The 9 Best Beaches in Madeira, Ranked

When it comes to beaches, Madeira doesn’t have the best reputation. But look, you can’t come to a volcanic island and expect to see glittering stretches of white sand.

Instead, the best beaches in Madeira are its beautiful black-sand beaches! And on top of those, it does have a few golden bays with imported sand.

I spent over 6 months exploring Madeira and made a point of visiting as many Madeira beaches and swim spots as possible.

So, here’s my verdict on the best beaches and places to swim in Madeira, and why I would/wouldn’t visit each one!

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My Map of The Best Beaches in Madeira!

What Are The Beaches Like in Madeira?

Just like other volcanic islands like Tenerife and Lanzarote, Madeira has beaches with black sand instead of white. It’s black because it contains higher amounts of dark minerals like iron, magnesium and magnetite.

Instead of reflecting light, these minerals absorb it, giving you that unique dark colour.

The majority of the beaches in Madeira, though, are actually pebble beaches. These formed because Madeira’s hard basalt rock turns into hard, round stones (cobbles) when eroded by waves.

It’s only the beaches that are more protected from harsh currents (like Seixal Beach) that end up with fine black sand.

Because of harsh sea conditions and pebble beaches, natural pools have become popular in Madeira. I’ll cover all four of Madeira’s volcanic pools later, but you can read more about them now in my guide to the best natural pools in Madeira!

The 9 Best Beaches in Madeira, Ranked

1. Seixal Beach

I’m not the only one who considers Seixal Beach to be the best beach in Madeira. Located in the coastal town of Seixal on the north coast of Madeira, you can easily visit by car or the island’s popular north coast 4WD tour.

It’s one of the biggest beaches in Madeira, and the most scenic. The bay overlooks tall, green cliffs with huge waterfalls.

If you visit after a period of rain, there’s also a waterfall that cascades directly onto the sand!

My main annoyance with Seixal beach is that it gets very crowded, especially during summer. The parking is limited near the beach, which results in everyone scouring the town for roadside parking.

Sometimes the streets are so chock-a-block that you get stuck driving through. A few times I’ve abandoned the plans when it’s just far too busy and chaotic!

But if you do make it to the beach, it’s wonderful. Seixal Beach is best in the morning, as by late afternoon, the sand is often covered in shade.

There’s a restaurant and cafe a short walk away from the beach, public toilets, outdoor showers, and a surf school.

One time, I went down there and there was a free yoga class happening! We were offered headphones to join in.

The great part about swimming at Seixal beach is that there’s a long harbour wall, so I haven’t felt strong currents.

If you’re visiting Madeira without a car, you can check availability for a north coast 4WD tour below. It stops at Seixal, Porto Moniz and Fanal Forest!

2. Machico Beach

Machico Beach is the beach I’ve visited the most while in Madeira, mainly because I used to live just a 10-minute walk away from it!

It’s one of the very few white sand beaches in Madeira, with imported sand, and well-protected by a long harbour wall.

The views are much different from Seixal Beach, but lovely in their own right.

The beach is right below the small mountain of Pico do Facho and you can watch the planes taking off from nearby Funchal airport.

I love to go hiking directly from Machico Beach. If you check out my guide to the best things to do in Machico, I write about two hikes there.

One is a short, zig-zag trail with views of Machico (20 minutes-ish) and the other is the Pico do Facho hike (steeper, around 1-2 hours up and down depending on your pace).

There are also plenty of restaurants and coffee shops around Machico beach to pick from. Facilities on the beach include toilets, outdoor showers and beach volleyball courts.

3. Prainha Beach

My third-favourite beach in Madeira is Prainha Beach in Canical. I go to Prainha when I want to escape the crowds, as it’s not very well-known with tourists just yet and well-hidden from the road.

Down a short set of stairs, this small black-sand bay has a beach café open in summer. There are outdoor showers, too.

It’s not as protected as some bays in Madeira, so I’m always mindful of watching the conditions before I swim.

All in all, it’s a really nice spot. It’s also near to the popular PR8 (Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço) hike. So if you want somewhere to swim after hiking it, head here!

Read my full guide to Prainha Beach for how to get there by bus or car and what to expect.

4. Fajã dos Padres

Fajã dos Padres is an underrated Madeira beach. It’s a small pebble beach, but more of an experience than your typical sunbathing spot.

It’s located at the bottom of a steep cliff around 20 minutes’ drive west of Funchal. The only way to reach it is by cable car.

At the bottom is the fajã, a small and very fertile piece of land formed by lava flows and landslides.

It has a farm-to-table restaurant that uses ingredients grown at the fajã, most famously Malmsey wine grapes, bananas, mangos and avocados.

There’s also a small area with sunloungers at the pier, where you can relax and, if conditions are calm enough, go for a swim.

So, it’s not your typical beach day, but I enjoyed my visit because it was uncrowded, something different and the cable car is such a cool experience.

Read my full guide to Fajã dos Padres for how to get there and what to expect.

5. Garajau Beach (Cristo Rei)

Next up is another lesser-known beach at the bottom of a cable car. The cable car station is at Cristo Rei, 15 minutes’ drive from Funchal, where you can see a 14-metre Christ statue.

It was built in 1927, before the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro!

From there, you can take the cable car down to Garajau Beach. It’s a pebble beach, but it has a beach bar and a diving centre. You can rent sunloungers for €3 for the whole day!

It’s another interesting and atypical beach day, and one that’s not that well-known with tourists. Probably best for a quick stop, unless the conditions are calm and you’re keen to snorkel or enjoy some drinks.

Read my full guide to Cristo Rei and Garajau Beach for cable car timings and costs.

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6. Calheta Beach

I didn’t have the foresight to take a picture of Calheta Beach, but it’s one of Madeira’s only white-sand beaches. Well, actually, it’s two beaches that face each other, each protected by a long wall.

They’re incredibly popular with families because of the imported white sand and their calm conditions.

The only thing is, they’re a bit further away from Funchal, so they’re more convenient if you’re staying somewhere like Ponta do Sol, Calheta itself, Jardim do Mar or Paul do Mar.

Like other town beaches, they’re within walking distance of restaurants and shops. It feels more resort-style here than Machico, though, so it’s not my favourite beach in Madeira.

7. Ponta do Sol Beach

Located at what’s thought to be Madeira’s sunniest point, Ponta Do Sol has a small pebble beach that’s nice for a brief visit.

It’s not my favourite place to swim in Madeira because it’s hard to get in and out of the water on the pebbles. I also find the sunbathing decks, which are made of wood, hard to lie on.

But it’s nice if you want to eat out in the village or perhaps you’re passing through the area and don’t fancy the crowds on Calheta Beach.

Facilities are limited on the beach. The nearest toilets are at the car park, which is about a five- to 10-minute walk away from the beach.

8. Reis Magos Beach

Reis Magos is more a swim spot than a beach. There’s a small pebbled area but most people, me included, swim directly from the pier.

Here, you’ll usually find lots of locals sunbathing on the concrete and people taking strolls along the long promenade.

When the water is high enough and conditions calm, I jump from the pier into the water before climbing back up the ladder.

I’ve also been on runs along the seafront and stopped by the restaurant next to the ‘beach’ for typical Portuguese dishes.

There are free toilets and changing rooms, as well as outdoor showers, so it’s convenient enough!

9. Praia Formosa

Praia Formosa is the closest beach to Funchal, about 15 minutes away from the Old Town by bus. It doesn’t top my list of the best beaches near Funchal, though, because I don’t like the pebbles.

The waves are also notoriously high and the currents strong.

I’d much rather swim at Doca Do Cavacas, the Funchal natural pools, which are within walking distance (through the tunnel at the end of the promenade).

What Praia Formosa is good for is beach bars, especially in summer, when you can sit along the promenade in the sun with a cocktail and watch all the runners and dog walkers pass by.

What Are the Best Swimming Spots in Madeira That Aren’t Beaches?

There aren’t all that many sandy beaches in Madeira, and sea conditions are often unpredictable or the water cold. So, natural pools and lidos are popular alternatives!

1. Porto Moniz Natural Pools

Located on the north coast, the Porto Moniz natural pools are the island’s most famous volcanic pool complex.

It’s a big tourist attraction, so it can get extremely busy during the summer, but if you catch it on a quieter day it’s just glorious.

The pools are surrounded by crashing waves and have great facilities including showers, toilets, changing rooms and a bar-restaurant.

Definitely a worthwhile place to visit if you want to swim somewhere safe and don’t mind it not being a sandy beach.

2. Seixal Pool

As well as having its black-sand beach, Seixal has a small natural pool. Compared to Porto Moniz, it’s much smaller and feels quite a bit ‘wilder’.

If you have the bad luck of visiting when a tour pulls up, the downside is that it will quickly feel overcrowded.

At other times, it’s a great place to take a dip. There’s also large rock archway. And if you get bored, the black-sand beach is within walking distance!

3. Doca do Cavacas

Somewhere I briefly mentioned earlier, Doca Do Cavacas are the Funchal natural pools. They’re just a 15-minute bus from the Old Town, in the neighbourhood of Lido.

Like Porto Moniz’s pools, they can get very busy during peak periods, but I still visit them often because I love the views over Praia Formosa, the fishing village of Câmara de Lobos and the highest cape in Europe, Cabo Girão!

The benefit, too, is that you can walk to the beach bars Praia Formosa or the local lido in minutes! So you have multiple places to swim, all in one place.

There’s a bar-restaurant at Doca do Cavacas too, so you can easily stay the full day.

4. Outdoor Lidos

There are lots of lidos (swimming pools) in Madeira where you can swim for a fee. Complexo Balnear do Lido, in the Lido neighbourhood (near to Doca Do Cavacas), is the best lido in Funchal.

Another place to swim in Funchal is Complexo Balnear da Barreirinha, but this isn’t a pool; the facility has sunloungers and ladders into the ocean.

More lidos are scattered across Madeira: Porto da Cruz and Faial on the east coast, Caniço and Câmara de Lobos. Some lidos are seasonal only, so make sure to check their websites or Google Maps location before making a trip there especially.

Below, I’ve mapped out all the lidos in Madeira so that you can take your pick:

What Is The Best Time to Visit Madeira’s Beaches?

The best time to visit Madeira’s beaches is June to October, when the weather is warmest and the ocean is generally much inviting for swimming.

As I say in my guide to the best time to visit Madeira, I particularly like September and October because the sea has had all summer to warm up, but the island is starting to get quieter.

Madeira’s ocean temperatures don’t change as dramatically as you might expect throughout the year. They’re usually at their coolest in late winter and spring and warmest around late summer and early autumn.

You can swim in Madeira during winter. I’ve done it many times! However, being honest, it does feel cold until you get used to it.

Plus, in winter, you have more uncertain conditions with bigger waves and stronger currents likely, so I do prefer to stick to more protected bays like Machico during those months.

Madeira Beach Tips

After visiting beaches and swim spots all over Madeira, there are a few things I wish everyone knew before turning up with their towel:

• Bring water shoes. Seriously! Most Madeira beaches are pebbly, so getting in and out of the ocean barefoot can be painful without.
• Never underestimate the Atlantic. Even when the weather looks beautiful, waves and currents can be strong. Pay attention to signs and if in doubt, don’t go in!
• Arrive early at popular beaches. Parking can be a pain at places like Seixal, especially in summer. I’ve abandoned beach plans before because the surrounding streets were completely chock-a-block.
• Think about shade. Some beaches have very little natural shade. Others with steep cliffs lose the sun surprisingly early. I always pack plenty of sunscreen and check where the sun will be before planning a late-afternoon beach trip.
• Don’t expect facilities everywhere. Larger beaches and swimming complexes often have toilets, showers and changing facilities, but smaller beaches don’t. Some facilities are also seasonal!
• Leave the beach as you found it. Take your rubbish away with you and be considerate of the locals who use these swim spots all year round.

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