Câmara de Lobos
Madeira Island
Last update: August 2023
Autonomous Region of Madeira
Second most important town in Madeira
Paradise for your vacation -
"Despite having a small area, Madeira is rich in majestic scenery and rare beauty"
[Visit Portugal].
View of Câmara de Losbos, Madeira Island, Portugal © Visit Madeira, illustration
Câmara de Lobos Bay
Câmara de Lobos is a fishing town on
Madeira Island,
famous for its
seal seals and the statue of
Winston Churchill
seated, to celebrate the fact that he spent a season and painted
Câmara de Lobos
in the 1950's.
As time went by, the
seal seals took refuge in the
Deserted Islands,
but, in addition to a large mural-sculpture, created by Bordalo II with waste found at the bottom of the sea,
which honors the
seal wolves, became known as
Câmara de Lobos.
The city, seat of the municipality of the same name, is located on a hillside in the middle of a bay of great beauty. With
just over 32,000 inhabitants (INE, 2021), the municipality had a drop in the resident population of
almost 10% compared to 2011.
As for the statue of the former English Prime Minister, he is still sitting there, immortalized, painting
the bay of
Câmara de Lobos, on the sidewalk of
Pestana Churchill Bay,
Pestana Hotel's new inn in the locality.
Fishing Port
The
xavelhas - fishing boats - are standing there in the waters of the bay. when they come back
from the sea, in addition to black scabbardfish, sea bass and octopus, many other fish delight
lovers of good food in
Câmara de Lobos. Fishing is one of the main activities
of the municipality, mainly the
black scabbardfish from Madeira.
A bit of history
"
Câmara de Lobos, located on the south coast of
Madeira Island,
was the first town inhabited by
João Gonçalves Zarco, the navigator
who discovered this “pearl of the Atlantic”.
Having stayed there between 1420 and 1424, this was
the first settlement created in Madeira,
elevated to parish in 1430. Its historical legacy is therefore very relevant" [Visit Madeira].
Madeira Wine
The municipality - more precisely in the
parish of the
Estreito de Câmara de Lobos - is responsible for
more than half of the production of vines for the elaboration of the famous
Madeira Wine.
Poios or terraces where vines are grown, Madeira Island, Portugal © Pedro Simões/CC, illustration
Madeira Bananas
The municipality of
Câmara de Lobos is still the most important producer of bananas
from Madeira Island.
What to see in Câmara de Lobos
In addition to the charms of the beautiful
Câmara de Lobos bay, see the main attractions
tourist attractions linked to historical heritage, take a tour or a walk to discover the
exuberant nature of the island, participate in a party or cultural event.
There will be plenty of reasons to spend a pleasant stay in
Câmara de Lobos.
Find out more:
What to see in Câmara de Lobos
Tourist attractions
There are many tourist attractions in
Câmara de Lobos, starting with its
valuable
historic heritage. Its incredible bay has great relevance
in the history of the discovery of
Madeira by Zarco at the beginning of the 15th century.
"In this region, several monuments remain that refer to this historical period,
from the chapel of
Nossa Senhora da Conceição, founded in the 15th century, to the former convent
of
São Bernardino, from 1425, passing by the
São Sebastião church,
built in the 16th century" [Visit Madeira].
What to do in Câmara de Lobos
There are several options for active holidays
Câmara de Lobos: walks, visits,
trails, excursions and the sea. Check out some recommended activities below.
Câmara de Lobos Bay, Madeira Island, Portugal © Andy Hawkins/CC, illustration
Where to eat in Câmara de Lobos
Plenty of restaurants, bars and cafes to allow visitors to enjoy the delights of the
Madeira cuisine. For a snack or for a more elaborate meal, there will be plenty of occasions
to taste the flavors of Madeira in
Câmara de Lobos.
Find out more:
Where to eat in Câmara de Lobos
Where to stay in Câmara de Lobos
There are several options for staying in
Câmara de Lobos: hotels, inns,
accommodation in the house of inhabitants, rent per season. It's good to be informed
in advance to have enough time and ensure the chosen accommodation formula.
Gastronomy
Lovers of good food will have many opportunities to taste the typical snacks and specialties
of the varied and traditional cuisine of Madeira.
Find out more:
Madeira Cuisine
Some distances
Madeira Island is located about 685 km from the coast of Africa (closer to Morocco), 973 km from Lisbon,
520 km from the island of Gran Canaria, and 891 km from the island of Santa Maria, the closest to the Azores archipelago.
Madeira Island, Portugal © Images of Portugal
Nice weather
Temperatures in Madeira hover around 20°C most of the year. Including the water temperature
sea is 26°C in summer (17°C in winter).