Ribeira Brava | Beach and river mouth

Ribeira Brava

Ribeira BravaOffline

Southwest

Wind8 km/h

Air Temp21°C

Cloud53%

07:03 WET

Picture is off for now

What this picture is for

The view: The beach, the promenade, and the river mouth at Ribeira Brava.
Useful for: See if the water by the mouth has gone brown after rain.
It will not show: It is not the hospital, and not the inside of the church.
A clear picture in the morning is not a promise after a downpour.
The camera: Image by Madeira-Web Places Live
Getting there: About 20 minutes from Funchal on the VR1, on the way to Ponta do Sol and Calheta.

This picture

Favorable Conditions07:03

What does this picture show, and what does it leave out?

Warm twilight light over the bay with calm sheltered south coast conditions.

Air Temperature21°C

Wind8 km/h

Cloud53%

Weather nearbyThe picture is the check

What this picture shows

It shows what is in front of the camera. It does not show the rest of the island.

Optimal Hours & Parking

Recommended hours: Golden hour through dusk

Parking access: Standard municipal and roadside parking areas.

Recommended Gear & Footwear

Shoes you can walk in, and something for the sun.

Informational travel guide for visitor planning. Always check official advisories from IFCN, Capitania, and Civil Protection before outdoor mountain or coastal activities.

When to go

Madeira time: 12:00

The south-coast town on the way west. This picture is the front: beach, promenade, and the river meeting the sea. Not the hospital, and not a promise the water is clear. Brown at the mouth after rain: swim somewhere else.

The front and the river mouth. After rain it can run brown.

Read more about this webcam

The front. After rain, the mouth can be brown.

The south-coast town on the way west. This picture is the front: beach, promenade, and the river meeting the sea. Not the hospital, and not a promise the water is clear. Brown at the mouth after rain: swim somewhere else.

About this webcam

Quick facts

Location: Ribeira Brava, Madeira
Category: Southwest
Best time to watch: All day; mornings for calm sea and promenade activity
Coordinates: 32.6669, -17.0658

Weather Information

Madeira has a mild climate year-round. Use the webcams for real-time conditions (visibility, sea state, wind).

About the area

This page belongs to the Southwest category in Madeira and groups 6 related webcams. Use the category link to explore nearby views and compare conditions.

Quick Tips for Visitors

Check local visibility and ocean conditions via the webcam before heading out.
Madeira weather changes fast: bring a light jacket.
Respect signage and local guidance.

Highlights

Historic town centre
Beach and promenade
Sheltered south coast

Nearby attractions

Town church
Promenade
South coast viewpoints

Travel tips

Assess entry and swell before swimming.
Bring sun protection and water.
Respect flags and local notices.

Photo: Paul Mannix CC BY 2.0 Wikimedia Commons

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Elevation: Sea level
Coordinates: 32.6669, -17.0658
Region: Ribeira Brava
Camera: Live picture

Frame and highlights

The view

The front

•Brown after rain.
•A clear small bay.
•Not the town interior.

Highlights

✓Beach and mouth.
✓The promenade.
✓Not the hospital.

Ribeira Brava Weather & Bay Conditions

Central River Valley

Deep valley drainage basin funnels fresh air from the high interior peaks down to the sea
Main transit crossroads linking southern coastal towns with northern routes through the Encumeada pass
Can experience localized wind funnels independent of calm conditions along neighboring beaches
Seaward breakwater shields the gravel bathing area from regular Atlantic wave sets

Coast & terrain

Landscape & geography

On the way west

About 20 minutes from Funchal on the VR1, before Ponta do Sol and Calheta. The church is a short walk up. The picture stays on the water.

Related Views

6 webcams in Southwest

Browse all Southwest webcams →

Approach & Planning

Visitor logistics

After rain

Brown water: Skip the swim.
A stop: Fine. The surf is further west.
Image by Madeira-Web Places Live.

From our visits

A Local Guide

Location history

On the way west What is missing matters more than a pretty frame. A hull at the quay does not mean you can board. The Porto Santo ferry, about 2 hours 30 minutes, does not show its queue here. Grey hills behind a bright front mean the road up is in cloud. Look at that before you commit to the climb. On a cruise morning the harbour pavement fills. An empty walk in the picture is a different morning. This is not the runway, even when the airport is the next headland. And the runway picture is not this square. If your road is the VR1, stay on it until the exit. The expressway is not a viewpoint. Park properly and walk. The quay and the square are close. The VR1 is not the entrance. A cruise morning shows itself as a hull and a full pavement. You already saw that. If the ridge behind the roofs is grey, spend the hour in town and try the climb after lunch, once you have looked again. Cloud on those hills lifts or it does not, and the picture is the cheap way to find out. A boarding pass is not in the frame. Neither is a free table. A bus stop is not a parking space. Look before you set off, and look again while you can still change the plan. Funchal's sky is a weak guide to the rest of the island. Keep a jacket in the car. Do not leave the car in a lane. When the picture and the town disagree, the picture wins. Ten minutes is a fair second look. An hour can be a different shore.

Photo: Paul Mannix CC BY 2.0 Wikimedia Commons