map of what we did each day, visit the post here.

Visit Miradouro do Cristo Rei

After picking up your rental car, it’s time to do some exploring or get a bite to eat – or both. First, head to Miradouro do Cristo Rei Viewpoint. Located on the southern coast of Madeira, between the airport and Funchal, it’s a great place to start your trip.

When you arrive, there is a large parking lot that is free to park at. At this location, you’ll also find restrooms and a small snack bar serving some small plates and drinks if you need a bite to eat.

Follow the path down to the statue, Christ the King of Garajau. You really can’t miss it. Its construction was completed in 1927 and was designed by a French sculptor.

Just after the sculpture, you have the options to continue down the stairs for amazing views of the surrounding area, ocean, and Funchal Bay off to the west. This area is part of the Garajau Partial Nature Reserve, so please keep it clean and be respectful.

The trail ends when you reach the platform at the bottom. It will most likely be pretty warm here, depending on the day, so take plenty of water on your trek down to this spot. As you climb back up, there are small overlooks along the way that you can stop to rest and take in the expansive scenery.

Garajau Cable Car

After making your way back up the stairs, you will see the Garajau Cable Car off to your left. In full transparency, we did not take the cable car down to the ocean, but you can do so as time permits.

The Garajau Cable Car, also known as Teleférico do Garajau, is a scenic cliffside ride that smoothly descends from Miradouro do Cristo Rei Viewpoint down to Praia do Garajau, a pebble beach. It opened in 2007 and offers great views of the Atlantic and rugged cliffs on the way down.

A round-trip ticket is around €3–€5. Pretty affordable if you ask us! At the bottom, you’ll find Garajau Beach with restrooms, changing facilities, a restaurant, and a diving center. This is a great place to relax by the water and enjoy the Garajau Partial Nature Reserve. If you are into scuba diving, this is your spot!

☀️ Get prepared for your first full day on Madeira by hiking a fun coastal hike: Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço – PR8!

Visit Câmara de Lobos

Another picturesque spot to visit on Madeira is the Câmara de Lobos Bay. Câmara de Lobos is located west of Funchal. This charming coastal town is home to a horseshoe-shaped cove filled with traditional fishing boats.

With its dramatic backdrop of cliffs and terraced hillsides, it’s really a gorgeous scene! After visiting the viewpoint, head into town for a bite to eat or a refreshing drink.

To visit, head to the area and find a parking spot – remember, white lines are free, and blue lines are paid. We were able to snag a spot a bit further away and walk a short distance to the Câmara de Lobos Bay viewpoint.

Where to Stay

Madeira has plenty of great hotels and rentals to choose from. We recommend picking one location on the island and using that as your home base. You can get anywhere on the island in about an hour or a bit more.

We chose the warm, scenic, and small town of Ponta do Sol as our home base, and we really loved our rental house! Some choose to stay in Funchal, which has tons of amenities. Check out Tripadvisor to compare locations and prices.

Here are a few great places to stay in Ponta do Sol:

• A VRBO! If you are looking for your own place to stay on Madeira, check out the great rental options in Ponta do Sol or across the entire island of Madeira!
• 1905 Zino’s Palace – a beautifully restored pink palace in Ponta do Sol, offering an intimate boutique stay in a historic 19th-century building. With elegant rooms, ocean views, and a peaceful pool area, it blends Madeiran heritage with relaxed, modern comfort. Complete with a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a bar.
• Enotel Sunset Bay – a relaxed 4-star hotel in Ponta do Sol, right by the Atlantic with stunning sunset views and easy access to a pebble beach. The property offers a heated pool, sauna, and restaurant serving local cuisine.

Final Thoughts

We really enjoyed our first day on Madeira. Having just flown in from the Azores, we weren’t too jet-lagged, but still wanted to take it easy. The short hike at Cristo Rei was a great introduction to the scenery across the island.

As we were short on time, we skipped the cable car, but had plans for another one later in the week, so we continued our journey toward Ponta do Sol and stopped at the Câmara de Lobos Bay viewpoint. It definitely did not disappoint!

After that, we headed to the local Continente Modelo, stocked up on food and snacks, and settled into our accommodations with a pool overlooking the ocean. It was a great first day on Madeira!