Viewpoints · 590 m above the sea
Miradouro da Portela
590 m pass viewpoint framing Penha d'Águia, between Porto da Cruz and Machico.
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The place
The Portela pass is the natural saddle between Madeira's north and east coasts, and its viewpoint at 670 m opens onto both at once: Porto da Cruz's roofs below, Penha d'Águia rearing up beside it, and the sea stretching toward Porto Santo on a clear day. It also sits almost exactly on the Machico/Santana boundary, and marks one end of the PR10 levada walk from Ribeiro Frio.
When to come
Clear mornings; the pass catches cloud more often than the coast by afternoon.
Worth knowing
- On the ER102, with roadside access and parking
- End point of the PR10 Levada do Furado from Ribeiro Frio
- Sits on the Machico/Santana municipal boundary