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Cerveja Pesquita
1 mi from the city centre · Câmara de Lobos · Portugal
Câmara de Lobos
Câmara de Lobos is known for its fishing bay, one of Madeira's most important, named after the monk seals Zarco found in a cave here. Read on for black scabbardfish, espetada and poncha, the 580-metre cliffs of Cabo Girão and a mountain village founded for two nuns.
1 brewery · 1 venue
Câmara de Lobos lies on the south coast of Madeira, 9 km from Funchal. Its name goes back to João Gonçalves Zarco, who came ashore here in 1419 or 1420 and found, between two rocks, a sheltered inlet with a cave full of monk seals, known in Portuguese as "lobos marinhos" (sea wolves). The species is now endangered, and in Madeira it survives only in a small colony on the Desertas Islands. The municipality was created on 25 May 1835 and installed on 4 October that year, and Câmara de Lobos became a town on 3 August 1996.
The bay has long been one of the archipelago's most important fishing centres, and its fishermen specialise in black scabbardfish. The parish church, dedicated to São Sebastião, was probably built in the 16th century, and the first Franciscan convent founded outside Funchal, dedicated to São Bernardino de Sena, was built here. The council lists espetada on bay-laurel skewers, poncha and Madeira wine among the municipality's traditions, along with the vineyards of Estreito de Câmara de Lobos.
To the west rise the cliffs of Cabo Girão, 580 metres high. Inland, Curral das Freiras sits among very high mountains in the centre of the island; it takes its name from 1480, when João Gonçalves da Câmara, second captain of Funchal, bought the land and gave it to his daughters Elvira and Joana, Poor Clare nuns. The Eira do Serrado viewpoint looks down on the village, which celebrates Nossa Senhora do Livramento on the last Sunday of August and is known for chestnuts and ginja cherries.
Craft beer in Câmara de Lobos is still a rare find, which makes tracking down a local pour part of the adventure. After a day between the fishing harbour and the cliffs of Cabo Girão, it is worth seeking out.
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Frequently asked questions
The name goes back to João Gonçalves Zarco, who came ashore here and found, between two rocks, a sheltered inlet with a cave full of monk seals, known in Portuguese as 'lobos marinhos'. The species is now endangered and in Madeira survives only in a small colony on the Desertas Islands.
The town council lists espetada on bay-laurel skewers, poncha and Madeira wine among the municipality's traditions, along with the vineyards of Estreito de Câmara de Lobos. The bay is one of the archipelago's most important fishing centres, and its fishermen specialise in black scabbardfish, while the inland village of Curral das Freiras is known for chestnuts and ginja cherries.
To the west rise the cliffs of Cabo Girão, 580 metres high. Inland, Curral das Freiras sits among very high mountains in the centre of the island and is overlooked by a viewpoint. Its name dates from 1480, when the second captain of Funchal bought the land and gave it to his daughters, Poor Clare nuns.
Câmara de Lobos lies on the south coast of Madeira, 9 km from Funchal. The municipality was created in 1835 and the town gained its status in 1996. Its parish church, dedicated to São Sebastião, was probably built in the 16th century, and the first Franciscan convent founded outside Funchal was built here.