About surf spots, favorite spots and coastal happiness on Madeira

You could read a line or two about Madeira here in the last few weeks – I told you my top spots in Funchal, presented my favorite hiking routes and showed you the wild beauty of the north. Now the sunny south is missing, which I don’t want to withhold from you. The pictures are a change from all the Advent stuff that is currently buzzing through the net and are guaranteed to bring summer feeling into your living rooms. At this point, I don’t want to get lost in ramblings about all the sights, but briefly go into our favorite places and then leave you to the flood of pictures.

Paul do Mar – Surf Spot auf Madeira

We were particularly impressed by Paul do Mar. The fishing village is considered one of the best surf spots on the island. The flair of Paul do Mar is a good mix of cool surfer boys and girls, a pretty town centre and casual beach bars like the Maktub Pub at the northern end of the pier.

Calheta – Arco de Calheta

Calheta boasts one of the few sandy beaches imported from Africa and the spectacularly built art centre “Centro das Artes Casa das Mudas”. For a beautiful view over sugar cane fields and banana plantations, it is worth taking a detour to Arco de Calheta – if you follow the road further uphill, you will reach the Paul da Serra plateau.

Magdalene of the Sea

Black. This is the colour of the few sandy stretches of coastline that were not imported from Africa especially for the tourists. Who needs a yellow sand beach?

Ponta do Sol

Ponta do Sol is totally relaxed, with its chic waterfront reminiscent of Saint-Tropez. Here you can either stop at the beach bar for a poncha or pay a visit to the old stone bridge at the cliffs. A popular subject for romantic images.

If you follow the old coastal road, you will experience one or two surprises. For example, a waterfall that ends in the middle of the road. The practical test has shown that ideally you should not drive directly through the center of the waterfall. Even if it looks harmless, it’s not.

Ribeira Brava

We only paid a short visit to Ribeira Brava. For this we stopped one village further in the direction of Funchal – in Campanario – in an authentic churrascaria. In the La Parreira restaurant, the espetadas with side dishes are ordered at one counter and drinks are ordered at the other counter. Then you sit down at a table and get the grilled delicacies in bites.

Cabo Girão – Skywalk

We missed the viewpoint at Cabo Girão on the first attempt. However, the stop at one of the highest cliffs in Europe is one of the “must’s” on a trip to Madeira. On the second attempt, it worked.

Camara de Lobos – Restaurants

No wonder Churchill chose Camara de Lobos as one of his favorite places. The fishing village is one of the most picturesque villages on the island, along with Paul do Mar. Where Churchill used to capture the beautiful evening moods with brush and paint, we captured the sunset with the camera. If your stomach growls afterwards, you can look for a nice spot in the restaurant Vila do Peixe. Here you can enjoy the freshly caught fish with the panoramic view over the bay.

Note: We have travelled to Madeira in cooperation with Kuoni. As always, my readers can be sure that I always represent my views and enthusiasm.