Best beaches in Madeira: From black sand to volcanic pools

About 1000 km (600 mi) off the coast of mainland Portugal lies the beautiful archipelago of Madeira. With its volcanic landscapes and dramatic coastline, it’s not your typical beach holiday destination, but you can still find some wonderful swimming spots and scenic beaches here if you know where to look.

From the black sands of Seixal and the golden sands of Machico to the lava rock pools of Porto Moniz, there are plenty of cool places where you can soak up the sun and take a dip in the turquoise waters of the Atlantic.

Having spent five weeks exploring the different corners of the island, I’m sharing my personal pick of the best beaches in Madeira, split into two categories: sandy beaches and rocky beaches. At the end of the post, you’ll also find a map of the beaches I cover in this post.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links from which I may make a commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase.

Best sandy beaches in Madeira

Seixal Beach

On the spectacular north coast of Madeira Island, where lush green mountains rise vertically from the ocean, lies Seixal Beach (Praia do Porto do Seixal), my favorite beach on the island. What makes this place special is the fact that it’s one of the few naturally sandy beaches in Madeira. The vast majority of the beaches on the island are covered with pebbles or large rocks.

With its velvety black volcanic sand, turquoise water and a breathtaking backdrop of steep cliffs, Seixal Beach looks like something you’d find in Hawaii. It blows my mind that a place like this exists in Europe! It’s undeniably one of the most beautiful beaches in Madeira and one of most photographed spots on the island.

Regardless of whether you’re visiting in the summer season or winter, be sure to include this fantastic beach in your Madeira itinerary.

The small black sand beach is bordered by a breakwater on one side, which shelters it from larger waves. On some days, though, when the waves are big enough, you can also surf at Seixal Beach. On the right side of the beach, there’s a small waterfall where you can take a natural shower.

Since the beach faces east, it’s also considered one of the best spots for watching the sunrise in Madeira. Right next to the beach, there’s a large sheltered natural pool where you can swim if the sea is too rough, as well as a restaurant and toilets.

Note that parking near the beach is very limited, so you should either arrive early or be ready to wait a bit to get a spot, especially if you’re visiting in the summer.

Tip: When you’re in Seixal, you should also visit the Véu da Noiva waterfall and Seixal Natural Pools (more on this below), both of which are just a few minutes’ drive from Seixal Beach.

Porto Santo Beach

The beautiful Porto Santo Beach is not located on the main island of Madeira but on the neighboring Porto Santo Island, which is a part of the Madeira Archipelago.

Even though Porto Santo is just a two-hour ferry ride from Madeira, its nature and landscape couldn’t be more different. Unlike Madeira with its volcanic and mostly rocky coastline, Porto Santo boasts a 9 km (5.6 mi) long beach with soft golden sand and turquoise water.

It’s a popular beach, but because of its size, it never feels crowded. There are several restaurants and bars along the beach, most of which are located near Vila Baleira, the largest town on the island. There are also places to rent sunbeds and parasols.

The sand of Porto Santo Beach is renowned for its healing properties thanks to its special chemical composition, and many local spas use it in their treatments. It has been scientifically proven that this sand can help those with rheumatic and orthopedic issues.

While visiting the island, make sure to also drive up to Miradouro da Portela viewpoint, which offers a fantastic view of Porto Santo Beach. For the best sunset view, head to Ponta da Calheta at the southern end of the beach. There’s a great little seaside restaurant, where you can enjoy a delicious local dinner while watching the sun drop behind the horizon.

If you’re looking to do something a little more adventurous, you can take this kayaking tour from Ponta da Calheta to explore hidden caves and beaches.

Some parts of Porto Santo’s coast also offer excellent snorkeling opportunities. For example, on this snorkeling tour, you’ll visit the natural pools of Porto Santo Marine Protected Area and have the chance to see octopuses, moray eels, starfish and other marine life.

Prainha Beach (Prainha do Caniçal)

The small Prainha Beach on the east coast of Madeira Island is set in a small cove bordered by beautiful cliffs. It has brown volcanic sand and calm, crystal clear water. With showers, toilets, sunbeds and a small restaurant overlooking the cove, there’s everything you need for a relaxing day by the sea.

Not only is Prainha Beach a great place to swim and sunbathe, but it’s also a good snorkeling spot. You can often see some colorful fish around the rocks on the left side of the beach, so remember to bring your snorkeling mask. It’s one of my favorite beaches in Madeira since it offers the perfect combination of peaceful atmosphere, scenic surroundings and marine life.

Note that getting to the beach requires walking down a short but pretty steep path with lots of steps. It’s not a difficult walk, but if you have reduced mobility, it might be challenging.

Tip: Prainha Beach is located very close to Ponta de São Lourenço, a rugged peninsula with one of the best hikes on the island. I recommend doing the hike first and then heading to the beach afterwards to relax.

Related post: 7-day Madeira road trip itinerary

Machico Beach

Situated on the east coast of Madeira, in front of the town of Machico, is the Machico Beach, also known as Praia da Banda Além. It’s one of the two beaches on the island that have golden sand. However, it’s not a natural beach but an artificial one with sand imported from the Sahara.

The beach is enclosed by two breakwaters that protect it from waves, so the water is very calm and perfect for swimming. There are shower facilities and toilets as well as sunbeds and umbrellas for rent. Near the beach, you’ll find cafes, restaurants, ice cream parlors and a lovely waterfront promenade.

Due to its proximity to the town of Machico and the fact that it’s one of the few sandy beaches in Madeira, Machico Beach can get pretty crowded, especially on weekends. Luckily, there’s also a large pebble beach right next to it with much more space and fewer people.

Many consider Machico Beach one of the best beaches in Madeira, but I definitely preferred the more remote and natural beaches, such as Seixal or Prainha, over this one.

Machico is also one of the top places for whale watching in Madeira. Various whale and dolphin watching tours depart from the marina next to Machico Beach, and your chances of seeing these fascinating marine creatures are very high.

On this highly-rated 2.5-hour tour, you can even swim with dolphins if the conditions are right, and in case there are no whale or dolphin sightings during your tour, you can try again for free on another day.

Calheta Beach

Calheta Beach is the other of the two golden sand beaches in Madeira. Just like Machico Beach, it is man-made with sand brought from the Sahara Desert. 

Calheta Beach actually consists of two beaches facing each other. They are both enclosed by breakwaters, which create a calm area for swimming and protect the beaches from being washed away by waves and currents.

The beach has lots of facilities: showers, toilets, changing rooms, a kids’ playground, as well as volleyball and beach soccer courts. You can also rent jet skis, sunbeds and umbrellas. Along the beach promenade, there are cafes, restaurants and a supermarket.

I don’t think it’s a particularly beautiful beach, but it’s definitely a convenient option thanks to all of the amenities around it, especially for families with small kids.

Calheta Beach is another one of the top places for whale and dolphin watching tours in Madeira, so if you tend to get restless on a beach, consider taking a tour to see these magnificent cetaceans.

Best natural pools and pebble beaches in Madeira

Seixal Natural Pools

The north coast of Madeira is full of amazing volcanic formations, and Seixal Natural Pools (Piscinas Naturais do Seixal) is the perfect example of that. These tidal pools are filled with crystal clear ocean water and surrounded by volcanic cliffs and breathtaking views of the coastal mountains. There’s also a cool lava rock arch leaning over one of the pools (see the photo below). It’s such a unique swimming spot and the perfect place to relax on a sunny day.

Although the water in the pools is very calm, you shouldn’t go too close to the edge of the pools, especially on days when the sea is rough. I’ve heard stories about people being pulled into the sea by powerful waves here, so be careful.

Near the pools, there’s a small kiosk, changing rooms and showers. There’s a 2.50-euro entrance fee to access the pools.

I recommend combining your visit to Seixal Natural Pools with Seixal Beach, which I covered earlier in this post. These two places are just 1.5 km (0.9 mi) apart, so it makes sense to visit them in one go. Don’t confuse this spot with the natural pool right next to Seixal Beach; it’s not nearly as beautiful as this one.

Porto Moniz Natural Pools

A short drive west from Seixal, there’s a small coastal town called Porto Moniz, where you can find another two sets of lava rock pools.

One of them is a large, more developed pool complex called the Porto Moniz Natural Swimming Pools. Here, visitors can access pools with different depths, changing rooms, showers, a restaurant and a kids’ playground. The entrance fee to the complex is 3 euros.

The other set of pools is called Aquarium Natural Pools (Piscinas Naturais do Aquário). These pools are much less developed, have a more natural look, are free of charge and have no facilities other than one restaurant.

I visited both of them and definitely preferred the less-developed pools (Aquarium Natural Pools), since they weren’t as crowded, had more beautiful volcanic formations and looked more natural. If you’re traveling with small kids, though or have limited mobility, the Porto Moniz Natural Swimming Pool complex would probably be a better choice for you.

Praia São Tiago

Praia São Tiago is a tiny beach in Funchal, located in front of the yellow Fort of São Tiago. It consists of a pebbly area and a concrete platform and is a popular beach among locals. There are toilets, showers and an authentic beach bar selling local snacks and cold drinks at low prices.

There’s nothing particularly beautiful about this place, but it is one of the few places in Funchal where you can swim and sunbathe. So if you crave a dip in the ocean and can’t be bothered to go out of the city, this is one of your best options.

Faial Beach

Last but not least is Faial Beach on the northeast coast of Madeira. Here you’ll find a crescent-shaped pebble beach protected from the waves by a rock wall. There are changing rooms, toilets, a few restaurants, a playground and a small pool for children. You can also rent beach chairs for a few euros.

With its green mountains and steep cliffs rising from the sea, the landscapes around Faial Beach are truly amazing. For an awesome view of the coastline, head up to the Miradouro do Guindaste viewpoint on the cliff to the left of the beach.

Map of Madeira beaches

On the map below, you can see the locations of all the beaches I mentioned in this post. Click on the icon in the top left corner of the map for more details.

The easiest way to get to these beaches is to rent a car. It’s possible to reach the beaches on the south coast by bus, but the north coast (Seixal and Porto Moniz) is not well connected, so hiring a car is your best option. I recommend comparing car rental prices at Discover Cars because they often have great deals from local agencies.

Where to stay in Madeira

Since Madeira is quite small, you could easily base yourself in the capital city Funchal and do day trips to the different parts of the island. However, if you want to experience what it’s like to stay in some of the smaller towns, consider spending a night or two in São Vicente, Santana or Machico.