A complete guide to visiting Guindaste Viewpoint on Madeira Island (Crane Viewpoint). Includes everything you need to know about visiting Guindaste Viewpoint from the location and best time to photography opportunities.
The Guindaste Viewpoint is undoubtedly one of the must-visit locations in Madeira. Situated in Faial, within the municipality of Santana, it provides breathtaking views of the northern coast of Madeira.
How to get to Guindaste Viewpoint
Guindaste Viewpoint is located 40 minutes away from Funchal and is accessible by public transportation with SAM bus number 53. While it's possible to reach it by bus, the most efficient way to get to this viewpoint is with a rented car.
Finding this place is very easy. Just type "Miradouro do Guindaste" in your maps and follow the directions. The viewpoint is just a few steps away from the small parking around the roundabout. The parking is free of charge, and I've never had a problem finding an empty spot here. As visitors usually stop for up to 30 minutes before continuing their trip around the island, the parking spots are recycled regularly. The road from Funchal to here isn't challenging and doesn't require any specific driving skills, so you can feel comfortable to drive here on your own.
What to expect from Guindaste Viewpoint
The Crane viewpoint is an exceptionally unique lookout spot that offers a vast panorama of the Atlantic Ocean and the entire Ponta do Sao Lourenco. You can test your bravery by walking on the new glass skywalk. Experiencing the water splashing the rocks under your feet is a very cool encounter! You can also climb a hill from which you get a unique angle of a tall, narrow cliff with Penha d'Aguia and Ponta do Sao Lourenco in the background. You might expect to see many tourists coming here just to capture this classic shot. Besides admiring the beautiful views of the northern coast of Madeira, there isn't much to do at Miradouro do Guindaste, but hey, these are the views for which you came to visit Madeira in the first place!
Photography Opportunities at Guindaste Viewpoint
Guindaste Viewpoint is what photographers would call a one-shot location because there aren't too many other interesting compositions to create here, besides shooting towards Ponta do Sao Lourenco. Even though it's just one picture, this impressive composition is worth dedicating one of your sunrises to this place. The Crane viewpoint isn't a hidden gem, so every morning you'll see a few photographers aspiring to get their own classic Madeira picture. Besides the popular composition, I also like taking portraits of the cliffs with a tighter focal length, like 85 mm, with the subject standing on the hill from which all the photographers take their shots.
As the Crane Viewpoint doesn't offer too many opportunities for different compositions, local photographers don't commonly choose it for their photo shoots. However, it's not surprising to see traveling destination photographers visiting this place with their clients. Anyway, you can always expect to have some company there!
Nearby Locations
Due to its convenient location, the Crane Viewpoint is a great place to start your day by catching the sunrise over the cliffs and then continuing your trip around the island. After checking out the viewpoint, you can visit the nearby waterfall Agua d'Alto, which is one of the tallest waterfalls on Madeira. This waterfall is just 15 minutes away from the Crane Viewpoint, and it's very easy to get to. You can easily find this and other nearby waterfalls with our Madeira Guide.
There are two interesting small towns located next to Faial: Sao Jorge, where you can see the Vigia Viewpoint, overlooking the cliffs of northern Madeira towards the west. Unlike the Crane Viewpoint, Vigia is situated much higher, making the views very impressive. In the other town, Porto da Cruz, you can stop to swim at one of the two beaches there, have lunch, or even go surfing when the conditions align.
Miradouro do Guindaste is also good to visit before or after you visit Pico do Arieiro, as there's a road heading from Faial up to the mountains. While driving this road, you'll pass on your way Levada dos Balcoes, a short and very impressive hike that ends with a beautiful balcony viewpoint.
My Experience
I love visiting the Crane Viewpoint at sunrise. Early morning is the best time for photography at this location, so you rarely see people coming here in the evening. I don't mind tourists getting into my shot, as having a person on top of the cliff in the foreground shows the great scale of the landscape. Whenever my friends and family visit me on Madeira, we never skip visiting this location. This place is very unique!
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Madeira is such an amazing place to visit, and we still can't believe we've been able to call it home for the past two years. During our stay, we explored all the best spots on the island and tried all the most exciting activities, many of them more than once! This helped us create these comprehensive guides that will help you plan your own trip to Madeira.
