Porto Santo

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Talking about the island of Porto Santo's talk of golden beaches and therapies, from the beginning of the Portuguese maritime epic and, of course, one of the most important 15th-century browsers, Christopher Columbus. Discovered in 1418 by João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira, the story goes that the discoverer of America lived on this island, having married one of the daughters of its first Captain-donatário, Bartolomeu Perestrelo. The municipality of the same name, created in 1835, occupies the entire surface of the island, in the autonomous region of Madeira, and is headquartered in the city of Vila Baleira. With an approximate area of 42.2 km2 and just over 5 thousand inhabitants, Porto Santo features a geography and a climate quite distinct from the much larger island of Madeira, with few mountains, sandy soil, low rainfall and temperature range, oodles of Palm trees and a magnificent beach with 9 km of extension, lapped by crystal waters and whose sands have admittedly therapeutic properties. This set of factors allows you to enjoy the beach practically all year round, making this Council very tempting for vacation, and encourages the practice of water sports such as sailing, canoeing or diving. If you prefer, in the most central of the island, and green can make equestrian, golf, walks by footpaths watching the scenery and enjoying the true hospitality of the porto-santenses. Currently one of the 5 counties of the country with only one parish, Porto Santo offers a startling contrast to the rest of the archipelago, is the Golden Beach, the horizon plan, a peaceful way of life that invites to evade and typicality of its people, whose culture and tradition are reflected in art as the manufacture of utensils in hearts of Palm and interlaced in canavieira.

What to do in Porto Santo

Praia do Porto Santo

Porto Santo

Com um fantástico areal dourado de nove quilómetros e um mar de águas calmas e cristalinas, com temperaturas sempre amenas, esta praia já foi eleita como a melhor praia da Europa pela European Best Destinations.

Passeio de Carriola no Porto Santo

Porto Santo

A small horse carriage that makes tourist strolls and shows th entire island of Porto Santo in a comfortable and original manner.

Moinhos de Porto Santo

Porto Santo

A group of small windmills where the cereals where ground in the days of old. Currently there are only three windmills left in Porto Santo.

Casa Colombo - Museu do Porto Santo

Porto Santo

A museum devoted to this navigator (Christopher Columbus) with a special note to the furniture of his age, Christopher Columbus's engravings, reproductions of the clothings of his days and a series of manuscripts, including his 3rd journey's travelogue.

Quinta das Palmeiras

Porto Santo

A rather beautiful farm with lush vegetation, a mini-zoo with numerous birds and a mini-botanical garden.

Praia da Fontinha

Porto Santo

This is the most well known and attended beach in Porto Santo.The place has excellent conditions, such as the fine sand, the clear, calm and warm sea and the natural beauty of the area.

Praia do Penedo

Porto Santo

A beach with excellent conditions but little attended because it is located in the southwest extrenme of the island.It has a large area of fine sand and clear waters.

Igreja Matriz de Porto Santo / Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Piedade

Porto Santo

A mannerist and rococo church, built in the 16th century and composed of a sole nave and a lower and narrower high altar. By the façade, one can also find a bell tower and a sacristy.

Marina de Porto Santo

Porto Santo

A marina with places for 180 boats.It has also restaurants, supermarkets, a refuelling area and repairs.

Miradouro da Portela

Porto Santo

A belvedere with lovely views of the island's beaches, the port and the immense ocean.

Casa da Serra

Porto Santo

Space to disseminate the culture and traditions of Porto Santo. Casa da Serra brings together many old objects that tell the story of the people of Porto Santo. It is popular with tourists on organized tours. Surprising for the conservation …

Miradouro das Flores

Porto Santo

From this belvedere, one can view almost the entire island. One can also view the Desertas islands and the Madeira island in the distance.

Pico Ana Ferreira

Porto Santo

This is a set of prysmatic columns with irregular shapes, popularly known as the "Piano". This is where one can find the Pedreira belvedere, from where one can view the Fora islets and the Facho and Castelo peaks.

Praia da Calheta / Ponta da Calheta

Porto Santo

A beach of dry and stony earth, where one accedes to the sea across the rocks.A calm place, with clear waters,from where one can view the Cal islet.

Jardim do Passeio Marítimo de Porto Santo

Porto Santo

A very pleasant garden with flowers, palm trees and stone benches and tables. It has a lovely ocean view. It has a small children's playground with a cushioned floor and some equipments for the children's amusement.

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Where to eat in Porto Santo

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Where to sleep in Porto Santo

Pestana Porto Santo
Pestana Porto Santo

5 star

Hotel located in the splendid golden sandy beach of Porto Santo, surrounded by 30 thousand square meters of gardens and two swimming pools. The concept of this…

Pestana Ilha Dourada Hotel & Villas
Pestana Ilha Dourada Hotel & Villas

4 star

O Pestana Ilha Dourada Hotel & Villas, é um hotel moderno de dois andares, situado em Porto Santo, a 5 minutos a pé da praia do Combo. O ambiente é descontraíd…

Pestana Colombos Premium Club
Pestana Colombos Premium Club

5 star

The Pestana Columbuses Premium Club was opened in July 2013, all-inclusive. With luxurious décor, three outdoor pools, private garage, business center, and shu…

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