Best Beaches in Madeira and the Natural Pools

A paid complex gives you the most around the swim: the Lido lists a seawater pool, children's pools, sea access, lifeguards, first aid and a bar. A free pebble beach costs nothing, and Praia Formosa adds lifeguards in the bathing season. The lava pools of the north-west charge $3.44 (€3) at Porto Moniz, where the municipality says lifeguards are always present, and nothing at the Seixal and Cachalote pools.

Sand is the rarest surface, and the one long sand beach is on Porto Santo, 9 km of it.

The same tariff covers concessions at all four complexes, so the price is the same whether you swim at the Lido in the west or the Barreirinha by the old town. Children up to 6 go free with an adult. Reduced rates apply to young people aged 7 to 17, to retired people on the Portuguese pension system and to holders of a disability card, always with proof.

The Lido itself is built over the sea on several levels and lists a guarded beach, first aid, bathhouses, sea access, a seawater swimming pool, children's pools, sun lounger and parasol rental, Wi-Fi, a bar, a beach shop and a diving centre, all year. At Praia Formosa the concession prices are slightly higher than inside the complexes, and entry to the beach itself is free.

Praia Formosa, the Free Option

Praia Formosa is what the Funchal operator calls the largest rolled-pebble beach, 2 km long, and entry is free. During the bathing season several areas of it turn to black sand, and lifeguards are on duty in that season. Showers, WCs, support bars, parking and a defibrillator are on site, and a sunbed plus parasol set costs $7.46 (€6.50) at the concession.

The beach sits on the 2026 Blue Flag list under the Formosa name. Our full page on Praia Formosa covers the layout in detail.

On the far north-west coast, Porto Moniz runs its natural pools as a paid municipal site, open all year, 09:00-17:00 in winter and 09:00-19:00 in summer. The municipality lists about 3,800 m² of swimming area about 2 m deep, holding 7,600 m³ of constantly renewed seawater, with a solarium of about 3,217 m². Lifeguards are always present at the paid pools, and there is a bar, changing rooms, a playground, a first aid post and sunbed and parasol rental.

The same municipality states an average annual water temperature of 20-21°C there. Free alternatives are close by: the Cachalote pools next to the Aquário, and at Seixal the Clube Naval pools, free from 10:00-19:00 with sunbeds, a bar and kayak and diving hire, plus the free black sand Praia do Porto do Seixal. See our Porto Moniz page for the village around the pools.

Porto Moniz Pool Prices

The municipality publishes the paid pools' ticket categories as:

• Over 3 years old: $3.44 (€3)
• 3 and under: free
• Student card or 65+ card: $1.72 (€1.50)
• Municipal card holders: $0.57 (€0.50)
• Holders of a disability card of 60% or more: free

Sand is scarce on this island and it pays to know which of it is natural. Visit Madeira states plainly that black pebble beaches predominate, and that sand beaches exist with golden, coppery or black sand, natural or imported. The golden sand at Banda d'Além in Machico was imported from Morocco and the beach runs about 70 m long and about 100 m wide, one of few of its kind on the island, with lifeguards in the bathing season and step-free walkways. Prainha, near the eastern tip, is the opposite case, a small beach of natural sand derived from basalt close to Ponta de São Lourenço, reached by a walk of about 100 m.

Praia do Porto do Seixal on the north coast is a free black sand beach used for bodyboard, SUP and kayak. Praia Formosa in Funchal develops areas of black sand during the bathing season. Away from these, plan on pebbles and bring water shoes.

Our Machico page covers the eastern beaches.

Porto Santo's golden sand runs 9 km along the south coast, and the municipality says the sand is biogenic, made of fossilised algae, shells and marine organisms rather than the quartz of most Portuguese beaches. Fontinha, Cabeço da Ponta and Ribeiro Salgado all hold a 2026 Blue Flag, and Visit Madeira names spots from Calheta with its rock formations to Penedo and Pedras Pretas. The ferry operator currently lists a crossing of 3 hours and 15 minutes, which it says is longer than usual for technical reasons, so check the crossing time when you book rather than assuming.

Once on the island, this Porto Santo 4x4 tour covers the highlights including the beach, with hotel pickup on Porto Santo for $57.00. Our Porto Santo page has the full picture.

Lifeguard cover follows the season. Praia Formosa is lifeguarded during the bathing season, as are Banda d'Além and São Roque in Machico bay, and the Porto Moniz municipality states lifeguards are always present at its paid pools. No official page read publishes exact lifeguard dates per beach, so treat the bathing season as the guide and swim where the flags and guards are.

One warning is worth quoting in full: at Poças das Lesmas the Porto Moniz municipality warns the sea often surprises bathers even when the swell looks harmless. On temperature, Machico's municipal tourism says the sea averages 22°C in summer and 18°C in winter, and Porto Moniz's municipality gives 20-21°C as the annual average at its pools, both municipal statements rather than national climate data. General sea safety and medical notes are on our safety page, and if you are bringing children, the places that list lifeguards are the Funchal complexes, the paid Porto Moniz pools and the beaches above in season, see Madeira with kids.

• No entry price for Calheta, Santa Cruz's Palmeiras or Reis Magos, Ribeira Brava, Santana's Ribeira do Faial or Prainha appears on any official page read (municipal and Visit Madeira pages)
• No exact lifeguard dates per beach are published, only lifeguard cover during the bathing season (Frente MarFunchal, visitmachico.com)
• No official monthly sea temperature normal for the region is published on the pages read (municipal statements give averages only)
• No year-round opening hours for the Funchal complexes are printed, hours are posted per period and change through the year (Frente MarFunchal)
• No official map coordinate set for the beaches exists, our pins are approximate points from OpenStreetMap (Nominatim)