Fajã dos PadresLocals 

Fajã dos Padres

Fajã dos Padres has the shape of a small piece of land, at the bottom of a cliff approximately 250 meters high, located in the southern coast of Madeira.

The cliff represents an enormous barrier to the north, thus Fajã opens itself wide toward the south, allowing an easy access to the sea through a narrow rocky beach, which forms a small bay at the centre.

Fajã dos Padres

History

Inhabited and cultivated since Madeira started being populated, the history of accompanies the history of the Island itself. There are countless records and references made to its owners, its crops and inhabitants, as far back as the 15th century.

The property owes its name of to the fact that it belonged to the priests of the Company of Jesus for more than 150 years.

As inhabitants of they left a remarkable legacy, in particular the introduction of the malmsey wine, a wine whose reputation expanded the borders of Portugal to become well known in England, the United States and even Russia.

In spite of its isolation, Fajã was once inhabitant by approximately 50 persons, between settlers and Jesuits, distributed by an agglomerate of about 10 houses. In addition to the agricultural activity, it is believed that Fajã was also used for the priests’ summer escape.

Nowadays it is possible to revive a little of this past inheritance, by visiting some of these small rebuilt houses, tasting the delicious malmsey wine in a visit to the old cellar, or walking in the old stone alleys through the cultivated pieces of land.

The Entrance

Whether by panoramic lift, boat or helicopter, reaching the property is, in itself, a matchless experience.

And once you have arrived to Fajã, do benefit from the absence of vehicles in the whole property and take advantage of the walks in old alleys opened along apple orchards.
In spite of the exotic means, access to is quite simple.

The Panoramic Lift

The travel entails approximately 250 metros, experienced in a 4-minute downward travel, along the coast of the huge cliff down to . Through the lift’s panoramic window visitors can enjoy each minute of the descent; admire the southern coast of Madeira all the way to Ponta do Sol, the small bay of Fajã which gets nearer every second or, simply, enjoy the view of the sea as far as the sight beholds.

The lift distances 28.5 km from the airport, about 10km from Funchal, and less than 6 km from Ribeira Brava.

Access to the upper base of the lift is done through road Padre António Dinis Henriques. Follow VR1 and exit at Km 6, on exit number 3 indicating Cabo Girão/Quinta Grande. Turn left, heading south, and go straight ahead until the end of road Padre António Dinis Henriques. An arrow on the highway will point to this direction.

 Operating time

Summer
Every day ,except Tuesday, from 11:00 to 19:00.
From January 10th to March 1st
Closed.
Remaining period of the year
Every day, except Tuesday, from 11:00 to 18:00.

The Beach

has a wide rocky beach in all its extension.
The beach is not watched. Nevertheless, it is a seductive beach, thanks to its easy access to the sea in the area that goes from the pier up to the end of the bay, and to the mild temperature of the water all year round.
The transparency of the water and the variety of species near the coast entice the practice of diving activities.

Go down the lift, if you wish to arrive comfortably and quickly, and if you are not too fearful of heights.
Should you prefer the sea, enjoy the views of the southern coast of Madeira, leaving Funchal, going past the bay of Câmara de Lobos and under the impressive cliff of Cabo Girão.

And do dive! The seawater has a mild temperature throughout the whole year, the sea is calm most of the days and the water generally has an irresistible transparency.

If you love scuba diving you will find some very interesting rocky banks at bay. If on the other hand you prefer surfing, you should consider visiting Fajã in the winter. The waves are enticing but only for highly experienced surfers.

Has a wide rocky beach in all its extension.

The beach is not watched. Nevertheless, it is a seductive beach, thanks to its easy access to the sea in the area that goes from the pier up to the end of the bay, and to the mild temperature of the water all year round.
The transparency of the water and the variety of species near the coast entice the practice of diving activities.

Go down the lift, if you wish to arrive comfortably and quickly, and if you are not too fearful of heights.
Should you prefer the sea, enjoy the views of the southern coast of Madeira, leaving Funchal, going past the bay of Câmara de Lobos and under the impressive cliff of Cabo Girão.

And do dive! The seawater has a mild temperature throughout the whole year, the sea is calm most of the days and the water generally has an irresistible transparency.

If you love scuba diving you will find some very interesting rocky banks at bay. If on the other hand you prefer surfing, you should consider visiting Fajã in the winter. The waves are enticing but only for highly experienced surfers.

Pausing for lunch

A lunch in the restaurant of will help you restore the energy after swimming. Do start with a glass of candid Malmsey wine, produced in the property. It is like tasting the elixir of our ancestors.

Then try our typical tuna dish, in order to taste the typical Madeira cuisine. If you can, accompany it with a glass of “jaqué” wine, the way locals do it.
And wrap it up with locally produced fruit, be it mangoes, grapes, figs, guavas, if you come in the summer, bananas all year round and avocado pears in the winter.

A walk along the seaside path

Go along the seaside path, from the restaurant up to the “Boat House”. Follow the orchards of mangos, avocado pears, all the way to where the banana trees start.

The whole path is wisely covered by a trellis of malmsey wine, because in the summer the heat can be daunting…
In the end of the path, discover a group of Surinam cherry trees, loaded with fruits several times a year.

Fajã dos Padres

An evening in the property

In order to fully enjoy the day spent in , you cannot miss the sunset. It is really special, when the breeze comes down, swallows are restless in their crossed flies and the sun fades in the horizon, above the sea.

If you miss the last trip of the lift back to civilization, you will not regret it. Spending the night in one of the former settlers’ houses, now fully recovered, will give you the opportunity to feel closer to the people that have inhabited these areas for centuries.

Enjoy the calm summer evenings on the open air and under the moonlight. Listen to the strange singing of shearwaters, a nocturnal seabird that nests along the cliff. And do fall asleep rocked by the sound of the sea waves meeting the rocks in the beach.

Beach Facilities

A spacious solarium has been created near the pier. In the summer, beach chairs and parasols are made available for those who prefer to enjoy the beach in full comfort.
At the entrance of the property, beside the restaurant, there are also showers and cabins available to the guests.
Whenever requested, some support for the maritime mooring may be supplied. A small boat can also be arranged for the transfer of passengers to the pier.

Agriculture

The microclimate of favours the growing of subtropical species, some of which would hardly adjust to the remaining areas of Madeira.
Mangoes, avocado, banana, grapes and, in a smaller scale, a wide set of exotic fruits such as pawpaw, pitanga (surinam cherry), araçal, figs, passion fruit, tabaibo and even lichees, fill the environment of Fajã with colours and tropical flavours.

The potential of the area for agriculture has been exploited since the beginning of the settlement. It was this potential that justified all the effort dedicated to this small and remote piece of land, which was so difficult to reach until about two decades ago.

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