Cabeço das Flores and Zimbralinho

The cliffs of Cabeço das Flores, on the south-western tip of Porto Santo, tower 183 metres above the sea. To the southeast, the Desertas Islands – uninhabited rocky outcrops, home to rare birds and the almost-extinct monk seal – stand stark against the horizon. To the southwest, Madeira shimmers in its humid haze, or on clear days seems almost touchable. Below, Porto Santo’s magnificent beach stretches for miles. From the turn-off to the Cabeço das Flores viewing point, another road forks off to Zimbralinho where a steep footpath will take you down to a cosy cove. On the way, you might spot the occasional fossilized snail. The turquoise water here is exceptionally clear, though the small beach surrounded by cliffs falls into shade in the afternoon.