Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse

Ponta do Pargo is the westernmost point of Madeira, and the lighthouse there stands on a cliff about three hundred metres above the Atlantic, which makes its light the highest above sea level in the archipelago even though the tower itself is short. It was built in 1922. There is a small exhibition inside on Madeiran lighthouses and the island's maritime history, and a viewpoint on the cliff edge outside with the coast running away north and south and nothing but ocean west. The name means dolphinfish point, from a large fish said to have been caught there by the first settlers. It is remote - the western end of the island is thinly populated and reached either across the fogged plateau of Paúl da Serra or the long way round the coast - and it is a standard sunset destination for people staying on that side.

What you actually see

• The lighthouse - a short 1922 tower on a three-hundred-metre cliff.
• The cliff viewpoint - the west coast running north and south, ocean beyond.
• The exhibition - a small display on Madeiran lighthouses and maritime history.
• The position - the westernmost point of the island, and its highest light.

When to go

Year-round; sunset is the reason most people come. One hour. The exhibition keeps limited hours.

Honest expectations

Remote - an hour or more from Funchal either across the fogged plateau or round the coast. Cliff edges are high and the wind is strong. The exhibition is small and often closed. Cloud can obscure everything.

Nearby

Paúl da Serra is inland; Porto Moniz is north around the coast.