Location: Ponta do Pargo
Top Things to do in Ponta do Pargo
Top Restaurants in Ponta do Pargo
Countries
10 Things to Do in Ponta do Pargo That You Shouldn't Miss
Ponta do Pargo is a civil parish in the municipality of Calheta in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira. The population in 2011 was 909, in an area of 24.71 km². It is located west of the municipal seat of Calheta, and southwest of the municipality of Porto Moniz.
Restaurants in Ponta do Pargo
1. Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 337 reviews
Reviewed By Nik R - Varna, Bulgaria
Nice and quiet place at the western-most tip of Madeira which, as all places around the island, offer stunning views and there are also a couple of hikes in the vicinity.
There is also a small museum on the ground floor, free of charge, exhibiting documents and items related to the development of the lighthouse system around Madeira. Interesting to take a look, although the info is mostly given in Portuguese. You have to be careful when walking on the paths close to the edge of the cliff because it is dusty and slippery. A big, free parking is just next to the lighthouse.
Worth a visit if you are in the area.
2. Porto Moniz Natural Swimming Pools
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By Nik R - Varna, Bulgaria
It is an interesting natural formation created when hot lava met the cold ocean and it is turned into a public swimming pool with amenities (showers, changing rooms, etc) therefore you have to pay 1.50 € to use it. If it is windy or the sea is rough, the waves crash into the natural barrier and jump inside the pools. A number of restaurants and a nice cafeteria are close-by, and a free parking lot is there on a large gravel area. You can find a similar formation about 200 meters away from the main one but no life-guards are there. We'd love to try it but we didn't have our swimming suits :).
3. Maktub Pub
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By tanya k - Greater London, United Kingdom
View - sea, surf and the best sunsets on the island. Ambience - so cool it doesn't try and doesn't have to - quintessence of relaxed, genuine peace, calm and bonhomie. Mojitos that make all other cocktails seem silly...seriously, these were just mint to be sipped and enjoyed. This is a special place.
4. Levada Nova
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 79 reviews
Reviewed By KathleenR_28 - Port Dover, Canada
I was looking forward to our first levada walking but I was not quite sure what to expect. Choosing this levada route as our first hike in Madeira turned out to be great. After parking our vehicle close to Restaurante Rurais, we followed the sign for the trail head.
The walk itself was lovely, as it went through Valleys and Forests, although it was sad to see that the summer wildfires in July affected this area. We could see, though, new growth.
Throughout our walk, I remember having seen only about 5 people, which is what made the hike all the more enjoyable. This is a linear hike, so you retrace your steps back to the parking. Before you leave, have a coffee and a pasteis de nata ... well-deserved snack :-)
5. Vereda da Garganta Funda
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 20 reviews
Reviewed By Oldie48 - Sevenoaks, United Kingdom
The area round these cliffs and the lighthouse offer spectacular views of the Atlantic and the scenery is quite stunning. There are lovely walks along the cliffs and if you are lucky you will see the Bertholet's Pipit - a rare bird found only on these Islands.
The cliffs fall away sharply so anyone who is a bit spooked by heights should stay away form the edge!
Well worth the visit although you really need a car to get there from Funchal.
6. Levada Ribeira de Janela
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 84 reviews
Reviewed By g m - Bristol, United Kingdom
If you're looking for lush Forests, impressive Waterfalls and dingy tunnels then this walk is for you!
Recommendations:
1. Wear walking shoes, the more waterproof the better
2. Bring a torch, ideally one torch per person and even more ideally a head torch to leave your hands free to help you balance...
3. Be prepared to do a bit of balancing on the levada wall in the tunnels to avoid getting wet feet (either in the levada or the puddles alongside)
4. Our sat nav (google maps) tried to take us up a dodgy road (the caminho da ladeira) in Porto Moniz to the start of the walk. Our hire car ceouldn't do it, even in first gear! I would strongly recommend staying on the ER101 as long as possible before taking the road across to Lamaceiros
5. There are toilets, parking and picnic benches at the start of the walk in Lamaceiros
6. There's a hut halfway along which is a good place to stop for sandwiches. We continued past this through a couple of further tunnels before getting to a part of the levada which was overflowing where we turned back.
7. There's no public transport to the start of the walk so a hire car or tour is the best bet (otherwise you have to walk up from Porto Moniz which would be quite a trek)
7. Galeria dos Prazeres
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 12 reviews
Reviewed By Muchtravelled222 - Brighton, United Kingdom
We were walking through Prazeres and came across this Galeria which had just opened and is part of the Quinta Pedagogica. The first exhibition augurs well for the future. We were told that the local priest is the driving force behind the development of the Quinta, with its Gardens, animals, really nice cafe (a chill in the air so a log fire burned inside) with teas, coffee and cakes, and a community internet cafe.
8. Church of Sao Pedro
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By Jets1978 - Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Even though this is a tiny church, it is really glorious inside and definitely worth a visit. It's a quick visit that can fit into the rest of your day's activities.
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 39 reviews
Reviewed By 283stenb - Middelfart
The place is very exaiting and nice The temperature was just 17 in the pools so it was a very Quick visit in the cleaninghelp and salt seawater. The office and staff was nice and helpful. The garderobe and toilet was clean. ,
10. Bikulture
Overall Ratings
4 based on 12 reviews
We organize Mountain Biking holidays and guided tours on the Portuguese island of Madeira.Downhill, Freeride, Enduro, All-Mountain, XC..We offer guided tours with uplifts, accommodation and entertainment.
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