PORTO SANTO TRAVEL GUIDE: 28 AWESOME THINGS TO DO

Porto Santo is an unimaginable island with a wealthy historical past close to Madeira in Portugal. Known for its 9-kilometer seashore coated in comfortable, powdery sand there’s much more to this island than first meets the attention. I spent 10 days exploring the island by mountain bike and ventured to all the seashores, sat atop each peak, and swam in all the pure swimming pools. In this Porto Santo Travel Guide, I’ll share all the high issues to do on Porto Santo and some suggestions for visiting this superb island.

I explored the caves by kayak, scuba-dived right down to shipwrecks, and located sea life whereas snorkeling amidst the volcanic rocks under the floor. I hope you benefit from the Porto Santo journey information as a lot as I loved exploring this unimaginable island.

PORTO SANTO TRAVEL GUIDE

HOW TO GET TO PORTO SANTO ISLAND

Flight: A flight is simply 25 minutes from Madeira to Porto Santo and may vary from 120 Euros to some hundred relying on the sale costs and time of yr. The good half concerning the Porto Santo Airport is that it’s worldwide so in case you are simply visiting Porto Santo and never Madeira you may fly straight out to Europe. It won’t be the most cost effective choice however very handy in order for you a fast seashore getaway.

HOW LONG TO STAY ON PORTO SANTO ISLAND

Most individuals who go to Porto Santo are coming for a soothing time on the seashore, which is completely tremendous. For the sort of trip with an all-inclusive bundle the place you would possibly lay on the seashore and take a look at one or two viewpoints for sundown, you solely want 4-5 days. There are solely so many days you may lay on the seashore proper?

However, if you wish to get a bit extra adventurous and do some diving, kayaking, snorkeling, swimming in pure swimming pools, climbing, taking boat journeys, or doing a jeep tour you may rapidly see how the times may be stuffed moderately rapidly. Therefore Porto Santo Island is a trip the place you get to write down the script. You can go to this island in many alternative kinds.

I stayed for ten days. That’s in all probability greater than sufficient however I saved myself busy creating this information doing sunrises, sunsets, eight hikes, ten seashores, scuba-diving, kayaking, snorkeling, and the checklist goes on. So now you’ve got an concept of how lengthy it’s best to keep! If I needed to say a quantity, most individuals shall be absolutely recharged and have loved an excellent stick with as much as per week on Porto Santo Island.

HOW TO GET AROUND ON PORTO SANTO ISLAND

At its widest factors, the island is 11 kilometers lengthy. However, most individuals simply have to stroll from the resort to the seashore so the island transit could be very quick for them. You don’t have to have a automobile on this island. Almost every little thing is on the south facet of Porto Santo the place the primary 9-kilometer seashore is. Taxi run up and down this strip or you may stroll to and from a restaurant or a seashore.

If you do need to discover a few of the viewpoints, hikes, and different seashores away from the south, there are a couple of choices for transport.

Car: When you e-book your Porto Santo Rental Car on-line, I personally suggest and all the time use Discover Cars. They seek for each native and worldwide firms, so that you get the perfect deal! MUST Read: Guide to Renting a Car on Madeira

Scooter: This might be the best choice for my part. There are some fairly important hills on Porto Santo Island. It’s not as steep as Madeira however I rode it on my bike and it was a heavy exercise week for my legs. A scooter will get you in all places it’s worthwhile to go and is fairly low-cost at round 20-25 Euros per day.

Bike: I rented a Mountain Bike from AAColombo – Auto Acessórios Colombo, which is a neighborhood store. The guys and ladies in there have been tremendous good. Was actually easy. I simply turned up and requested for a motorcycle they usually gave me one for 10 Euros a day. They additionally gave me lights, a helmet, and a lock for no additional cost. If you are taking it for greater than a day or two you may get it for 10 Euros a day in any other case I feel it was 15 Euros a day. In ten days, I did 150 kilometers and a pair of,100 meters of elevation on a mountain bike.

Electric Bike: As I stated earlier, this island is steep with small undulating hills. For many, the hills shall be an excessive amount of on a motorcycle so an E-bike is an efficient different that permits you to get pleasure from driving a motorcycle across the island however you may get some assist from the motor up the hills or when you find yourself drained. It wasn’t too costly at round 20 Euros per day.

BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT PORTO SANTO

It’s an fascinating query as a result of you’ve got a couple of components to contemplate. Do you need the best possible climate Porto Santo can provide or are you escaping the tough winter of mainland Europe? Do you need to go to Porto Santo when it’s the least crowded?

The finest time to go to Porto Santo Island is from June till November when there’s plenty of sunshine and never a lot rain in any respect. The highest common temperature in Porto Santo is 23°C in August and the bottom is 17°C in February. While the perfect climate for hitting the seashore may be in the course of the summer time of July and August, it may be extra tempting to go to later within the yr. If you go to round September to October when you may nonetheless swim, benefit from the solar, and have a seashore getaway whereas your private home nation effectively and actually enters winter and the colder temperatures.

28 AWESOME THINGS TO DO ON PORTO SANTO ISLAND

I’m now going to indicate you all the epic seashores, each single hike on the island, the pure swimming pools, and different actions you are able to do while you’re on Porto Santo Island. I did all the actions you’re about to see and these suggestions are based mostly alone experiences. You can click on on any of the hyperlinks all through this checklist to go to a extra detailed weblog put up I’ve written a few particular exercise.

‘THREE PEAKS HIKE’ PICO CASTELO, PICO DO FACHO & PICO JULIANA HIKE ON PORTO SANTO

This is a hike on Porto Santo that I’ve named ‘The Three Peaks’ hike because it excursions three of the highest peaks on the island. The route takes you to Pico Juliana, Pico Castelo, and Pico do Facho on a 9-kilometer round-trip journey. It’s a steep path however the panoramic views from the summit of every peak are effectively definitely worth the arduous journey!

Check out all the main points and pictures of this hike: The Three Peaks Hike

PONTA DA CALHETA

Ponta da Calheta is the southern level on Porto Santo Island. It’s one in all my favourite spots on the island as a result of it’s nice for sundown but in addition the dawn. If you come out right here early within the morning, there shall be principally nobody on the seashore and as you search for the whole stretch of sand on the island, the solar will rise lighting up the seashore. A dawn stroll right here is without doubt one of the most stress-free Porto Santo Activities. Alternatively, when you come out for sundown, you’ve got an excellent view of the solar setting over the horizon beside the close by island of Ilhéu da Cal.

There are a couple of caves across the nook of Ponta da Calheta, which I visited on a kayak tour. There are additionally a couple of enjoyable little tidal swimming pools you may try at low tide. There are normally a couple of individuals down this finish of the seashore however it’s not fairly as busy as the primary sections of Praia Porto Santo in entrance of the large inns.

ZIMBRALINHO BEACH

Zimbralinho Beach is tucked away, requiring somewhat little bit of an journey to search out. There are a couple of methods to achieve this hidden gem seashore on the southern coast of Porto Island. You can drive all the best way up and make the quick stroll down the steps, hike to Zimbralinho, or kayak to Zimbralinho seashore. I truly hiked, biked, and kayaked to Zimbralinho seashore on three separate events.

This isn’t a sandy seashore for sunbathing like the primary Praia Porto Santo Beach however it’s far more epic. After a fairly steep, cliff-side stairway leads you right down to the seashore, you’ll be on the rocky shore with big cliff partitions towering over you. There are a couple of rocky formations inside this little cove, that are excellent for exploring whereas kayaking or snorkeling.

VEREDA PICO BRANCO & TERRA CHÃ HIKE

The Vereda Pico Branco and Terra Chã hike is the most well-liked hike on Porto Santo Island. The route leads you to the second-highest peak on the island, Pico Branco. The different viewpoint on the path is Terra Chã, which has coastal views and is without doubt one of the greenest areas on the whole island. The hike is simply 5 kilometers round-trip and is an ideal dawn journey. This hike is without doubt one of the high hikes and hottest issues to do on Porto Santo.

Check out all the main points and pictures of this hike: Vereda Pico Branco and Terra Chã hike

PONTA DA CANAVEIRA SUNSET VIEWPOINT

Ponta da Canaveira sundown viewpoint is true subsequent to Morenos and is on the far western coast of the island. You have an excellent view of the lighthouse on the close by island of Ilhéu de Ferro. I visited this viewpoint a few occasions and it was by no means busy however since you drive on to the point of view, there are normally a couple of different vacationers who come out right here to catch the sundown.

PORTO DAS SALEMAS NATURAL POOLS

The Porto Das Salemas pure swimming pools are among the finest locations to swim on the north coast of Porto Santo Island. At low tide, you may float and swim in an unlimited array of fantastically formed pure tidal swimming pools. The water was crystal clear within the swimming pools and it was unimaginable to observe the waves smashing in opposition to the outer wall of the swimming pools. This is one in all my favourite Porto Santo actions.

It’s vital to decide on the precise time to go to Porto das Salemas pure swimming pools. You want to contemplate the time of day in order that the solar is reaching the swimming pools however most significantly you want the low tide. I counsel arriving one hour earlier than low tide so you’ve got two full hours of time to discover whereas the tide is at its lowest.

There is a really small sandy seashore on the shore earlier than the tidal swimming pools, which is without doubt one of the few sandy spots on the north coast. There is sufficient room for about 20-30 individuals to sunbathe on the sandy patch after having fun with the tidal swimming pools.

If you need to learn my full weblog put up you may test it out right here: Porto das Salemas Natural Pools

ANA FERREIRA SUNRISE CAVE AND ORGAN PIPES ROCK FORMATION

This rock formation is extremely distinctive, with an organ-pipe association of pentagonal rock columns, which was attributable to volcanic exercise thousands and thousands of years in the past. The crest was produced by differential erosion, which suggests the ‘host’ rocks have been worn out exposing the extra sturdy and resistant inside layer of mugearitic rock.

At the bottom of the organ pipes, you may stroll all the best way as much as examine the floor. When you’re near the rocks, you’ll rapidly be dwarfed by the large, elongated columns that tower above. It’s a really distinctive spot to go to on Porto Santo.

Once you attain the caves, you will note there are two separate caves about 5 meters vast. The nice half about these caves is that they face on to the east so you may sit contained in the cave, hiding from any wind, whereas ready for the solar to rise over the ocean within the east. I visited the caves in the course of the day and for dawn. They have been each nice occasions to go to however the dawn was additional particular with some good colours coming out over the clouds because the solar breached the horizon.

KAYAK TOUR FROM PONTA DA CALHETA

I did my kayak tour with Matias, who’s born and bred in Porto Santo and has been operating the excursions for years now along with his firm Porto Santo Destination Tours. He is aware of the swell, and ocean situations effectively.

This is a really low-key tour that isn’t too intensely bodily. It’s stuffed with journey however not an endurance occasion. You spend 1-2 hours leisurely paddling alongside the coast and from time to time head right into a water cave to discover.

Throughout the journey, we entered about 5 totally different caves. Some of them have been enormous and appeared to go on eternally as we paddled inside for greater than 50 meters. The luminescent water glowed a vibrant blue from beneath the kayak as we examined the excessive, volcanic rock on the ceilings. The spotlight for me was having Sherlock (his canine) principally sitting on my shoulder for the entire tour! We stopped off at Zimbralinho Beach and even visited a cave at Ilhéu da Cal, the small island close to Porto Santo.

If you need to view the total weblog put up, it’s right here: Kayak & Snorkel on Porto Santo

MORENOS SUNSET VIEWPOINT

Morenos sundown viewpoint is a little bit of an odd one. The most important viewpoint close by is Ponta da Canaveira and it has fences, a platform, and could be very clearly a viewpoint. However, Morenos didn’t actually have a pleasant spot alongside the coast and was only a cliff edge. The view was nonetheless nice and you can see out to Ilhéu de Ferro completely. I did discover somewhat tide pool on the cliff edge the place I frolicked whereas ready for the solar to set. When the sundown got here, I used to be prepared with my telephoto lens to snap a shot of the lighthouse on Ilhéu de Ferro, which is the small island proper in entrance the place the solar units.

PICO DE BAIXO HIKE ON PORTO SANTO

The Pico de Baixo peak is a 209-meter, steep mountain on the east facet of Porto Santo Island. It’s not an official climbing route however it is without doubt one of the finest dawn views on the island and a enjoyable climb involving some sketchy scrambling, and a few sand dune sliding. This is an journey for these prepared to get somewhat soiled, possibly a couple of scrapes, and do some scrambling up the mountainside. This was one in all my favourite issues to do on Porto Santo.

Check out all the main points and pictures of this hike: Pico de Baixo Hike

FONTE DA AREIA SUNSET VIEWPOINT

On the north coast, accessible by automobile, you will discover one of many lesser-frequented viewpoints on Porto Santo. Fonte da Areia just isn’t solely an excellent sundown viewpoint on the cliffs however it has some extremely distinctive rock formations. You can actually see the erosion over a few years alongside these cliffs. You have a direct view out to the sundown from the cliffs and the rocky partitions look nice with the nice and cozy gentle of the golden hour because it beams straight upon them.

CALHAU DA SERRA

Calhau da Serra is the seashore you go to if you wish to get away from the vacationers within the south and revel in a while out in nature. It’s a rocky seashore so don’t anticipate the powdery sands of the south, however what you do get is a few peaceable solitude at fairly a shocking little spot on the northeast coast of Porto Santo Island.

I visited this seashore after the Vereda Pico Branco and Terra Chã hike and loved the whole seashore to myself. There are some unimaginable rock formations alongside this shoreline and a few good snorkeling is to be completed as effectively. To get to this seashore you merely flip off the primary ‘ring-road’ that wraps across the island and both stroll or experience your bike alongside the dust highway. It wasn’t tremendous clear from the primary highway however it’s only some hundred meters to stroll.

SCUBA DIVING ON PORTO SANTO

I headed out with Rhea Dive to take a look at one of many shipwrecks close by the island. There are a few shipwrecks and even a submarine wreck in addition to some cool cave dives on Porto Santo Island. You can have two or three full days of diving and see a variety of numerous motion.

I dove the Cordeca wreck, which is a large sunken ship. You can look by way of the whole ship, which is now taken over by fish and sea life though the weapons and captain’s cabin remains to be intact. It was a lot larger than I anticipated and a very nice expertise.

I solely journey with my GoPro however these pictures have been taken by Pedro Vasconcelos.

MIRADOURO DAS FLORES VIEWPOINT

When I visited, we arrived at Miradouro Flores about half an hour earlier than sundown, which was excellent timing. The cliffs have been gleaming and we might take within the views earlier than the solar would placed on its nightly present. At the point of view, a pleasant picket railing strains the whole perimeter with a number of ranges of viewing. It’s an ideal spot you could drive to for sundown. You have views again down the island to the east and, after all, a direct view of the solar setting over the ocean to the west.

On the evening we visited, there was a storm brewing proper in entrance of the solar, which created some loopy gentle rays by way of the clouds. In the opposite path, the clouds have been being strung out by the wind creating formations I’d by no means seen earlier than!

PICO DO MAÇARICO HIKE ON PORTO SANTO ISLAND

The Pico do Maçarico hike on Porto Santo Island is a superb peak for both dawn or sundown with panoramic views of the whole island. The route is brief however very steep up the tough path. There isn’t any official path however you will discover a worn path that makes it simple to entry the summit the place you will discover a big white cross overlooking the ocean and the entire island of Porto Santo. This is a superb Porto Santo exercise for adventurers.

Check out all the main points and pictures of this hike: Pico do Maçarico hike

ILHÉU DE CIMA

Ilhéu de Cima is a small island close to the southeast nook of Porto Santo. Atop its rugged cliffs is a plateau the place a small lighthouse could be discovered. It’s doable to hike as much as the highest of the island however first, you will want to take a ship experience over to the island, which is feasible on some excursions. Otherwise, you may benefit from the view of Ilhéu de Cima from a number of of the hikes on the japanese finish of the island.

PORTO DOS FRADES TIDAL POOLS

Porto dos Frades is a pristine space with crystal clear water and a rugged shoreline, which has some well-protected tidal swimming pools. This makes it an ideal snorkeling spot with out many waves. Lots of sea creatures love the shallow water and safety of the reef wall in order that they name it dwelling. I truly visited this spot as a part of my snorkeling tour with Matias from Porto Santo Destination Tours.

The volcanic rocks under the floor make an ideal hiding spot for an octopus or a Moray eel in addition to plenty of fish and different creatures. Within such a small space we noticed so many alternative critters and sealife, much more than on a complete scuba dive I did at one of many high dive websites in Porto Santo. The Moray Eel was in all probability the spotlight of the journey as he got here out of his gap to tell us that is his territory.

If you need to view the total weblog put up, it’s right here: Kayak & Snorkel on Porto Santo

PICO DE ANA FERREIRA SUNSET HIKE

Pico de Ana Ferreira is an unimaginable rock formation on Porto Santo, which seems to be like a backbone of jagged rocks operating down the middle of the island. There are a number of points of interest at Pico de Ana Ferreira such because the quite a few caves to discover, a hike to the summit alongside the jagged ridge, and the ‘Organ Pipes’ rock formation.

Check out all the main points and pictures of this hike: Pico de Ana Ferreira hike

FONTINHA BEACH (THE PIER)

One of essentially the most iconic seashores on Porto Santo island is Fontinha Beach due to the distinguished pier stretching out from the coast. This space of Porto Santo is a hub for cafes, eating places, and small outlets so it’s all the time energetic with motion. Lots of locals hang around right here and lots of the younger children love leaping off the pier, which is only a few meters in top.

PICO DO CONCELHO HIKE

The Pico do Concelho hike on Porto Santo Island is a steep climb up an undefined path, which rewards hikers with epic views alongside the east coast of the island. It’s an ideal hike for dawn and I can all however assure you’ll be up there alone because the solar creeps over the horizon to announce a brand new day.

The views from the highest are literally fairly epic. On the left, you look down the coast to the north and may see straight throughout to Pico Branco and Terra Chã. To the precise, you may see all the best way to Pico de Baixo and the small island within the distance referred to as Ilhéu de Cima.

Below, you’ve got an excellent view of the unimaginable Porto dos Frades tidal swimming pools, that are an excellent spot for snorkeling. I feel the perfect half concerning the view was simply how wild and free it felt. There was zero probability of one other hiker coming as much as be part of us and we felt on high of the island, all by ourselves.

Check out all the main points and pictures of this hike: Pico do Concelho hike

PRAIA PORTO SANTO – MAIN BEACH

We in all probability shouldn’t go a lot additional into this Porto Santo journey information with out mentioning the primary strip. Praia Porto Santo is a traditional. On , clear day you’ve got extremely, crystal clear water to go with the unbelievably tremendous sand. It actually is like powder greater than granular sand. You’ll perceive as soon as you’re feeling it beneath your ft. Visiting this seashore is without doubt one of the high issues to do on Porto Santo.

There are plenty of areas alongside Praia Porto Santo which have umbrellas and daybeds for lease. Many are linked to a resort however you may also simply flip up and ask to lease one. With the sand so comfortable, it’s good simply to put the towel down and benefit from the pure, free sunbed.

It’s greater than 8 kilometers in size so excellent for a morning stroll the place you may catch the dawn. Depending on the swell there could be some waves sufficiently small for physique browsing however normally, it’s fairly calm, good for swimming, and a refreshing dip after working in your tan on the seashore.

ILHÉU DA CAL

Ilhéu da Cal is a small island simply off the southwestern tip of Porto Santo Island. From Ponta da Calheta, you’re principally inside swimming distance of the island though the voyage just isn’t inspired. You really need a allow to set foot on the island however you may discover the caves through kayak or take a tour by boat with a information to discover the island. If you simply need a good view of Ilhéu da Cal, the Miradouro das Flores viewpoint is the perfect spot to test it out throughout sundown.

PORTO DOS FRADES BEACH

I’ve already talked about the tidal swimming pools at Porto dos Frades, that are nice for snorkeling. However, Porto dos Frades seashore might be my high decide for seashores on Porto Santo Island away from the south coast. There is parking proper subsequent to the coast right here, which makes it essentially the most accessible seashore on this rocky japanese shoreline. The most important drawcard to Porto dos Frades is the crystal clear water, snorkeling alternatives and it’s sandy seashore! Pico do Maçarico acts as an ideal backdrop to this extremely scenic seashore.

PICO DO ESPIGÃO HIKE

The Pico do Espigão hike is a really quick however steep path to a rocky viewpoint within the south of Porto Santo Island. With simply over 200 meters of elevation in lower than one kilometer, the path up will certainly get your coronary heart racing. At the summit, you’ve got views of the close by Pico de Ana Ferreira within the middle of the island however you may also see all the best way right down to the peaks within the east of Porto Santo. The finest views are out over the small island, Ilhéu de Ferro, which is true in entrance of you on the coast. It’s an excellent sundown viewpoint you could get to rapidly for a brief and sharp night hike.

Check out all the main points and pictures of this hike: Pico do Espigão hike

SNORKEL TOUR ON PORTO SANTO ISLAND

I did the snorkel tour with Matias, the identical tour information from my kayaking tour. The snorkel tour is on the opposite facet of the island at Porto dos Frades, which is kind of actually down the highway from Matias’ home. It’s no surprise he is aware of the place all the ocean creatures stay when it’s virtually his yard. Porto dos Frades is a pristine space with crystal clear water and a rugged shoreline, which has some well-protected tidal swimming pools. This makes it an ideal snorkeling spot with out many waves. Lots of sea creatures love the shallow water and safety of the reef wall in order that they name it dwelling.

ZIMBRALINHO BEACH AND MIRADOURO FLORES VIEWPOINT HIKE

On the east coast of Porto Santo Island, the hike to Zimbralinho Beach and Miradouro Flores Viewpoint is a superb coastal path for sundown views. Most of the path could be accomplished by automobile or motorcycle alongside the roads however it’s a brief coastal path, which is nice for climbing and having fun with the views. Because it faces east, you may anticipate stunning lighting and colours within the sky at sundown! For me, this was the perfect coastal hike on Porto Santo Island with quite a few nice viewpoints.

Check out all the main points and pictures of this hike: ZIMBRALINHO BEACH AND MIRADOURO FLORES VIEWPOINT HIKE

PORTELA VIEWPOINT ON PORTO SANTO ISLAND

The Miradouro da Portela (Portela Viewpoint) is without doubt one of the hottest viewpoints on Porto Santo Island. Portela Viewpoint has views down the 9-kilometer-long sandy seashore to the west and all the sharp, volcanic peaks to the east. It’s accessible by automobile however in case you are like me, take up the problem and experience your bike to the highest!

If there’s one viewpoint most individuals go to in Porto Santo it’s this one. It has nice views of the whole island however you may also drive your automobile straight up the hill to entry it, which might be why it’s so widespread. The different attraction on the viewpoint is the historic windmills, which have been preserved on high of the hill.

PENEDO BEACH / MARINA

If you’re searching for a traditional sandy seashore for a pleasant day of swimming and sunbathing however don’t need the crowds, it’s best to strive Penedo Beach. It’s proper subsequent to the marina and the port the place the ferry dropped you off once you arrived. Unlike many docks around the globe, the seashores close by have remained pristine and with some umbrellas arrange, it’s a fairly good seashore for a soothing day.

PRAIA DO FURADO & POIO DAS MULHERES

These two little seashores are a bit extra distant and all the time very empty. They take somewhat coastal trek to achieve however are assured some social isolation and a few crystal clear waters. If you proceed on from Porto dos Frades alongside the coast to the north, you’ll attain these two stunning little spots.

I hope you loved this Porto Santo Travel Guide. Now you already know, there’s extra than simply the seashore in entrance of your resort so go try a few the epic locations on this stunning island!