Ribeira Brava and Fajã dos Padres

Ribeira Brava and Fajã dos Padres lie on the south-west coast of Madeira, Portugal, about 30 km from Funchal. Ribeira Brava is a small coastal town with a pebble beach, a seafront promenade and a parish church in the centre. Fajã dos Padres is a sheltered fajã, a flat strip of land at the foot of a tall sea cliff, which can be reached only by a cable car or lift from the clifftop at Campanário or by boat. The cable car runs from the station in Campanário, in the Ribeira Brava municipality, and is a separate ticket from the bus. The Rodoeste intercity bus runs from Funchal toward Ribeira Brava or Campanário in about 45 minutes for an intermunicipal cash fare of €2.60, while a hire car or taxi takes about 40 minutes. Guided south-west tours often combine the fajã with the Cabo Girão skywalk. At the bottom, visitors find a small beach of pebbles, a restaurant, a wine press and farmland where papaya, mango, banana, avocado and vines are grown organically in the warm microclimate. A sunny, windless setting makes the fajã pleasant even when the rest of the island is clouded. A suggested arc starts with a morning bus to Ribeira Brava, a walk around the town and the seafront, then a taxi or bus to Campanário. The cable car descends to the fajã for lunch at the restaurant, a swim or stroll through the gardens, and a return in the afternoon. Because the fajã has no road access, the restaurant is the main food option, and booking ahead in busy months is sensible. Visitors with a car can stop at Cabo Girão on the way back to Funchal. The area is warm in all seasons and sheltered from north winds, which makes it a reliable choice when the weather in the mountains is poor. Checking the cable car operating hours and the last descent before going is important.