Ponta do Pargo

The end of the island: at Ponta da Vigia, Madeira's westernmost cape, the viewpoint stands on top of a 290 m cliff, with views over the Atlantic and the imposing cliffs running to Achadas da Cruz, in the municipality of Porto Moniz. The lighthouse, in service since June 1922, has a 14 m tower and its light shines at 312 m; it is classified as heritage of local value by the Regional Government, and a small museum created in 2001 shows objects, photographs and documents about Madeira's lighthouses. The site belongs to the Ponta do Pargo Protected Area: a Natural Monument, Protected Landscape and marine natural park, with its cultivated fajãs, its "palheiros" and its stone terraces.

The parish church of Ponta do Pargo, on the plateau of the western tip. The parish was set up in the mid-sixteenth century in a small São Pedro chapel, reworked in 1599 and 1620; the present building comes from the works of 1851 and keeps nothing of the old one. Mannerist in style, it holds the eye with its bell tower, gabled front and arched portal. Inside is one of the island's oldest pieces: a gilded silver chalice on a six-pointed star base, older than the church itself.

Near the western tip, at Fajã da Ovelha, Fio takes its name from the transport cable ("fio") installed to overcome the slope and supply the population — the structure can still be seen. The view drops to Paul do Mar, a small parish ringed by cliffs and faithful to its fishing tradition, and to the great rocks that shape the shoreline. From here a zigzag path, the Fajã Grande track, goes down to the seafront between vegetation and agricultural terraces.

In the parish of Ponta do Pargo, Boa Morte was recently restored and made safe: a 250 m path, which keeps its natural charm, leads to the lookout while ensuring accessibility for all. At the top, the vivid green of the slope merges into the blue of the ocean, and the view plunges onto Calhau das Achadas da Cruz, the cultivated fajã at the foot of the escarpment. A quiet, authentic spot on the west coast.