Located to the west of Funchal, the small fishing town of Câmara de Lobos has preserved its colorful boats, white houses with green shutters and stray cats that scurry around the narrow streets. Familiar with the area in the 1950s, Winston Churchill liked to paint the harbor from the belvedere at the entrance to the town. The site owes its name to the seals (lobos) that once made their home here. Unfortunately, they have since been exterminated.
It was local fishermen who, at the end of the last century, discovered the “peixe-espadas” (swordfish) that are now one of Madeira’s specialties. At weekends, the town, with its many bars and restaurants, is very popular with Funchal locals who want to enjoy the festa while sipping poncha and nikita!
The Cap Girão lookout, located on Europe’s highest promontory at 580 m, offers breathtaking views of the Rancho and Cap Girão fajãs – small areas of cultivated land at the foot of the cliff – as well as magnificent panoramic views of the ocean and the municipalities of Câmara de Lobos and Funchal.
The visit to Câmara de Lobos was made on August 20, 2018.
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