Ribeira Brava encompasses an area of 65.40 km² and has a total of 13,375 inhabitants, divided into 4 parishes. The origin of the name comes from its river (Ribeira Brava), that in rainy seasons has a very strong flow, wreaking havoc over the eight kilometres of the path it takes. Situated just fifteen kilometres from Funchal, the municipality of Ribeira Brava has a cultural heritage of which the Ribeira Brava Parish Church, a small fortification, the São Bento Fort are part of, the Madeira Ethnographic Museum, housed in an old house that functioned in the nineteenth century as sugar cane plantation that crushed the canes for the production of brandy, and a small core museum dedicated to religious art, where the treasure of the Matrix is kept.
We can still find the old house of the founder of the Municipality, Francisco Heredia Correia, Viscount of Ribeira Brava. An ancient manor, dating from the eighteenth century, it is the location of the town hall. Inside, a magnificent garden with many natural species of flora can be found.
In Ribeira Brava there is the Ethnographic Museum which displays artefacts of times past, such as instruments used to make the famously sweet madeira wine, old fishing boats, and even replica grocery stores of the time. As far as Levada walks, the most notable one is the Levada Nova which takes you through Tabua. On this walk you’ll be able to glimpse at some magnificent views with small old bridges and tunnels that are sure to leave an everlasting impression. Going along the shoreline many small beaches and cafes/restaurants can be found, perfect to spend the day having a nice drink and taking in the fresh sea air.