Madeira: Fajã dos Padres Cable Car & Cliff-Top Farm Tour

A 300-Meter Drop to Where Madeira's Jesuits Grew Wine

You descend 300 meters by cable car to a working organic farm on Madeira's south coast, walk through subtropical orchards along paths the Jesuits opened, learn the history of Madeira wine and farming, and eat lunch on a terrace overlooking the sea. The cable car is included. You don't arrange transport or entry separately.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Fajã dos Padres farm and beach

• Meet at Quinta Grande cable car
• Take 3-minute cable car ride
• Walk ancient orchard paths
• Learn about local farming methods
• Discover Madeira vine and wine history
• Relax at exclusive pebble beach
• Dine at organic farm restaurant

The experience

You step into the cable car at Quinta Grande and the ground falls away. Three minutes is all it takes: the cabin tilts down the cliff face, and the south coast of Madeira spreads below you, the pebble beach and the fajã itself getting closer as the rock wall slides past. A fajã is a flat shelf of land built up from cliff debris over centuries, and Fajã dos Padres is the one that matters here: 150 years under Jesuit ownership, subtropical fruit trees still growing in the same soil, a restaurant on a terrace that overlooks the Atlantic. You're not hiking down a trail or taking a boat. You're riding a cable car over 300 meters of open air to get there.

Once you reach the bottom, the walk begins through the orchards: ancient paths between banana plants, passion fruit, and vines that have been tended since the island was first settled. Your guide tells you why the Jesuits chose this place: the soil, the water, the isolation that kept it fertile. The wine history is woven into everything: why Madeira wine became what it is, how this remote fajã fed that reputation, what the farming methods were and still are. It's not a lecture. It's the story of the place told while you're standing in it, surrounded by the plants that prove it.

Lunch happens at the restaurant on the terrace: fish caught that morning, vegetables from the farm's own soil, wine from Madeira. The pebble beach runs the full length of the fajã, and there are showers and cabins if you want to stay longer. The cable car runs both ways, so the return trip gives you the same view in reverse, the cliff rising up as you ascend back to Quinta Grande.

What’s included

Your experience includes the 3-minute cable car trip down and back up the cliff, a guided walk through the orchards and along the ancient paths, and access to the fajã's restaurant, beach, and facilities. Lunch and wine are available at the restaurant but typically ordered separately.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guided VisitGuide in English, Spanish or Portuguese · 10:30Round-trip cable car ride

Guided visit with a tasting of local fruitGuide in English, Spanish or Portuguese · 10:30Fruit tasting: The tour features tastings of locally grown organic subtropical fruits.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SaturdayDeparts at 10:30

Book up to8h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (under 12): free

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Faja dos Padres

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see a working organic farm in an impossible location. The cable car is what makes the fajã accessible without a boat or a three-hour hike, and the guide's knowledge of the Jesuit history and Madeira wine ties the place together in a way a solo visit would not.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 12): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the cable car ride?

Three minutes each way.

Can I bring a stroller or pram?

Yes, infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller.

Is there food at the fajã?

Yes, there's a restaurant that serves locally grown organic produce and fresh fish, with a terrace overlooking the sea.

Can I swim or use the beach?

The fajã has a pebble beach and showers available for visitors.

What if I have mobility issues?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with walking limitations, though the cable car itself is accessible.

Is this suitable for all fitness levels?

It's suitable for all physical fitness levels, though it's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

Can I bring a service animal?

Yes, service animals are allowed.

How do I get to the meeting point?

Public transportation options are available nearby Quinta Grande, where the cable car departs.