What to do in Porto Santo

What to do in Porto Santo?

If you think that in Porto Santo there is nothing to do, this article will prove that you are wrong. It will show you the top things to do and the must-see places in Porto Santo, the ''golden Island''. Besides the magnificent therapeutic sand beach, the Island of Porto Santo presents incredible biodiversity, in the four corners of the Island and islets, worthy of your visit.

If you are staying more than one day on the Island here we present several activities not to be missed.

Photo: Pedro Menezes - IlhaVisão

Best activities to do in Porto Santo

1. Adventures in a GeoSafari

If you would like to visit Porto Santo on a jeep tour this is a good option.

This tour will lead you to the best places on the Island to know the impressive biodiversity of the flora, fauna, and geology of the Porto Santo island. Go on na adventure to the prismatic forms of the Ana Ferreira Peak, the Miradouro das Flores, Quinta das Palmeiras (botanical garden) and the traditional Casa da Serra, where you can taste local pastries and drinks.

You can still watch birds like the Kentish plover (Charadrius Alexandrinus) that flies above the waves and observe some flowers. 

 BOOK HERE THE JEEP TOUR OPPORTUNITY: BOOK OFF-ROAD 4X4 PORTO SANTO

2. Diving and Snorkeling

Porto Santo is one of the best places in Europe to practice diving and snorkeling, why?

• Due to turquoise waters and a huge variety of fish around if the diving instructor takes baits with him.

In the translucent waters of Zimbralinhos beach, you might have a chance to see octopus, cuttlefish, sea urchin, sea cucumber, brittle star, hermit crab, arrow crab, scorpionfish, canary damsel among others. Praia do Zimbalino. If you decide to go on a dive experience you will still find two artificial reefs born from two ships: the “Corvette General D ''Eça Pereira'' and the “Madeirense”. 

DON'T MISS THIS ACTIVITY: BOOK SNORKELING TOUR ON PORTO SANTO

DIVING ON PORTO SANTO ISLAND

Photo: Reha Dive  

TRY ALSO: BOOK ZIMBRALINHO KAYAK TOUR

3. Golf

If you are a real golf player listing good reasons to practice golf in Porto Santo is easy. We start with the great course designed by the unforgettable icon, Severiano Ballesteros, champion of this modality. With 18 holes and about 6000 meters, this course offers a challenging game, with incredible views around it, marked to the south by beautiful lakes.

4. Horseback riding

In Porto Santo, horseback riding is an ideal activity due to the open spaces and stunning landscape of the island. The Porto Santo Riding Center is located at the base of Pico de Ana Ferreira and it is possible, from here, to go horse riding or to take riding lessons for beginners or even more advanced users.

Photo: Francisco Correia 

You can Book one of these spectacular Tours HERE. BOOK HORSE RIDING TOUR IN PORTO SANTO

5. Windsurf and Stand up paddle

Brilliant, awesome, unbelievable, and incredible are the words for this sport. Enjoy the tranquil sea of ??Porto Santo and the sense of freedom to practice Windsurf and Stand UP Paddle. 

BOOK HERE YOUR MEMORABLE ACTIVITY: BOOK WINDSURF IN PORTO SANTO

TRY ALSO:BOOK SUP TOUR IN PORTO SANTO

6. Boat Trips

Go on a boat trip for a stroll in the sea, you can discover the limestone caves, the Zimbralinho beach and see dolphins or sea turtles. The small islets around the Porto Santo island, illuminated by the light of the sunset, are stunning. Ilhéu de Cima, at the southeast tip of Porto Santo, also, has a lighthouse that can be visited. Disembark on the dock of this islet and go up to the tower of the lighthouse to contemplate the magnificent 360º C views, and after that try to do snorkeling.

DON'T MISS THIS BOAT TRIP TO VISIT THE LIGHTHOUSE OF PORTO SANTO AND DO SNORKELING: BOOK LIGHHOUSE BOAT TRIP IN PORTO SANTO

7. Paragliding or hang gliding

If you have an adventurous soul and for you, the sky is the limit, dare to discover Porto Santo from above while paragliding.  From the sky, you can enjoy a fantastic air view of Vila Baleira and the 9km beach of Porto Santo Island. The only thing that everyone needs to bring is a bit of courage to climb to one of the peaks such as Portela and dare to take off by paragliding or hang gliding and observe the golden tone of the sand and the radiant blue of the sea.

8. Enjoy the walk to PR1''Pico Branco and Terra chã''

Starting point: ER120

Final Point: Terra chã

Journey duration: 1.30h

Distance: 5.4km

TIPS:

• Go to the center of Vila Baleira, the main town of Porto Santo, to buy water and fruit to take on the walk. 
• This hike is located on the northeastern tip of the Island and will lead to the top of the second-highest peak on the island, Pico Branco. It is said that the path was originally designed to facilitate the passage of donkeys at the time when locals sowed barley in Terra Chã. 
• It’s Charming because the paths go around the peak and we can see the mountains, the cliffs, the beach, the sea, and the beautiful curves of the mountains, composed mainly of fantastic rock formations, which mix here and there with fauna and flora typical of the area.

ENTRANCE TO THE WALK PR1

9. Ride a bicycle until ''Ponta da Calheta''

Porto Santo has an extensive lane reserved for bicycles that stretches from the Ribeiro Salgado area to Calheta, which is a very popular way of exploring it, pedaling pleasantly and calmly to the island’s magic corners. 

PONTA DA CALHETA BEACH

Photo: Pedro Menezes - IlhaVisão

Where to rent a bicycle: BOOK ELECTRIC BIKE IN PORTO SANTO

Must see places in Porto Santo:

If you feel like going just by yourself to visit Porto Santo Island here are some places you can’t miss!

Photo: Francisco Correia 

10. Pico Ana Ferreira- ''The organ pipes''

Located in the western part of the island, there is a peak called ''Ana Ferreira’’, the result of volcanic action over thousands of years. It has developed a set of prismatic settlements with irregular shapes, which in Porto Santo is known as Piano. 

It has also a Viewpoint, named ''Pedreira'' and from the top of it is possible to see the Golf Course, the beach, the Ilhéu de Fora, and where the peaks of Facho and Castelo are spotted.

PICO ANA FERREIRA

Pico Ana Ferreira Sunset Cave

After visiting Pico Ana Ferreira, you will find a trail to the left of the rock formation. Follow this trail to the left and it will take you on a 15-minute walk around the hill to reach the northern end of the crest/ridge of Pico de Ana Ferreira, and it's here where you find the cave.

11. Rent a city bubble and go to Portela Viewpoint

This viewpoint was designed along a palm trees avenue, beside a windmill. Below this point, to the west, we can see Porto Santo beach, and to the east the ''Pico de Baixo and Ilhéu de Cima''. On the way up to this viewpoint, don’t forget to stop at the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Graça, built-in 1851.

PORTELA VIEWPOINT

Photo: Francisco Correia

CHAPEL OF NOSSA SENHORA DA GRAÇA

12. Pico do Castelo Viewpoint

The Pico do Castelo viewpoint is one of the privileged points to admire the beauty of this natural landscape, from where you can see some islets that surround the island, and also the charm of Porto Santo. 

There are also the ruins of a 16th-century fortress, a symbol of the defense of the populations against the continued pirate attacks on the Island, during troubled centuries.

PICO CASTELO VIEWPOINT

Photo: Francisco Correia

13. Flores Viewpoint

The Flores Viewpoint offers a magnificent view over Porto Santo and its beach, and also allows a view of the ''islets of Ferro, Cal and Ilhéu de Cima’’.

See the different shades of blue of the sea, with the pleasant tranquility of the island, you feel very positive energy.

Photo: Pedro Menezes - IlhaVisão

14. Visit ''Quinta das palmeiras’’

What about renting a scooter and take a ride until Quinta das Palmeiras?

This place is like an oasis and a minizoo, where most of the exotic birds live there in freedom. It is also a botanical garden and is still a breath of green and fresh air.

On such a small island it is fantastic to have such an attraction, a space with many different trees and birds, where you can spend quality time, especially with children. 

We can feed the animals and even the carp that exist there. It’s worth visit and an alternative to the beach! 

RENT HERE YOUR 50cc SCOOTER IN PORTO SANTO: BOOK 50cc SCOOTER RENTAL IN PORTO SANTO

RENT HERE YOUR 125cc SCOOTER IN PORTO SANTO: BOOK 125cc SCOOTER RENTAL IN PORTO SANTO

BIRDS IN ''QUINTA DAS PALMEIRAS'' IN PORTO SANTO

15. Relax in ''Zimbralinhos beach''

This beautiful beach is only accessible by a 4x4 vehicle. Enjoy renting a QUAD BIKE and go down to Zimbalinhos beach. BOOK QUAD BIKE IN PORTO SANTO

After eating a ''Bolo do Caco'', you can go to Zimbralinhos beach. The place is surrounded by cliffs and remains in the shade in the afternoon. It is also on that beach that one can see lithologies of underwater volcanic sequences, of a balsamic nature, which were constituted in the pre-emergence phase of the island. At Zimbralinho you can contemplate, take incredible pictures, relax in the peace of that small bay and take a dip in incredible water. From the junction to the Flores viewpoint, another street goes towards Zimbralinho, where a steep path leads to a cozy cove, and along the way, you can see snail fossils.

Tip to eat Bolo do Caco:

• Restaurant ''João do Cabeço'' and "Escorpião".

ONE OF THE BEST BEACHES IN PORTO SANTO- ZIMBRALINHOS BEACH

16. You can’t miss ''Porto das Salemas'' 

This is one of the best-hidden treasures of the north coast of the Island. This one is a small beach well hidden but worth visit. It is only accessed by jeep and then you have to walk down on the dirt. 

They form small natural pools between the rocks with warm water, but only at low tide. It’s an authentic Paradise, where you can take some time to observe some interesting geological phenomena.

ONE OF THE BEST BEACHES IN PORTO SANTO- PORTO DAS SALEMAS

Photo: Francisco Correia 

17. Find your way to the hidden gem of "Porto dos Frades"

As for Porto dos Frades, it is a hidden gem on the southwest side of the island. Full of pebbles and surrounded by impressive rock formations, it is the perfect spot to relax and commune with nature. 

Photo: Olhares- Filipe. ngra

ONE OF THE BEST BEACHES IN PORTO SANTO- PORTO DOS FRADES

Photo: João Neves

18. Visit ''Casa da Serra''

This one is a pleasant visit where old farming tools and food storage predominate. In this space, it is possible to see how the Portosantenses lived, what their gastronomic traditions were, including the traditional ''Bolo do Caco'' and tasting sweets and port Santo wine. Still, here you can find some animals in open spaces.

CASA DA SERRA IN PORTO SANTO

 (Flickr: Annik Messier)

19. Taste the''Lambecas’’- Ice Cream

The Lambecas ice cream shop has become popular all over Madeira Islands. There are 25 flavors, all prepared in a homemade way, on the island, and that is why is so special about it. This house was founded by José dos Reis, 55 years ago. "Do you want the new machine or the old one?", they ask before pulling the lever that releases the creamy paste. Go over there and draw your conclusions. 

THE BEST ICE CREAM ON PORTO SANTO ISLAND

Sapo: Susana Ribeiro

How long is the ferry from Madeira to Porto Santo?

To visit Porto Santo you can take the ferry, Lobo Marinho, directly from Funchal harbor. The trip takes 2 hours and 30 minutes and soon you're on the golden island and able to experience all the exciting activities and landscapes. 

BOOK 1 DAY CRUISE TO PORTO SANTO TICKETS

Photo: Porto Santo Line

Check here some of the places above on this video