48 Hours In Porto Santo

Porto Santo is a small island in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira, known for its warm waters, dive sites, and the long, sandy Porto Santo Beach. Along its nine kilometres of soft white sands, there are only a handful of hotels and restaurants, offering a great chance to get away from it all.

Yet while Porto Santo feels like one long beach with a bit of island attached, travellers aren’t restricted to a beach holiday. There are great opportunities for hiking, new cuisine to try, and even a bit of intriguing history. If you’ve only got 48 hours to explore, we’ve put together a list of things you won’t want to miss.

The island of Porto Santo Columbus is home to a house-turned-museum that was reportedly the home of the famous navigator Christopher Columbus after his marriage to Filipa Moniz, daughter of the founder of Porto Santo. Opened to the public in 1989, the building has undergone several renovations and organisations of its collections.

Boasting sea exploration and colonial empire exhibits, visitors can view diagrams of the great explorer’s journeys, copies of 15th and 16th-century maps, and a model of one of his boats. There are also some supposed portraits, as well as various other implements and artefacts of the time – including matamorra, the narrow stone-lined pits used as domestic granaries.

It may seem a bit strange to see windmills in Porto Santo, but because the island’s climate is quite dry and the hills have a tendency to catch the wind, several cockerel-topped windmills were built here and have become symbolic of the Island.

According to historians, the first of windmills appeared in 1794, and several are still available to visit. These include small wooden or tin structures ranging from ruinous states through to excellent condition, and larger stone built tower mills.

A solar wind farm has been established on the island in recent times, and Renault is repurposing second-life batteries from its electric vehicles to store the fluctuating supply of energy that the farm produces.

This is part of a project in which Renault established a smart fossil-free electric ecosystem on the island, using electric vehicles, second-life batteries, smart charging, and V2G to boost the island’s energy independence and stimulate the production of renewable energy.

The Pico de Ana Ferreira is the highest point in the western part of the island of Porto Santo, 283m (928ft) above sea level. The spectacular organ-pipe array of pentagonal rock columns at its peak are the result of volcanic activities millions of years ago. The site was also used as a quarry, and the rocks were used for construction and public works.

The peak of Pico de Ana Ferreira also offers incredible panoramic views, with the golf course and beach stretching out below. It is a fairly easy hike to reach the summit, but there is also a 4x4 track to the top.

Wine and garlic pork, or Carne de Vinha D’Alhos, is a traditional Christmas dish in Madeira and Porto Santo – although it is also enjoyed year-round. This dish consists of small cubes of pork that are marinated in a mixture of garlic, wine vinegar, and bay leaves for at least a day, before being cooked in the same sauce and then served with slices of fried bread.

One of the best-known fishes in Madeira and Porto Santo is the scabbard fish, or peixe espada, which does not make for a very attractive catch, but does make for a delicious meal. The succulent fish fillets are seasoned with garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper before being dipped in egg and flour, fried in oil and sprinkled with fresh parsley. It is often accompanied by the small, dense, and flavourful bananas that grow on Madeira – which sounds like an odd combination, but is actually very tasty.

Passionfruit is one of the most important fruits of the Madeiran islands, and there are different species of the fruit – such as banana passionfruit. One of the desserts made with the passiflora edulis variety – which has a sweet taste, strong aroma, and variable acidity – is the delicious passionfruit pudding, which is made with passion fruit pulp, jelly, condensed milk, and cream.

For a gorgeous and unique view of the island, hikers can take 5.4km (3.3mi) walk up the second highest peak of Porto Santo – Pico Branco. The area is home to the largest number of specimens of indigenous flora on the island, and the so-called white peak boasts an array of white lichens growing on the rock, which used to be exported from Porto Santo for the production of paints.

Along the way, there is a huge prismatic geological formation called Rocha Quebrada, a restored stone house used to support scientific studies of the plants, and a former hideout of outlaws called the Furna of Homiziados.

Miradouro das Flores offers one of the best views of the island – including the iconic scene that is popular on all the Porto Santo holiday brochures. It’s possible to see the entire island from this point, including the airport and ferry port. Some of the traditional windmills are also close by.

It is a little off the beaten track on a bumpy, unmade road, but it’s a great, quiet place to enjoy a picnic while taking in the phenomenal view.

Ponta Da Calheta is a gorgeous, wide beach with rocky outcrops that send up sprays of ocean water when waves crash against them. The beach is situated at the end of Ponti Santo and is popular for swimming and offers an unparalleled view of the sun setting over the ocean.

There is a restaurant overlooking the beach, with a lovely terrace that offers excellent views of the ocean and the sunset, as well as a variety of local and international dishes in hearty portions to try.

Various airlines offer daily flights from London to Madiera Airport, which is a ferry ride away from Porto Santo. The cheapest tickets are available approximately 46 days before departure, with afternoon flights from London Stansted offering the best prices on the route.

For a hassle-free trip to Porto Santo, remember to pre-book a hoppa airport transfer to get you to the ferry. Hoppa is the world’s top specialist in smooth, reliable transfers, and every one of our partners stands by our promises – to be there when we say we will, to give you a safe driving experience, and to clearly confirm your pick up details.

Planning a trip to Porto Santo, or do you have any suggestions we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments below.

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