## Faial (Santana), Madeira: a practical guide to the parish at 32.782291, -16.86025

Faial is a civil parish (freguesia) in the municipality of Santana, on the north coast of Madeira Island (Portugal).
The at the mapped coordinates (32.782291, -16.86025) place you in this Madeira parish—not the Azores island also named Faial.

### Quick orientation (what Faial is known for)
Faial sits on Madeira’s rugged north coast and is strongly tied to:
– Coastal viewpoints above the Atlantic (including Miradouro do Guindaste, in Faial parish). Web
– A river mouth bathing area with amenities at Ribeira do Faial. Portugal
– A small 18th-century coastal fortlet (Fortim do Faial) built for local defense and sea-watching. Madeira

Faial’s population is reported as 1,567 (2011) over 24.03 km²—useful context, but potentially outdated depending on later census updates.

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## What to do in Faial

### 1) Visit the Ribeira do Faial bathing area (Zona Balnear da Ribeira do Faial)
This is a managed leisure area at the mouth of the Ribeira do Faial on Madeira’s north coast. The official VisitPortugal listing notes:
– A small pebble beach
– Support amenities
– A playground
– Sports fields (handball, football, volleyball) Portugal

If you’re building a day around a north-coast stop, this is one of the clearer “arrive, park, and spend time” options in Faial with documented facilities. Portugal

### 2) Miradouro do Guindaste (Guindaste Viewpoint) for north-coast panoramas
Miradouro do Guindaste is described as being in Faial parish next to Ribeira do Faial beach, with views along Madeira’s north coast toward Ponta de São Lourenço, and sometimes Porto Santo on clear days. Web

Important access note (possible change since 2024): One recent travel source reports that a “cliff viewpoint” area associated with Miradouro do Guindaste was closed from summer 2024, while noting an official viewpoint nearby with glass features remains open. This is not an official government notice in the source, so treat it as situational and verify locally before you plan around it. the World

### 3) Fortim do Faial (Faial Fortlet)
Visit Madeira’s official tourism text describes Fortim do Faial as built in the 18th century to watch for invaders, and highlights its north-coast views. Madeira
The Santana Madeira Biosphere site adds context: it notes it’s not a “real fort” in the sense of a large fortress, but a local garrison point from the 18th century, located strategically with a wide coastal view, and mentions small English cannons used in festivities of Nossa Senhora da Natividade (Our Lady of the Nativity). Madeira Biosfera

If you care about “why is this here?” rather than just the photo spot, that cannon/festivity detail is the kind of local layer people miss when they speed-run Madeira viewpoints. Madeira Biosfera

### 4) Faial parish identity: Nossa Senhora da Natividade and the parish’s founding date
Multiple sources converge on Faial’s formal creation date: 20 February 1550, and the parish patron Nossa Senhora da Natividade.

If you’re visiting churches or parish centers across Madeira, this matters because the island’s settlement history is organized around these parish timelines (and what got built where first). Madeira Biosfera

### 5) Agriculture & seasonal culture: anona (cherimoya/custard apple) and February festivities
A Madeira-by-bus guide notes Faial’s role in cultivating anonas (also called cherimoya/custard apple) and states that the Anona Festival is celebrated annually in February, including food stalls, music, and anona-based products like liqueurs, puddings, ice cream, and milkshakes. Madeira by Bus

Because festival programming can change year to year, treat the month (February) as the reliable planning signal, then confirm exact dates locally. Madeira by Bus

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## How Faial fits into a Santana-area day

Santana municipality is widely framed as a place where natural and cultural heritage remains central, and the municipality has UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status. Madeira

If you’re using Faial as one stop among several in the Santana area, the Biosphere site documents additional nearby points of interest in the municipality, including:
– Queimadas Forest Park (linked with Laurissilva forest species) Madeira Biosfera
– Achada do Teixeira viewpoints and access to Pico Ruivo by footpath (Pico Ruivo described as Madeira’s highest peak and only accessible on foot) Madeira Biosfera
– Rocha do Navio Nature Reserve, with access by cable car Madeira Biosfera

That makes Faial a logical “coast + viewpoint + fortlet” counterbalance to the higher-elevation forest and ridge experiences nearby. Madeira Biosfera

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## Practical notes (based on sourced info)

### Facilities & downtime
If you want an easy, low-decision stop with documented infrastructure, the Ribeira do Faial bathing area is the clearest option in Faial with explicitly listed amenities and recreation space. Portugal

### Viewpoint conditions and changing access
Viewpoints on Madeira can shift in accessibility due to safety work and closures. With Guindaste specifically, one source reports partial closure behavior from 2024 while describing an official glass-balcony viewpoint nearby as open—so verify on the ground if Guindaste is the anchor of your day. the World

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## Data freshness and what may be outdated
– Population and area figures cited for Faial (1,567 in 2011, 24.03 km²) are historical statistics and may not reflect current numbers.
– Any festival dates beyond “February” should be confirmed for the year you’re traveling. Madeira by Bus

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If you want, paste the exact “Faial” page type you’re publishing (town page vs. attraction page vs. “things to do” hub) and I’ll reshape this into your preferred RealJourneyTravels.com template while keeping the “only sourced facts” constraint.