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Porto Santo Island: Beach, Ferry & Things to Do

Porto Santo Island: Beach, Ferry & Things to Do

Porto Santo, Madeira's golden-sand island: the 9 km beach, how to get there by ferry or flight, and the best things to do.

MP
Mariana Pavão

January 28, 2020 • 3 min read

Porto Santo Island: Beach, Ferry & Things to Do

Porto Santo, in short

  Quick answer: Porto Santo is Madeira's smaller sister island, famous for a single, unbroken 9 km stretch of golden sand, prized for its warm, therapeutic quality. It is a calm, sunny beach escape, reached from Madeira by a ferry of about 2.5 hours or a 25-minute flight. Beyond the beach there is a Severiano Ballesteros golf course, the Columbus museum, watersports and quiet coastal walks. It works as a day trip or, better, an overnight stay.

What is Porto Santo?

Porto Santo lies about 40 km northeast of Madeira and is the quieter, flatter, drier of the two islands. Where Madeira is all mountains and levadas, Porto Santo is about the beach and the sea. Its small capital, Vila Baleira, has a relaxed square, cafés and a marina, and the whole island has an unhurried, off-season feel even in summer.

 

A coastal road and pedestrian promenade run beside Porto Santo Beach in Vila Baleira, Portugal, with golden sand and turquoise Atlantic water on one side. The dry mountain landscape of Porto Santo rises behind the town and shoreline.
Porto Santo Beach Promenade, Vila Baleira, Portugal

The beach and its therapeutic sand

The island's south coast is one long, gently shelving beach of fine golden sand running roughly 9 km (5.5 miles), with warm, calm, shallow water. The sand is famous for its mineral content and has long been used for therapeutic sand treatments (heliotherapy and psammotherapy), said to ease aches and joint complaints. Whether or not you try a sand treatment, it is simply one of the best swimming and sunbathing beaches in the region.

How to get to Porto Santo

  • By ferry: the "Lobo Marinho", operated by Porto Santo Line, sails from Funchal in about 2 hours 30 minutes, usually daily (with fewer sailings in the off-season). It carries cars if you want to bring one.
  • By air: Binter operates short flights of around 25 minutes between Madeira and Porto Santo, with several a day.

A day trip is possible using the ferry, but staying one or two nights lets you enjoy the beach at its quiet best, early and late in the day. Confirm current ferry and flight times before you plan. See our guide to getting around Madeira.

 

The Porto Santo Line ferry is docked at the port of Vila Baleira on Porto Santo Island, Portugal. The passenger vessel operates across the Atlantic between Madeira and Porto Santo, with orange lifeboats visible along its upper deck.
Porto Santo Line Ferry, Vila Baleira, Portugal

Things to do in Porto Santo

Beyond the beach, the island has more than you might expect:

  • Golf: Porto Santo Golfe is a 27-hole facility (an 18-hole championship course plus a 9-hole pitch and putt) designed by golf legend Severiano Ballesteros.
  • The Columbus connection: Christopher Columbus lived here in the late 1470s, and you can visit the Casa Museu Colombo (Columbus House Museum) in Vila Baleira.
  • Watersports: calm, clear water for swimming, paddleboarding, diving and boat trips.
  • Viewpoints and walks: low peaks like Pico do Facho and coastal trails give wide views over the beach and out to Madeira.
  • Slow evenings: dinner by the marina and a stroll along the sand as the sun goes down.

Best time to visit

Porto Santo is drier and sunnier than Madeira, and the sea is at its warmest from late spring through autumn, which is the prime beach season. It is quieter and cheaper outside the July to August peak, while still pleasant in the shoulder months.

 

A woman in swimwear looks toward the Atlantic Ocean from Porto Santo Beach near Vila Baleira, Portugal. Blue water and breaking waves fill the background along the island’s golden sand coastline.
Porto Santo Beach, Vila Baleira, Portugal

Frequently asked questions about Porto Santo

How long is Porto Santo beach?
How do you get to Porto Santo from Madeira?
Is Porto Santo sand really therapeutic?
Is Porto Santo worth visiting?
Can you visit Porto Santo as a day trip?

Ready to Visit Porto Santo?

Porto Santo trips are tailor-made. Let Portugal Getaways build yours around the beach, with hotels, ferries or flights and transfers included, and all-in pricing with no surprises.

Plan a Tailor-Made Porto Santo Trip See Madeira Trips
 

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