Porto Santo travel guide: best things to see and do in the beach paradise next to Madeira

Boasting one of the best beaches in Europe and despite its small size, Porto Santo is an island that invites two types of vacationers: those looking to relax or those looking to explore (or, as in our case, a bit of both). Don’t believe those who say you can see it all in one day. While it is not an island full of adventure plans, it does have more to explore than it appears and invites you to relax.

You can perfectly visit Porto Santo without renting a car, staying in an accommodation near the immense beach of 9 km of fine golden sand where you can take a relaxing sunbathing and sea bathing. You can also, if you prefer, rent a car, a motorcycle or even a buggy and explore its volcanic landscapes that contrast with a turquoise blue sea, doing some of its hiking trails or discovering some of its natural pools. It is, therefore, an island perfectly adaptable to spend from a weekend to a week of vacation.

Many people come to visit Porto Santo on a day trip from Madeira, which although it is possible to see the main places because it is a small island, it is not the most advisable, especially if you want to enjoy its beaches or natural pools, or do some of its trails.

In this guide we try to reflect all that Porto Santo has to offer with practical proposals, itineraries from 1 to 3 days, where to stay and even where to eat so that you can make the most of your trip to the island.

Basic facts for traveling to Porto Santo

Language: Portuguese

Currency: Euro

Population: 5,149 (in 2021)

When to visit: All year round, it is advisable to avoid July and August because of the amount of tourism and high prices. To enjoy the beach with less people, April, May, September and October are the best months. We detail more about when to visit Porto Santo in this section of the guide.

How long to stay: Minimum 1 day, but recommended 3 days. In this section we share specific itineraries for Porto Santo to help you organize your trip.

How to get there: there are direct flights from Madeira, Lisbon and Porto, we recommend that you use flight comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates to get the best possible price. There is also a boat from Madeira, more details in this section of the guide.

Where to stay: If you don’t have a car/motorbike, Vila Baleira or surroundings is ideal. If you rent a car/motorbike, any area is good. At Randomtrip we stayed in Vila Baleira Suites, with access to the beach. More details in the Where to stay in Porto Santo guide section.

What to bring: A good travel insurance(in this link we give you a 5% discount on the one we always carry) and here is the list of what you can’t miss in your backpack for this trip.

Getting around: the best option is to rent a car or motorcycle, you can check and compare companies with availability for your dates in comparators like DiscoverCars which is the one we use. More info on how to get around Porto Santo in this section of the guide.

How much it costs: From 90€/day per person (approx.) depending on the type of accommodation, meals, tours… More budget information in this section of the guide.

How to have internet: Porto Santo belongs to Portugal, so if you have a European operator you can probably use your internet package there at no extra cost (confirm the conditions with your operator). Otherwise, if your mobile supports eSIM and you don’t want to complicate things, we recommend Holafly’s eSIM (unlimited data, 5% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP) or Airalo’s eSIM (limited data, but cheaper, 15% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP15). You can also buy a local SIM (the three main ones are Meo, Vodafone or Nos). More info here

Time zone: UTC +1. The time in Porto Santo (Portugal) is the same as in mainland Portugal and the Canary Islands and one hour less than in mainland Spain.

When to visit Porto Santo

Porto Santo is a destination that can be visited all year round, as it never gets too cold, although the best weather is in the central months of the year, from April to October. Since July and August are the peak tourist months and, given the scarcity of accommodation options, it gets crowded and prices go way up, the best months to visit Porto Santo would be April, May, September and October, especially if you are looking to enjoy the beach. If the beach is not your number 1 priority (Porto Santo is much more than a beach) then any month is good, trying to avoid the peak tourist seasons (it is a very popular destination for families with children, so Christmas, Easter, long weekends and school vacations are when there are more people).

Table of the weather in Porto Santo, with temperatures and rainy days per month:

Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Rainy days
January	15º	18º	18º	4
February	15º	18º	18º	4
March	15º	19º	18º	3
April	15º	20º	18º	2
May	17º	21º	19º	1
June	19º	23º	29º	1
July	20º	24º	22º	0
August	21º	25º	23º	0
September	21º	25º	23º	1
October	20	24º	22º	3
November	18º	21º	21º	4
December	16º	20º	19º	5
Month	Minimum temperature	Maximum temperature	Water temperature (average)	Rainy days

Also, if you like festivities, these are some of the most famous ones in Porto Santo

• Festas de São João (June): the festivities of St. John, patron saint of the islands, are one of the most anticipated of the year, and are celebrated on June 23 and 24.
• Festas em honra de Nossa Senhora da Graça (August 14 to 16): one of the largest arraiais of Porto Santo.
• Columbus Festival: in September Porto Santo celebrates a big party with concerts in Vila Baleira recreating a realistic 16th century market.

How to get to Porto Santo

You can get to Porto Santo in two ways: by plane or by boat.

There are only flights from Madeira (25 minutes with Binter), Porto or Lisbon, so if you want to visit the island from another country, you will have to go through one of those places before. Ideally, you should be flexible with dates and use price comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi.

On the other hand, there is a boat connection with Funchal (Madeira). The boat, called “Lobo Marinho” (sea wolf) is operated by Porto Santo Line. It takes about 2h30 and you can see more information about what it is like here (it has outdoor areas, bar, restaurant, space to take vehicles, etc.). In winter it usually stops for a month for maintenance, and the rest of the year the schedules vary depending on the season, and there may be days of the week without service because of bad weather. Find out about schedules, prices and availability for your travel dates on the official website of Porto Santo Line.

How many days to stay in Porto Santo

We recommend a minimum of 1 day for Porto Santo (many people visit the island from Madeira without staying overnight), although the ideal to get to know Porto Santo well would be 3 days (more if you are looking to relax on the beaches and do nothing). For this reason we propose different types of itineraries, 1, 2 and 3 days.

Things to see and do in Porto Santo

This is a summary of the places to visit in Porto Santo, and below you have the map and specific information of each place.

Things to see and do in Porto Santo

• Enjoy its kilometer-long paradisiacal beach of fine sand and turquoise waters.
• Marvel at the views from its viewpoints, such as Miradouro das Flores or Miradouro da Portela.
• Snorkel in Zimbralinho
• Surprise yourself with its geological formations, such as Morenos, the “piano” (Pico de Ana Ferreira), Fonte da Areia and the dunes or Fenda Dona Beja.
• Take a dip in its natural pools, such as Salemas or Porto dos Frades.
• Learn about life in Porto Santo in its museums, such as Casa da Serra or Museu Cardina.
• Hiking along one of its 3 official trails
• Take a boat tour to see the island from the sea, snorkel and have the chance to see whales and dolphins.

Map of Porto Santo

Here we leave you all the places mentioned in this Porto Santo guide on a Google Maps map that you can carry on your smartphone to check at any time.

And here is also a tourist map of Porto Santo ( click on the image to download it in larger size and resolution).

Brief introduction and curiosities of Porto Santo

Here are a few curious facts about Porto Santo

• The island of Porto Santo first emerged under the sea, about 18 million years ago, and emerged above the sea about 14 million years ago, having volcanic activity until about 8 million years ago. It is a very different island from Madeira geologically, much flatter and more eroded, with hardly any vegetation, and hardly any rain, with a much less rich soil.

• The island of Porto Santo was the first of the archipelago to be colonized, in 1418 (following Madeira Island a year later, in 1419). Theoretically, João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira arrived at Porto Santo by chance, after a storm (when their real destination was Guinea). After recounting their exploits to the Portuguese prince, they were sent back with Bartolomeu Perestrelo to colonize the island in 1420. They brought vines and sugar cane to plant, exploited the local dragon trees (“sangre de drago” or Drago’s blood was in great demand), and also brought rabbits, which was a lousy idea because they devastated the vegetation and the island never fully recovered. Tristão and Zarco continued to Madeira, which became more important, and Porto Santo remained in a more secondary plane, until the present day.

• Christopher Columbus was living in Madeira in 1478, and married Bartolomeu Perestrelo’s daughter, Filipa, in 1479, after which he received land in Porto Santo. Filipa died a couple of years later during childbirth. It is said that Columbus, during his stay in Porto Santo, began to study the ocean currents, fascinated by the Entada Gigas (or feijão de mar – sea beans), which arrived in Porto Santo dragged from the Caribbean by the currents of the gulf. Another theory says that he received a warning from other sailors that there was land to the west. What is known is that he later drew his plan to cross the Atlantic and all that followed. In Porto Santo, there is a museum dedicated to his figure, in the house where he supposedly stayed at the time.

• It is said that the sand of the island has therapeutic properties due to its biogenic origin, rich in calcium, strontium and iodine minerals, whose absorption into the skin allows the fixation of calcium in the organism. To do this, you will have to bury yourself in the sand when it is very hot.

• There is no cinema or theater. For that kind of cultural entertainment you have to go to the neighboring island of Madeira (40€ for residents, the play should be really good!).
• There is no hospital so pregnant women have to leave a month earlier for Funchal.
• It is known as the golden island (ilha dourada), both for its golden sandy beaches and its golden desert landscape, as well as, according to the inhabitants of the island itself, for the wheat that was grown there.
• The name of its main town, Vila Baleira, has unknown origin and there are several theories: that it was from Bal – Eira (eira = land of Bal, Bal having the same root as the name of the colonizer of the island, Bartolomeu Perestrelo), that it was an adaptation of another name from Continental Portugal (such as Baleeira in Algarve, near Sagres, where Bartolomeu Perestrelo had a house), or even related to the whaling activity (Villa Ballenera or whaling village). What is certain is that the origin is unknown.

Vila Baleira

Vila Baleira, south of Porto Santo, is the main town and population center of the island, and where part of the kilometer-long and famous beach of Porto Santo is located. It has a wide range of restaurants and accommodations, and is a good option to stay if you do not have your own vehicle. There are several things to see and do in Vila Baleira, here we summarize them for you:

• Pontão de Porto de Santo: this long pier will allow you to appreciate the clear turquoise waters of Porto Santo, its kilometer-long beach and almost the entire island with its peaks. You will surely see young people jumping into the water from it.

• Praia da Fontinha: although the main beach of Porto Santo is large (it is 9km long), the different accesses have different names. Praia da Fontinha is the one located right in Vila Baleira, next to the pier, and therefore it is also usually the most crowded.

• Praia do Penedo: the beach on the other side of the pier, on the way to Porto de Abrigo. There are no services, and being a little further away from the center of Vila Baleira, it is much quieter and less crowded.

• Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Piedade: the most important religious monument of the island, present throughout its history. Originally built in the 15th century, it was burned several times by pirate attacks, and had a total reconstruction in the 17th century.

• Christopher Columbus House Museum: museum dedicated to Christopher Columbus (who settled in Madeira and Porto Santo, married the daughter of one of the first colonizers, Filipa Moniz, and in theory they both lived where this museum is today) and the role of Porto Santo at the time of the Portuguese expeditions. Unfortunately, the museum overly romanticizes that era without mentioning or delving into the atrocities committed by the colonizers. Price: 2€/person. Hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00h to 13:00h. Monday to Friday from 10:00h to 12:30h and from 14:00h to 17:30h. Closed on holidays, and between October and June also closed on Tuesdays.

• Lambecas of Porto Santo: very typical ice creams of Porto Santo that have become an icon of the island. It is said that if you don’t eat a lambeca, you haven’t been to Porto Santo. Due to the fame, queues usually form, although in our opinion, after tasting them, both the ice cream and the cookie are quite artificial.

• Padrão dos Descobrimentos: monument to the “discoveries”, celebrating the time of the Portuguese expeditions. Locally it is known as “Pau de Sabão” for its quadrangular shape.
• Jardim Avenida Infante D. Henrique: main garden of Vila Baleira, where the previous monument is located, with several species such as palm trees, bougainvillea or dragon trees.
• Porto Santo Promenade: small promenade from the previous garden parallel to the sea, where you can take a pleasant stroll overlooking the incredible beach.

Miradouro das Lombas

The Miradouro das Lombas is a viewpoint located somewhat higher above the sea from which it is possible to have incredible views of Vila Baleira and the turquoise blue waters of the sea. At the viewpoint you will find an old mill (no longer in use) and a bar where you can have a drink while appreciating the views.

Porto Santo Beach

Porto Santo’s main attraction, its beach, stretches for 9 km, from Vila Baleira south to Ponta da Calheta, with plenty of space, fine yellow sand and calm, clear waters.

Although the beach is the same, it has different entrances with different names, based on the accesses. They say that the sands of the beach have therapeutic properties due to their biogenic origin, rich in calcium, strontium and iodine minerals whose absorption in the skin allows the fixation of calcium in the organism. To do this, you will have to bury yourself in the sand when it is very hot.

• Praia da Fontinha: the beach of Vila Baleira, right next to the pier, and therefore one of the busiest.

• Praia do Penedo: on the other side of the pier, towards Porto de Abrigo, much quieter than Fontinha.

• Praia Pedras Pretas: another piece of beach very frequented by local people, with a family atmosphere.
• Praia Ribeiro Cochino: right after the previous one, where you will find the well-known Bar do Henrique, where you can eat right on the beach or have a drink.

• Praia do Ribeiro Salgado: as we move further away from Vila Baleira, the beaches become less crowded. This particular one has two hotels just behind, so it is usually frequented by those staying in them, plus many other people who come by car.

• Praia Cabeço da Ponta: another stretch of beach in front of hotels, so it is frequented by tourists staying there. Here was located our accommodation on the island, Vila Baleira Suites, with direct access to the beach.

• Praia da Calheta (Ponta da Calheta): in our opinion, the most beautiful beach of Porto Santo. Here we took our first dip. To the right of the beach there are natural pools at low tide (you can check the tides here). It has a bar-restaurant where you can have a drink before or after swimming.

In almost all beaches or entrances there are parking areas, some larger than others (for example, in Ponta da Calheta the parking is more limited).

Miradouro das Flores

The Miradouro das Flores is the postcard image of Porto Santo, with the photogenic Ilhéu da Cal in the background and the turquoise and transparent waters that surround it, as well as the entire southern part of the island.

On clear days you can also see Madeira Island and the Desertas Islands. If the weather is good, it is an excellent place to watch the sunset.

It can be reached by car without any problem (through a dirt road) and there is a parking area right where the viewpoint is.

Zimbralinho Beach

Praia do Zimbralinho is a pebble beach, with completely transparent waters and ideal for snorkeling(bring your own equipment and some watershoes).

The access is on foot through a fairly steep stairs, you can’t get lost although it is advisable to be well informed of the state before going (a few months before our visit, due to a landslide, could not be accessed). It is advisable to visit it in the morning, as the beach becomes shaded in the afternoon.

You can also get there by kayak tour from Ponta da Calheta. In our case, we were taken by sea on the boat tour we took, which we will tell you more about later in this guide.

Morenos geological formations, Ponta da Canavieira and Miradouro do Furado do Norte

In the geological formations of Morenos you will be able to appreciate formations of volcanic origin from different stages of the island.

If you continue you will reach the Miradouro do Furado do Norte, also known as Miradouro Ponta da Canavieira, from where you can see the Ilhéu do Ferro as well as the cliffs of this area of the island.

Both can be reached by normal car on a dirt road, and there is a parking area.

Just before reaching the Mirador de Morenos, there is a well-equipped picnic area where local families often go for picnics.

Pico Ana Ferreira (Ana Ferreira Peak) and Ana Ferreira Cave

Pico Ana Ferreira is incredibly photogenic, due to the fact that it is formed by basaltic columns that look like an organ or a piano.

As you can read in the signs, you must respect the natural heritage, so be a responsible tourist and do not climb on the columns or do anything that could damage them. You can get there by car (better use this detour than the other one, as the road here is in better condition), the last stretch is a dirt road but you can go by car perfectly and park at the top next to the geological formation.

On the other hand, from this area you can continue climbing up to the Gruta Ana Ferreira, a cave with incredible views of the entire island, particularly towards the peaks of Facho and Castelo.

Getting there is not easy, but not impossible: the main problems are that the path is not well-marked, so it is easy to get lost, and that the last stretch to get to the cave you have to do a little climbing dodging cactus.

To try to locate it, if you are in front of the “piano”, on the left hand side and going up there is a path that you have to follow. At a certain point, after a small stone wall, more or less around here, you will see a detour to the right to start climbing, where you will be able to see the cave at the top. From there, you just need to go up the path marked on the ground and / or find your own way towards the cave.

Randomtripper Difficulty Scale: Difficult; it is short but the ground is slippery, you have to climb at the end and have intuition to understand where to go, the great difficulty is to orient yourself. We recommend wearing appropriate footwear, be careful, sun protection and plenty of water.

Nearby, you can stop at the Capela de São Pedro, which has excellent views.

Miradouro da Portela and Windmills

The Miradoudo da Portela is probably the most famous of Porto Santo and the one that offers the best views of Vila Baleira and the beach.

On the other side of the road there are 3 windmills of Porto Santo, nowadays in disuse.

Porto de Frades and Fenda Dona Beja

This area became one of our favorites on the island, in part, because of the surprise we got when we uncovered it. In Porto dos Frades there are several things to see: a beach, natural pools (only at low tide) and whimsical sandy rock formations.

The beach is Praia de Porto dos Frades (or Praia de Cotrim), a small beach on the right hand side as you arrive by car. If you follow the road, you will reach a tunnel Túnel da Ponta da Galé) that was created in 1960 to facilitate the passage of people through this area because they had the cannery on one side and the salt mines on the other.

If instead of going to the right we go to the left, walking along the sand following the path, and if you go at low tide (you can check the tides here), you will find the natural pools of Porto de Frades, little frequented and therefore a paradisiacal haven of peace.

And if you follow the trail to the end, after climbing a small wooden staircase opportunely placed, you will arrive at the famous Fenda Dona Beja, a curious and whimsical rock formation of sand sculpted by water and wind over the years. Please be a responsible tourist and do not destroy this natural site: avoid touching the formations and above all, do not leave your name or any other type of message or design on the formations.

Randomtripper Difficulty Scale: Easy, the only thing to keep in mind is that you have to be careful to find where to go up the small staircase on the left.

Casa da Serra

Casa da Serra is the ideal place to learn about the history of Porto Santo. Thanks to the charming Lomelino, who showed us around the house and gave us a lot of interesting information about the island, we learned a lot.

We can see a traditional island house inside, with thatched walls to keep the heat in while saving space (a wall takes up more space) in a small house.

We also saw the Matamorra (like a dug well); the name comes from “mata ou morres” (kill or die), and women and children used to hide there before pirate attacks, while the men hid in the mountains.

Admission is free and there is space to park your car.

Calhau Beach

Praia do Calhau is a pebble beach and difficult to access, so it is very little visited and an ideal place if you want to escape from the world.

Hiking trail PS PR1 Vereda do Pico Branco and Terra Chã

If you only have time to do one trail in Porto Santo, this is the one we recommend. The PR1 Trail between Pico Branco and Terra Chã (official brochure, it is linear, 2-3h round trip, at Randomtrip it took us 2:20h with many stops for photos and to enjoy the views).

You can park your car off the road at the trailhead.

After a while walking, you will have to climb first to the Miradouro Pico Branco and its summit (the second highest peak of the island) and then to the Miradouro da Terra Chã, with magnificent views of the sea and the cliffs of the area.

At Terra Chã you will also see a shelter (Casa de abrigo), which was once used by personnel who came to do scientific studies and to reintroduce/propagate endemic species; today it is theoretically possible to stay overnight upon request.

Randomtripper Scale Difficulty: Medium, because it has some elevation.

Miradouro do Pedregal

The Miradouro do Pedregal overlooks a more arid, “stony” (hence the name) and windy area of the island. It is a good place at night to see the starry sky because there is no light pollution.

Just in front you can see the remains of some old houses already demolished (when we went there, a local lady was commenting that one of the houses belonged to her family). The main problem of the island was always the drinking water, having many seasons without rain (the record recorded was during the XIX century, during which it did not rain for 12 years in a row). The population inhabited for many centuries this northern area, with more mountains and where it was more likely to rain (in fact even today we still see more green here than in other areas of the island). After the construction of the desalination plant, the population moved south.

Hiking trail PS PR2 Vereda do Pico do Castelo

The second trail of Porto Santo, the PS PR2 Vereda do Pico Castelo connects Moledo with the Miradouro do Pico Castelo (or Miradouro do Canhão), offering two possibilities on the route (passing to the east or west of Pico do Facho, the highest peak of the island with 517 meters of altitude).

The trail passes through Pico Castelo, where you can see the bust of Schiappa de Azevedo, who dedicated himself in the early twentieth century to “tree planting” this part of the island, which lacked high vegetation, being a desert area. This peak is an ancient volcanic crater, and on it was built in the sixteenth century a small fortress to deal with frequent pirate attacks.

It is a linear trail (official brochure), 3.2km (1h30) to the west of Pico do Facho and 4.6km (2h15) to the east; if you do a round trip you can do one side each time.

In our case, to avoid having to come back to the same point, what we did was to go by car (if you do, go by road south, not north, as it is in better condition) to Miradouro do Pico Castelo to see the views (if you want from here you can quickly climb to Pico Castelo), and then do the Vereda do Pico do Facho, which goes around the Pico do Facho by the two slopes (east and west), being a circular trail, and starting from here, to enjoy the 360º views of the island.

It takes 1h30-2h to go around. We especially liked the views of Pico Juliana and Pico Cabrita, views of Praia do Calhau and Ilhéu de Cima or Ilhéu do Farol. Randomtripper Difficulty Scale: Easy, flat without many elevation changes.

Pico do Facho, the highest on the island at 517m, is so called because here they used to light a bonfire (called fachos) to warn when they saw pirate ships arriving.

Capela da Graça and Hiking Trail PS PR3 Levada do Pico do Castelo

The third and last official trail of Porto Santo is the PS PR3 – Levada do Pico do Castelo, which starts from Camacha and takes you to the Capela de Nossa Senhora da Graça. Currently there is a closed section, the one that goes through the tunnel, but you can do the rest of the trail. It is linear (official brochure, 4.1km one way, 1h40).

The Capela da Graça, a small isolated hermitage on the slopes of Pico Castelo, is one of the oldest religious buildings on the island (its origins date back to 1533, although its last reconstruction was in 1951), and famous for its popular festivity celebrated on August 15.

Cardina Museum

The Cardina Museum is a small “homemade” ethnographic museum about Porto Santo. José Cardina, a private individual, has been saving old tools and utensils, and even created some models, and exhibits them in this museum. Being a private museum and still quite out of the way, schedules and contact can be a bit tricky. When we visited the island in September 2024, we managed to get in touch with the museum and they told us that they are only open Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:30h, but you can write them a private message through their Facebook page if you can’t make those days to see if another day at another time would be possible.

Miradouro da Fonte da Areia

Formerly, the Fonte da Areia had the purest water of the entire island of Porto Santo, it was believed to have medicinal properties and became sacred. Today it hardly has any water, but the water and the wind left their mark on this sandy area that acquired capricious forms that today we can appreciate from the Miradouro da Fonte da Areia.

It is an area with huge amounts of biogenic carbonate sandstones, classified as eolianites. The eolianites are the parent rock of the current sand of the kilometer-long beach of Porto Santo, formed mostly by pieces of mollusk shells and calcareous algae, symbol of the geological age of the island.

It is also a good place to watch the sunset, where if the day is clear, the sunlight illuminates these formations with orange tones.

Remember to be a responsible tourist and not to touch or destroy the sand formations, or write your name or anything else on them.

Porto Santo Dunes

On the other side of the road are the Dunes of Porto Santo (from the road to the sea you will see Fonte da Areia, and inland are the Dunes). To access you have to walk (unless you go with a 4×4, which we believe should be prohibited to avoid destroying this natural heritage).

They are fossilized dunes, although there are some areas with sand, with the same origin as what we see in Fonte da Areia. It is also an incredible place to watch the sunset.

Natural pools Porto das Salemas

At Porto das Salemas you will find, only at low tide (you can check the tides here), some incredible and paradisiacal natural pools. You have to walk down (you can park here) and the path is somewhat steep and slippery because of the sand/gravel (although not dangerous, as it is quite wide), so it is advisable to go with shoes with grip. It took about 15 min to walk down and 10 min to walk up, although unfortunately during our visit the low tide was at “bad” hours (very early or already at sunset), so we could not enjoy the pools as they deserve.

Boat trip with snorkeling and Whale watching

If you have enough time, a good plan to do in Porto Santo is a boat trip, to admire the island and its beaches from the sea, and to reach places that can not be reached on foot. If you are lucky, it is also possible to see cetaceans (whales and dolphins).

In our case, we did a tour with Mar Dourado of about 2h/2h30, which costs 45€ per person. We left around 10:00h from the marina of Porto Santo, and they took us first to the east of the island (to the Ilhéu do Farol) and then to the west, to the Ilhéu da Cal and Zimbralinho. During the tour, besides enjoying the views, they tell you curious things or historical aspects of Porto Santo, and a stop for snorkeling is included, as well as some typical cookies and Madeira wine.

Here is more or less our itinerary during the boat ride:

• We left from the Marina at about 10:00 am.
• The first stop was here, in front of Ponta do Passo, where they explain the history of the Ponta da Galé tunnel, built to connect the canneries with the salt mines on the other side.

• From there we continue to the Ilhéu do Farol (also known as Ilhéu dos Dragoeiros because when they discovered the island it was full of Dragos, although they were cut or died since then, or Ilhéu de Cima). We stop more or less around here, and see an area called “Pedra do Sol”, where we see a more or less round area with many basaltic columns (like those of the “piano” or Pico de Ana Ferreira). The area is a Marine Reserve since 2008. From here you can climb to the top, where the lighthouse (the oldest in the archipelago) is located, through 713 stairs. Before the lighthouse was automated, the lighthouse keepers had to live here, they grew food and even had chickens, pigs, etc. Sometimes it could take months before they could leave the islet due to weather conditions.

• The next point is on the other side of the island, to the west. Along the way we keep an eye out for whales and dolphins, although we have no luck. The next stop is the Ilhéu da Cal (or Ilhéu de Baixo), so called because lime was extracted here, which was one of the main industries of the island, from the seventeenth century until 1970 (it was terminated for safety reasons, as several workers died due to collapse of the galleries). Lime was extracted and taken to Porto Santo, exchanged for fruit and vegetables. Today it is forbidden to access the galleries because of the risk of collapse, some are so long that they cross the islet from one end to the other. From the boat, at the top, we can see the ruins of the houses of the people who worked in the industry and stayed there (in 1900 there were about 90 people living there).

• After the explanation, right there, we stop in an area of crystal clear waters to snorkel, and when we return to the boat we are invited to some typical cookies and Madeira wine.

• We continue our journey to the west of the island of Porto Santo, passing through the “Tunnel of Pombalinho” and entering the bay of Zimbralinho (where the beach that we told you about earlier in this guide is located). We are told that this bay was very important for the survival of the island because where now we see some green doors, there was a freshwater mine where people came to stock up. In the 80s came the desalination plant, which greatly improved the quality of life of the people of Porto Santo, began the tourism industry, etc.. Until then, life on the island was very poor and hard, without the desalination plant probably no one would be living here today.

• Here the tour ends, and we start our way back to the marina, where we arrive around 12:30, watching closely the wonderful beach of Porto Santo.

Get inspired with the Instagram stories of our trip to Porto Santo.

If you want to get inspired by our live adventures, we have saved on our Instagram (do you already follow us?), in highlights, a selection of what we did during the days we spent in Porto Santo. If you click on this link you will be able to see the videos we recorded in several of the spots we recommend in this guide. Are you curious?

• Porto Santo Stories on Instagram

The best hiking trails in Porto Santo

Despite being a small island, Porto Santo has a lot to offer, as you will see in this guide. In terms of hiking, it has 3 official trails so you can get to know the best corners and views of the island.

Important! Since January 1, 2025, all the official trails of Madeira and Porto Santo have a fee of 3€, which must be paid online before starting the route.

• PS PR1 – Vereda do Pico Branco e Terra Chã (official brochure): if you have time to do only one route, this would be the one we would choose, from which you can reach an area of the island only accessible on foot, and have incredible views of the rest of the island. It is linear, so you have to make a round trip (5.4km in total) and it takes about 2h30.

• PS PR2 – Vereda do Pico Castelo (official brochure): another linear route, with two variants (skirting the highest point of the island, Pico do Facho, through different areas). In our case we did not do the complete route but a circular variation that skirts the Pico do Facho (doing the two variants of the official one), with 360º views of Porto Santo, taking approximately 1h30.

• PS PR3 – Levada do Pico Castelo (official brochure): another linear route that will take you through a levada to the famous Capela de Nossa Senhora da Graça (currently has a section, the tunnel, closed, but the rest can be done normally).

• Walking along Porto Santo beach: Porto Santo beach, 9km long from Porto de Abrigo to Ponta da Calheta, is also an excellent place to stop for a dip.

• Gruta do Pico da Ana Ferreira: the Pico de Ana Ferreira hides a cave with incredible views of the island. It is not an official or marked trail, and to get there you have to climb a little on the rocks dodging cactus, but it is totally worth it and does not take long.

• Fenda da Dona Beja: to reach these beautiful sandy formations you have to walk from Porto dos Frades, enjoying the views. If you make the walk coincide with low tide, you can take the opportunity to take a dip in the natural pools of Porto dos Frades.

New rates for trekking routes in Porto Santo

From January 2025 new fees (3€) for access to all official Madeira and Porto Santo trails were implemented (official info) except for residents and children under 12.

The payment of the 3€ for each of the trails can be made online here before doing each specific trail.

Recommendations:

• Pay (pay online here) before starting the hike: the fee of 3 € must be paid before starting the hike.
• Bring proof of payment: it is important to have the receipt of payment for the route during the tour, as it may be requested by authorized IFCN personnel.
• Comply with the rules: respect the designated trails, avoid damaging the local flora and remove any waste at the end of the tour.

Where to dive in Porto Santo

Because of its transparent waters (with a visibility that can reach 40 meters), rock formations, some of the dive sites it hosts (such as two shipwrecks) and its biodiversity, a trip to the island of Porto Santo can be a good opportunity to practice diving and explore the seabed.

Some of the most outstanding dive sites are:

• Two wrecks sunk at 30 meters depth (sunk on purpose to serve as a reef): “Madeirense” (sunk since 2000) and “Corveta General Pereira d’Eça”, a warship of the Portuguese Navy sunk in 2016.
• Baixa do Cotrim: on the east side of the island, in front of Praia do Cotrim in Porto dos Frades, within the natural reserve area, with depths ranging from 8 meters at the top of the reef to 22 meters on the sand. The shallower part, generally calm waters and without currents, you can observe schools of coastal fish such as bream, jacks, mullet and schools of triggerfish.
• Baixa das Bicudas: in front of the western breakwater of the port, about 1.5 miles from the coast, at this point it is possible to observe large schools of barracudas. In addition, what characterizes this landscape is a large volcanic rock formation that forms gorges and recesses in the crystal clear waters.

At Randomtrip we did not have the opportunity to dive on our trip to Porto Santo but we leave you the contact of a dive center that was recommended to us in case you have the opportunity, the time and the desire to do it: Porto Santo Sub (on their website you can see dive sites and prices).

Where to stay in Porto Santo: best areas

To choose the best area to stay in Porto Santo there are several factors to consider, the main one being whether you have your own vehicle or not: if you have a rented car, any area is good, as it will take you at most 30 minutes to the farthest point. If you don’t have a vehicle, the ideal is to stay in the main town, Vila Baleira, or in the surrounding area, where you will find the 9km of paradisiacal beach and where there is more accommodation and restaurants.

At Randomtrip we stayed at the Vila Baleira Suites, a beach hotel, with sun loungers and umbrellas for guests on Porto Santo beach (even with free bolas de berlim during the summer months!), beach bar, outdoor pool, buffet breakfast and restaurant.

If you don’t have a car and don’t want to dine in the restaurant, it is just across the street (a few steps) from one of the best restaurants, Restaurante João do Cabeço. Our suite had a sea view and a small living room with kitchenette.

If you prefer to stay closer to Vila Baleira and, therefore, with several gastronomic options within walking distance, you can stay, for example, at the Hotel Torre Praia (from 93€/night), a 4-star hotel that was recommended to us, close to both the center of Vila Baleira and the beach.

You also have the option of staying in what is, in our opinion, the most beautiful area of Porto Santo beach, Ponta da Calheta. Here you can stay, for example, at Porto Santo Destination.

If none of these accommodations convince you or are no longer available, don’t worry, in this link you can see more accommodation options in Porto Santo, you can open the map and choose by location.

The prices mentioned are approximate and vary according to the type of room and the season of each accommodation.

Where to eat in Porto Santo

The gastronomic offer in Porto Santo is more limited than in neighboring Madeira, but you will still find options for all tastes. In high season it is essential to book if you want to go to some of the most famous places, or even book in general, as they fill up (in our case in mid-September there were some restaurants that we did not get to try because we had not booked, so we can’t imagine how it will be in July and August).

Although it shares many typical dishes and drinks with neighboring Madeira, which you can see here, some things you have to try in Porto Santo:

• Lambeca: a type of ice cream typical of Porto Santo, it is said that if you have not had at least one you have not been to Porto Santo. At Randomtrip we tried them, and the truth is that they seemed a bit artificial.
• Bolo do Caco: in theory the origin of this typical Madeiran bread is from here, from the island of Porto Santo, so this is where you can eat the best, if you can find a place that makes the traditional bolo do caco. It is called like that because it is cooked in a caco, a volcanic basalt stone that expands and eventually breaks into cacos (pieces). According to what Lomelino told us at Casa da Serra, in the old days it was something special, eaten only on Sundays (the island is very desert-like and there was no wood to make fire, so they used straw mixed with cow dung to make it yield more). You can read more info on the origin of this delicious bread here

Below is a list of recommended restaurants in Porto Santo.

Best restaurants in Porto Santo

• Mercado Velho (Vila Baleira): we did not manage to go because it was always full and we did not have a reservation, but it was recommended by many people to eat fish (atum, bodião and cavala da india are the typical fish), limpets and bolo do caco.
• A Casinha do Bolo do Caco (Vila Baleira): if you want to take something for the beach, or if you are on the town beach and want something quick, the bolos do caco and pão com chouriço here are excellent, and the lady who attends is very nice. Payment only in cash
• Lambecas do Porto Santo (Vila Baleira): a classic on the island is to eat a “lambeca”, a creamy ice cream, after dinner.
• Boutique da Poncha (Vila Baleira): to drink poncha. We tried the tangerine poncha, 4€ each poncha. They always put seasoned lupins and peanuts as garnish.
• Sabores na brasa (Vila Baleira): it was recommended to us for espetadas, but it was very crowded when we tried to go and we could not try it.
• Café Helios Bar (Vila Baleira): recommended by Lomelino from Casa da Serra, for good pregos and hamburgers.
• Bar Colombo (Vila Baleira): bar to have a drink until 00h (ponchas, cocktails, shots…). If you want a snack they have tostas mistas em bolo do caco.
• Zarco Drinks & Music (Vila Baleira): we did not go but apparently it is the place where you can have a drink until late on the island.
• Panorama (near Miradouro do Portela): to eat limpets overlooking the sea. The name does justice to the panoramic view of the island.
• Teodorico (Serra de Fora): we loved it, incredible service and food. We tried (half) espetada, with (half) side of fried corn, (half) fries and (half) salad, 32€ with two Coral imperiais (beers) and two coffees. The bolo do caco and the milho frito from here made it to our top (both from Porto Santo and Madeira).
• O Calhetas (Ponta da Calheta): ideal for watching the sunset, with a Coral imperial (beer) at 1.50€, after a dip in the most beautiful beach of the island.

• O Girassol (outskirts of Vila Baleira towards Ponta da Calheta): ideal for a snack or to take away (delicious Chamuças at 1,60€ and beers in pitchers always ice cold). We paid 11,40€ for 4 chamuças, 2 rissois and 2 small pitchers of beer.
• Pé na Agua (outskirts of Vila Baleira): sea views and access to the beach (the restaurant has sun loungers). We didn’t go but from the road it looked like a good option for lunch on Porto Santo beach.
• Bar do Henrique (Praia Ribeiro Cochino): beach bar. A good option to eat directly on the beach.
• Restaurant João do Cabeço (Praia Cabeço da Ponta, a few steps from our accommodation Vila Baleira Suites): we tried the pregos em bolo do caco which were very good, but it is famous for the limpets, bolo do caco com manteiga de alho and the picado, very famous in Madeira and Porto Santo (pieces of octopus or meat surrounded by fries, eaten with chopsticks and shared among several people).
• Restaurante Grill Torres (Camacha): closed when we went, but we were recommended to try the polvo da clarinha (octopus) and the alheira enrolada com bacon, we were told in fact that it is one of the best on the island.
• Taberna O Banheiro (Pontinhas): it was recommended to us as the best poncha in Porto Santo. We tried the passion fruit poncha, very good, 3€ each poncha.

If you are on a budget, the Pingo Doce hypermarket has a restaurant inside with a very cheap and tasty menu of the day (8€ the menu of the day, every day of the week from Monday to Sunday).

Porto Santo Itineraries

As you will have seen if you have read our entire guide, Porto Santo has many incredible places to visit, and although many people say that the island can be visited in one day, in our opinion you need at least 2 or 3 days to get to know it well, and we recommend that you stay more days if you also want to enjoy its beaches and natural pools.

Here are some suggestions of itineraries for 1, 2 and 3 days.

Things to see and do in Porto Santo in 1 day

If you come to the island for only one day and you don’t have your own vehicle, we recommend you to hire a tour that takes you to the main points (like this one) and to take advantage of the beach if the weather is good, and/or to see the sights of Vila Baleira. If you have your own vehicle (or bring it from Madeira), you can do the following in one day in Porto Santo:

• Go and see the views from Miradouro da Portela
• Drive along the ER111 stopping at the viewpoints you come across, and go up to see the views from the Miradouro Pico do Castelo.
• Go to the west of the island, to Miradouro das Flores to enjoy one of the best views of Porto Santo.
• From there go to Pico de Ana Ferreira, to see “the piano”.
• If it is not beach weather, you can continue to see other places that interest you and that we include in this guide, or do some hiking. If the weather is good, you can enjoy the beach of Porto Santo and/or one of its natural pools.

Things to see and do in Porto Santo in 2 days

In two days getting up early you can visit most of the island and even do some hiking. Here is a suggested itinerary for 2 days in Porto Santo:

• Day 1: Miradouro da Portela, Porto dos Frades (natural pools if there is low tide and Fenda Dona Beja), Casa da Serra, PS PR1 trail. Return stopping at the viewpoints to Vila Baleira, stop at Miradouro do Pico do Castelo. If there is low tide, go to the natural pools of Porto das Salemas. Then, Fonte de Areia and Dunes, and Cardina Museum.
• Day 2: Pico de Ana Ferreira (the piano) and climb to the Gruta Ana Ferreira. Then go to the Morenos area and its viewpoints. Then you can take a dip and snorkel in Zimbralinho, and then go to Miradouro das Flores. The rest of the day, enjoy the beach in the area (Ponta da Calheta) or at any of the other entrances to the beach from the south.

Things to see and do in Porto Santo in 3 days

We consider that 3 days is the ideal amount of time to visit Porto Santo and enjoy its waters, although if you are looking for relaxation you can stay as many days as you want.

Here is a suggested itinerary for 3 days in Porto Santo:

• Day 1: East side of the island – Miradouro da Portela, Porto dos Frades (natural pools at low tide and Fenda Dona Beja), Casa da Serra, PS PR1 trail. Return via the viewpoints to Vila Baleira and the rest of the day see some of Vila Baleira and/or some of the southern beach areas.
• Day 2: central area of the island – Miradouro do Pico do Castelo, climb the Pico do Castelo, and then go by car to do the Vereda do Pico do Facho (Circular), instead of the PS PR2 which is linear. If there is low tide, go to the natural pools of Porto das Salemas. Then, Fonte de Areia and Dunes, and Cardina Museum. The rest of the day see some of Vila Baleira and/or some of the southern beach areas.
• Day 3: west side of the island – Pico de Ana Ferreira (the piano) and climb to the Gruta Ana Ferreira. Then go to the Morenos area and its viewpoints. Then you can take a dip and snorkel in Zimbralinho, and then go to Miradouro das Flores. The rest of the day, enjoy the beach in the area (Ponta da Calheta) or at any of the other entrances to the beach from the south.

You can change the order depending on when it is low tide, eliminate trails, include the boat tour, etc.

Transportation: rent a car in Porto Santo

To get to know Porto Santo well we consider that the best option is to rent a vehicle to enjoy the island to the fulles, take advantage of the time, and be able to visit all the places recommended in this guide at your own pace. You can rent a car, a buggy, a scooter, electric or normal bicycles, or even walk around the island.

Prices for rental cars in Porto Santo are high, from 65€/day and, especially in summer, we recommend to book well in advance. Scooters cost from 20€/day (for example with Biknic) and buggies 70€/day.

In our case we rented the car with Moinho Rent A Car, who gave us a practically new orange Skoda Fabia, and everything was excellent in every way.

There is also the option to move around Porto Santo by public transport: SIGA buses have several routes, you can check them and their schedules here. Another option are the Angie Travel open top tourist buses, which give you a tour of the island passing through the main points, you can see more info here.

Finally, you also have the option of hiring a tour, such as this one that takes you to the main points of interest of the island.

If you want to go only to a specific place, you can use taxis, which have fixed prices per way (they cost between 5€ and 15€), you can order a cab through the telephone number +351 291 982 334.

Transportation: travel to Madeira

If you are going to visit both islands (Madeira and Porto Santo) on your trip, you have both boat and plane between the two:

• The boat, called “Lobo Marinho” (sea wolf) is operated by Porto Santo Line. It takes about 2h30 and you can see more information about what it is like here (it has outdoor areas, bar, restaurant, space to take vehicles, etc.). In winter it usually stops for a month for maintenance, and the rest of the year the schedules vary depending on the season, and there may be days of the week without service. For more information about schedules and availability for your travel dates, please visit the official website of Porto Santo Line.

• The flight lasts only 25 minutes, and is operated by the Canary company Binter. We recommend you to be flexible with the dates and use price comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi.

How to have internet in Porto Santo

Porto Santo belongs to Portugal, so if you have a European operator you can probably use your internet package there too without additional cost (confirm the conditions with your operator).

Otherwise, if your mobile supports eSIM and you don’t want to complicate things, we recommend the Holafly eSIM (unlimited data, 5% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP) or the Airalo eSIM (limited data, but cheaper, 15% discount with the code RANDOMTRIP15).

The other option, cheaper but more cumbersome because you will have to spend time going physically to buy it, is to buy a local SIM (the 3 main operators are Meo, Vodafone or Nos).

How much does it cost to travel to Porto Santo?

As always, giving a generic budget is very difficult as it depends greatly on your style of travel. What we can do is to give you an orientation of prices and that you calculate your budget with them:

• Flights: You can find flights for around 90€/person to Porto Santo from Lisbon, but it depends on how far in advance you book and your dates (in summer it is more difficult to find cheap prices).
• Car rental: from 65€ per day the cheapest car (depending on the company and the number of days). In summer prices go up and it can be difficult to find a car at short notice. There is also the possibility of renting a scooter (the island is small and with good weather, so it is feasible to explore it by motorcycle), from 20€ per day.
• Accommodation: from 50€/night for a room with private bathroom or self-catering apartment, depending on the season and advance notice.
• Restaurant meals: between 5 and 40€ per person per lunch/dinner in a restaurant, depending on the type of food and restaurant, for all tastes.
• Tours/entries: most of the plans in Porto Santo are free of charge. A 2-3h boat trip with the possibility to see whales and dolphins costs 45€/person. The entrance to the Casa Colombo Museum costs €2/person.

In total, as a guideline, a weekend trip (2 nights) to Porto Santo with a rented car can cost between 90€ and 100€ per person per day (with the cheapest options of car, accommodation and restaurants).

Useful apps for traveling to Porto Santo

We recommend some applications that will be useful for your trip to Porto Santo:

• Windy (Android / iOS / Web): essential app for our trips. It allows you to see forecasts of rain, clouds, wind, etc. to help you plan your days based on the weather (as there are places that lose a lot depending on the weather). Obviously the forecasts are not 100% reliable. It also shows the available webcams
• Google Maps (Android / iOS): is the one we use to save / classify all the places we want to go / have gone and as GPS in rental cars. You can see other people’s opinions of the places, photos, restaurant menus, phone number of the places to contact them, etc.
• Maps.me (Android / iOS): application similar to Google Maps but that works online (although Google Maps can also work online) and that in many cases has information that Google Maps does not have, especially trails. Useful whenever you are going to do a trail, to orient yourself.

Recommendations to visit Porto Santo as a responsible tourist

• If you take the boat trip around the island, respect the behavior you are told at all times and do not feed the marine fauna (and report if you see anyone doing so).
• Respect other people and the island: don’t play your music loudly on the beach (if you want to listen to music, wear headphones), don’t leave trash, don’t throw cigarette butts, etc. Leave the beach better than you found it (if you find plastic, pick it up).
• In some natural pools and beaches bathing can be dangerous due to strong currents. Do not risk yourself.
• Respect the existing rules on the hiking trails: respect the designated trails without leaving the marked route, do not damage the local flora and do not litter.
• If you rent a car, motorcycle or buggy, respect the speed limits on the roads. If you want to park, do so in designated parking areas.
• Be responsible when visiting a place: a large influx of people to a certain site can have a negative impact so respect the rules, do not climb the tree/monument you are visiting, do not make graffiti on its walls (unfortunately we have seen several names written on Fonte da Areia), avoid touching and, out of respect for the rest of the people visiting the place, do not make noise or “monopolize” the place with your photos.
• Always travel with travel insurance: medical expenses, theft or problems with your plane on a trip can cost you a lot of money, so the ideal thing is to take out travel insurance. At Randomtrip we always use IATI and we recommend it. If you purchase your insurance through this link you have a 5% discount.

Checklist: what to pack for Porto Santo

Here is a list of must-haves you can’t forget to take with you on your trip to Porto Santo:

• A  reusable water bottle like one of these to carry water with you all the time and void single-use plastic.
• Water Shoes like these ones, ideal for not hurting your feet when entering the water or not touching the ground. Keep in mind that in the Madeira (with a few exceptions) you will not find sandy beaches but natural volcanic rock pools or pebble beaches mostly so you will want to carry your water shoes at all times.
• Hiking shoes because the best way to get to know Madeira is by hiking the trails. At Randomtrip we use these Columbia ones.
• Snorkel kit (mask and tube) like this one, a must to take on this trip to contemplate the seabed.
• Water proof dry bag like this one, very useful for keeping your camera equipment, cell phone and wallet safe from getting wet on any boat trip (or even if the tide comes in on the beach).
• Fast drying towel like this one which doesn’t take a lot of space in your luggage
• A hat or a cap (like this one) and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun
• Windbreaker waterproof jacket: like this one, to protect yourself from the sudden different weathers in Madeira
• A good camera to register your adventures. At Randomtrip we carry a Sony ZV-E10 and a Gopro Hero12 Black (for underwater pictures)
• A Power bank: taking so many pictures will drain your batteries, so it’s always a good idea to carry a good powerbank. At Randomtrip we travel with these 2 (Anker 20000 mAh and  Anker 10000 mAh), which allow us to charge both our phones and our cameras.
• Sun screen: always look for a Coral Friendly Sunscreen, i.e. one that protects your skin without harming marine ecosystems by avoiding ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are harmful to corals. Nor that it has been tested on animals.
• Mosquito repellent: like this one, it should have at least 15% deet
• First aid kit: In our first-aid kit there is always a medicine against seasickness (such as biodramine for seasickness on boats), antibiotics, anti-diarrhea medication (and a probiotic to recover more quickly), antihistamines, painkillers and antipyretics and, of course, travel insurance. If you hire your travel insurance with IATI using this link you will get a 5% discount

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Did you imagine there was so much to explore in Porto Santo besides its paradisiacal beach? What are you waiting for? Boa viagem, Randomtripper!

Disclaimer: Visit Madeira helped us explore the island of Porto Santo but all opinions and information expressed in this post are our own.