Golden beaches on Porto Santo
Bite-sized trip
Day 1 – Take a ferry to Porto Santo
Many travellers to Madeira will end their holiday in Porto Santo, but you can also start your trip here as flights operate from Lisbon. If you end on Porto Santo, then take the ferry from Funchal. It takes only 2.5 hours and on board you can buy excellent food or hang out in the café on deck. Once at Porto Santo, you can easily take the public bus to your hotel. The bus is always ready and takes you initially to the centre, here you transfer to the bus that runs along the coast, passing all the hotels we work with.
Porto Santo is best known for its long golden sandy beaches and tranquillity. Those beaches cannot be found on Madeira’s main island, where there are mostly pebble beaches and some artificial sand beaches. You will stay in a beach resort with a swimming pool. It is a bit larger scale than what you are used to, but is fully equipped and the locations are perfect.
Beach resort on Porto Santo
On Porto Santo the resorts and hotels are quite large scale. To protect the beaches, the government has chosen not to allow construction directly on the beach anymore. The hotel we arrange for you depends on availability, but all are located on the beach or near the beach and have a swimming pool.
Tip: If you prefer to travel by rental car from the main island of Madeira, we can arrange a return ferry crossing for you with the car.
Day 2 – Relaxing on ‘Ilha Dourada’
Today you can do what you came here for – hang out on the beach. If you stay near the resorts, the beaches can be on the busy side, but you do have (for a fee) a beach chair and wicker umbrella at your disposal. For those looking for more peace and quiet, walk a little further away from the resorts. After enough sunshine, it is fun to stroll through the small center of Vila Baleira. The town’s parish is especially beautiful to see, its blue Portuguese tiles shining on the facade. At the museum of Christopher Columbus, you will learn all about the island and why this famous explorer lived here.
Day 3 – A day of activity?
Almost everyone visits the island for the beach, but remembers Porto Santo mainly for the extraordinary landscape you discover on your own. You can rent a scooter, e-bike or mountain bike from your hotel or from the local bike and scooter rental shop in the centre of Vila Baleira. This sandy island can be quite hot during the day, so plan your activity early in the morning or in the late afternoon.
Tour of Porto Santo?
If you’re feeling active you may wish to Pico Branco and Terra Cha. You will rewarded with beautiful views of the rugged coast with azure waters and the cone mountains of Pico da Juliana and Pico Castelo. Along the way you will pass the natural pools of Porto dos Frades and the famous mills of Moinhos de Vento, overlooking Vila Baleira and the rest of the island.
Or explore the west of the island, closer to the hotels. Here you will find the unusual rocks shaped like huge organ pipes at Ana Ferreira and the hidden beach Praia do Zimbralinho. Watch from a distance or descend all the way down. End your mini-road trip at Ponta da Calheta for a picturesque stretch of beach surrounded by rocks. The pastel de nata at the local cafe is also highly recommended.
Day 4 – On to home or a little further
Your stay on Porto Santo is over. From here, fly home via Lisbon or take the ferry back to Madeira to continue your travels. Have one last “Lambeca” in Vila Baleira or stroll along the beach. Adeus!
Tip: You can also dive beautifully at Porto Santo, including a wreck. This can easily be arranged locally, we recommend an extra night on Porto Santo.
Accommodation
