Caniço between the Atlantic, Garajau and levada paths

Caniço combines the Atlantic coast, protected nature, historic paths and impressive viewpoints. Particularly characteristic is the Reserva Natural Parcial do Garajau partial nature reserve. It stretches along approximately six miles of coastline and covers 376 hectares between Ponta do Lazareto and Ponta da Oliveira. Overland, the protected area can be accessed via Cais do Lazareto or Praia do Garajau. Those looking for a holiday apartment in Caniço can therefore choose their focus between coastal experiences, nature and culture.

Garajau: sea, views and a protected underwater world

There are several ways to experience the Atlantic around Garajau. Praia do Garajau offers sanitary facilities, changing rooms and a first-aid station. Its natural conditions provide good opportunities for diving. There are seven traditional dive sites in Garajau: Lazareto, Pináculo, Mamas, Praia do Garajau, Baía dos Porcos, Arena and Galo. The diverse marine life includes barracudas, moray eels, rays and giant carpet anemones, among others.

Garajau is also striking above the water. The Estátua do Cristo Rei do Garajau statue is integrated into the partial nature reserve. From the Cristo Rei Viewpoint, views extend across Garajau’s natural heritage, part of Funchal Bay, Caniço de Baixo and the Atlantic Ocean. The Cristo Rei statue in Garajau was inaugurated on October 30, 1927. Those wishing to reach Praia do Garajau can also use the Teleférico do Garajau cable car, which runs from the Ponta do Garajau area down to the beach. Two cabins travel up and down at the same time; there is a car park nearby with space for several dozen vehicles.

Paths through landscape and history

Caniço offers a variety of landscapes for hiking and walking ideas. Pico da Atalaia is a volcanic cone partly eroded by the sea and wind, with a visible lava plug formed as the lava cooled. A footpath of approximately 300 metres leads to the viewpoint; from there, the view extends across the Atlantic Ocean to the Ilhas Desertas.

The Vereda da Levada da Azenha runs along the slopes above the Ribeira do Caniço. A small construction covered with Roman roof tiles stands on the Vereda do Relógio de Água. Its former mechanical clock regulated the fair distribution of irrigation water. In this setting, the former Moinho da Vargem is also connected to the Levada da Azenha by a stone aqueduct. Other paths preserve the ruins of Moinho da Vitória as well as historic stone washing places along a levada. The Vereda da Paragem connects Abegoaria and Cancela and passes through a rural landscape with green areas between old buildings.

Coast, bathing facilities and outings with children

Praia dos Reis Magos is a pebble beach with a paved sun terrace and a pontoon. It has a car park, accessible toilets, a suitable sports area and parasols. A restaurant, a bar, lifeguards and a first-aid station complement the available facilities. The Complexo Balnear Lido Galomar bathing complex is situated on the volcanic rocks that shape the landscape of this place. It has a large saltwater pool and a swimming pool designed for children. For families, this distinction between open coast, beach and bathing complex can provide useful guidance when planning the day.

Culture and local traditions

The Igreja Matriz do Caniço was built in 1783 and represents the transition from Baroque to Rococo. Inside are Rococo altarpieces featuring gilded and white woodcarving from the late 18th century. The Capela da Mãe de Deus was built in the first half of the 16th century in the municipality of Caniço, in the Município Santa Cruz, and is considered one of the oldest Marian temples on the island of Madeira. The historic landscape also includes the Fort Reis Magos, built in the 18th century, and the former irrigation channel of Caminho Velho da Tendeira, which also served as a connecting path between settlements and plots of land.

Local festivals add another accent to travel planning. The Festa da Cebola is an approximately three-day event in Caniço that highlights the onion as a characteristic product of the place. Music and food and drink stalls enliven the centre; a procession related to onions is also normally held on the final day of the event, usually a Sunday. The Festa Gastronómica do Caniço 2026 lasted seven days and combined gastronomy, music, tradition and socialising in the centre of the municipality.

Choose the right base

If the Atlantic is the focus of your trip, the beaches, viewpoints, cable car and dive sites support planning your days accordingly. For those interested in culture, churches, the chapel, fort and historic irrigation facilities offer different discoveries. When choosing accommodation in Caniço, you can compare these focuses with your own ideas about activity, sea, landscape and shared family experiences, without planning every outing in the same way.

For further destinations in the wider travel region, you can explore Calheta, Ponta Do Sol, Arco De Sao Jorge, Jardim Do Mar, Madeira, Curral Das Freiras, Porto Santo and Vila Baleira.

Back to the main travel overview: Madeira.