Porto Moniz is a beautiful little town on the island of Madeira. It’s just on the Northwestern tip of the island. The Atlantic ocean and the rugged cliffs definitely dominate the view. It was named after one of the first settlers on the island: Francisco Moniz O Velho. He was an aristocrat from Prtugal’s Algarve region. The geography of the area meant that even on this small island, the town was very isolated and its main traditional industry was whaling. Nowadays, the main economy of Porto Moniz is tourism. In particular, the unique lava pools that are filled by the rising tide and provide safe and warm bathing.
The pools are filled with crystal-clear seawater. Now there are two entrance points to enter a separate complex of rock pools. The first, and closest to the visitor car park, charges entrance. This space, with a surface area of 3800 m², has also a children’s swimming pool, a children’s play area and disabled access. The second, a slightly longer walk, but only about 5 minutes, is free to visit. Whilst free, it doesn’t have the same facilities that the first does. Because I was not in need of anything extra, I went to the free set of pools. (It’s also worth noting that the free pools are not manned by a lifeguard whilst the fee pools are.)
This was literally the saltiest water that I have ever swam in. Whilst I was laying out to dry, you could see the salt crystals caked on me. Make sure you have plenty of moisturiser on hand after your visit. Just like Seixal, this is about a 45 minute drive from Funchal, so again great for a day trip.
Have you ever visited Porto Moniz?
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:
Seixal, Madeira
10 things to do in Funchal
Visiting 25 Fonts, Madeira
10 Things to do in Barcelona
10 Things to do in Palma de Mallorca
10 Things to do in Cartagena
10 Things to do in Fuerteventura
Benidorm
Alternative Activities in Benidorm
Pin it for later:
