scenic viewpoint
Ponta de São Lourenço
Madeira's arid eastern tip, a hiking trail along ochre volcanic cliffs surrounded by deep blue sea.
11 km · about 20 min drive
EuropePortugalMadeira
Santa Cruz
Madeira, Portugal · Europe
About Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz works well as a base: 5 minutes from Machico, 21km from Levada Walks.
Santa Cruz is in Madeira, Portugal, with about 6,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Machico, about 4 km away.
Santa Cruz (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈsɐ̃tɐ ˈkɾuʃ] ; "Holy Cross") is a municipality, a parish and a city in the eastern part of the island of Madeira. It is the second most populous municipality, behind Funchal. The population in 2011 was 43,005, in an area of 81.50 km2.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Santa Cruz?
Within an hour or so of Santa Cruz: Ponta de São Lourenço (11 km), Funchal Old Town (12 km), Pico do Arieiro (14 km), Cabo Girao (20 km).
Are there any good drives near Santa Cruz?
The nearest famous roads are ER-101 and ER-105 Madeira mountain roads.
Where is Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz is in Madeira, Portugal, about 4 km from Machico.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 6,010
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Portugal
- Region
- Madeira
- Timezone
- Atlantic/Madeira
- Coordinates
- 32.6881, -16.7939
Tags
Worth the detour from Santa Cruz
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Funchal Old Town
Madeira's lively capital quarter of painted doors, cable-car, market and seafront promenade.
12 km · about 20 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Pico do Arieiro
Madeira's third-highest peak at 1,818 meters, offering a surreal above-the-clouds sunrise experience and a thrilling ridge walk to Pico Ruivo.
14 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Cabo Girao
One of the highest sea cliffs in Europe at 580 meters, with a glass-floored skywalk platform offering vertiginous ocean views.
20 km · about 25 min drive
natural wonder
Levada Walks
A unique network of irrigation channel paths winding through Madeira's laurel forests, offering spectacular walking through lush endemic vegetation.
21 km · about 25 min drive
famous road
ER-101 and ER-105 Madeira mountain roads
Madeira's old cliff and mountain roads with tunnels, tight hairpins and drops to the Atlantic; the Encumeada pass links north and south.
23 km · about 25 min drive
waterfall
25 Fontes
A levada hike ending at a green pool fed by dozens of cascading springs deep in Madeira's forest.
32 km · about 35 min drive
beach
Seixal
A north-coast village with a black-sand beach and waterfalls tumbling onto the coastal road.
32 km · about 35 min drive
Driving roads near Santa Cruz
- Right herePonta de São LourençoMadeira's arid eastern tip, a hiking trail along ochre volcanic cliffs surrounded by deep blue sea.
- Right herePico do ArieiroMadeira's third-highest peak at 1,818 meters, offering a surreal above-the-clouds sunrise experience and a thrilling ridge walk to Pico Ruivo.
- 20 kmCabo GiraoOne of the highest sea cliffs in Europe at 580 meters, with a glass-floored skywalk platform offering vertiginous ocean views.
- 23 kmER-101 and ER-105 Madeira mountain roadsMadeira's old cliff and mountain roads with tunnels, tight hairpins and drops to the Atlantic; the Encumeada pass links north and south.
Driving in Portugal
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.78/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€9.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
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