Travel guide and tips for Cabo Girão Skywalk

People with a fear of heights… Be prepared! What a great way to start this guide! But really for those of you with a fear of heights, things might get tricky.

Cabo Girão Skywalk is a viewpoint, 580 meters above sea level that offers on of the best views in Madeira. The best of all? You’ll be walking on a glass floor so you can see everything that’s going on underneath your feet.

Nonetheless, it’s still one of the most unique and famous attractions in Madeira. If you’re planning on visiting, you need to keep reading. In this guide, we’ll provide you with every piece of information you might need when visiting Cabo Girão Skywalk. Keep reading…

Key facts

• Opening hours: 8 AM to 7 PM in winter and 8 AM to 9 PM in summer
• Prices: 2 euros (Free for residents)
• Duration of the visit: As much as you need to admire the great views (15 minutes approx)
• Location: Cabo Girão, Madeira
• Tickets: Can be bought at the entrance or online
• Need a ride? Check this Western Madeira Guided Trip tour

How to get to Cabo Girão Skywalk

Cabo Girão Skywalk is located in Câmara de Lobos, a small town near Funchal. It’s only a 20-minute drive to get to Cabo Girão from Funchal and you have several ways to do so…

More specifically, there are 4 ways you can get to Cabo Girão. The first of them is the easiest and simplest one, by car. Whether you’re renting one or have your own, it’s an easy drive and you’ll find a lot of space for parking right outside the entrance.

But because not everyone drives in Madeira, there are some alternative ways too. You can catch the bus, route 7, and go from Funchal to Ribeira Brava. The bus stops right outside the entrance so no walking is necessary. A lot of people combine this bus trip with the Levada do Norte hike that starts nearby. We suggest you give it a think!

The next way, and the most exciting of them all, is to reach Cabo Girão Skywalk by train (road train). The only downside here is that you need to reach Camara de Lobos somehow and then get the train to Cabo Girão. The fee is 7.5 euros for an adult.

Last but not least, you can book a tour. Make sure to find one that includes a visit to Cabo Girão and other places you might want to pay a visit.

Opening Times and entrance fee

Cabo Girão has a different schedule for winter and summer. During the winter period, you can visit this place between 8 AM and 7 PM while during summer you can visit between 8 AM and 9 PM.

The tickets can be bought online here, or you can buy them at the kiosk at the entrance of Cabo Girão.

Best time to visit Cabo Girão

As with every tourist attraction, you should try to avoid crowds in order to get the best and most original experience. In this case, you have 2 options. Early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The thing you should do is try to avoid the tour buses. They usually stop for around 15 minutes but carry a lot of people.

During winter, you’ll find fewer tourists and you might even have the place to yourself. During summer, you will most likely have to deal with tourists but you won’t have to worry about the weather. Just make sure to bring a hat and sunglasses with you because there’s little to no shade in the attraction.

Cabo Girão Sunrise and Sunset

Sunrise and Sunset are very easy to watch when you’re at a viewpoint like Cabo Girão. It’s the tallest cliff in Madeira after all.

We’ll be honest, most people don’t choose Cabo Girão for sunrise. Sometimes it doesn’t align with the attraction’s opening hours and many have said that it’s not that exciting. We don’t support that… Watching the sunrise from this viewpoint is amazing. But we do recognize that there are other places in Madeira that offer better sunrises like Ponta de São Lourenço.

Sunset is different though. You should definitely watch the sunset from Cabo Girão. With a 180-degree view, you can see everything from up there. The colors are mesmerizing. Highly recommended!

What to expect in Cabo Girão

Cabo Girão should be on top of your list when visiting Madeira. This viewpoint sits on top of some of the most high cliffs in Europe. More specifically, you’ll be walking on a glass floor 580 meters above sea level. Sounds scary, right?

It’s worth the scare however as you’ll be able to see a big part of the island’s South Coast, including Funchal and Fajã de Cabo Girão. Fajã de Cabo Girão is a piece of land that will definitely catch your attention. Waves crashing, sun going down, Funchal being full of night lights… It’s a wonderful and must-see combination.

Within the attraction, there’s a cafe, a souvenir shop, and a set of toilets.

Cable Car to Fajas de Cabo Girão

Fajas de Cabo Girão is a small piece of land where farmers cultivate their crops. It’s visible from the viewpoint and you can also visit it by a cable car.

It was originally installed so that farmers could go to their crops but now tourists can also use it to visit the land as well as the beach that’s located nearby. It’s a fascinating ride going down a 500+ meters cliff.

This was a guide with everything you need to know about Cabo Girão. It’s a place you must visit when in Madeira and we guarantee that you won’t be disappointed. The views are breathtaking and the sunsets will bewitch you.