- The view
- The bay and the pebble shore at Fajã da Areia, on the north coast in São Vicente.
- Useful for
- See if the sets are small enough to go in, or only worth watching from the promenade.
- It will not show
- The picture does not show what is under the water. The bottom is rock.
- The Pala rock roof and the inside of the club are outside the frame.
- The camera
- Image by Beachcam
- Getting there
- ER101 through São Vicente. Parking along the promenade. The way into the water is a slippery wooden stair.
Is the swell running onto the pebbles? This is not a learner beach when the sets are lined up.
You see the bay and the pebble shore. Not sand, and not a learner beach when the sets are lined up.
You see the bay and the pebble shore, not the inside of the club and not the Pala rock roof.
Shoes you can walk in, and something for the sun.
When to go
The camera is the bay. A flat Funchal does not make this flat. The water is about 18°C in late winter and about 24°C in late summer.
The promenade follows the old coast road for about 600 m, so the sea stops eating the road. Through traffic now uses the ER101 tunnel. The old road is for walking. A short way along is the Pala, a rock roof over the carriageway. This camera does not point at it. Clube Naval is the bar by the water. The picture does not say whether the kitchen is open.
The way down is a wooden stair, the varadouro. It is slippery. There is no sand ramp. When the sets are lined up and white, this bay is for looking from the promenade. It is a poor place to find out you cannot get back out. After rain, water from the cliff runs across the path.
The sea sits around 18°C late in winter and around 24°C late in summer. A calm afternoon in Funchal does not make this bay calm. The harbour in Funchal is a different shore. If the foam already reaches the walkway, leave the stair alone and look again later. Image by Beachcam.
Pebbles, not sand, on the north coast at São Vicente. If whitewater is on the promenade, stay up there.
Loading live surf forecast...
If it looks like a proper wave, it is not a place to learn.
The beach is pebbles on the north coast of São Vicente. When a north swell is running, the wave peels along rock. The bottom is boulders. People who surf it already know that. Everyone else should read the picture and stay up on the promenade if the whitewater is heavy.
The camera is the bay. A flat Funchal does not make this flat. The water is about 18°C in late winter and about 24°C in late summer.
The promenade follows the old coast road for about 600 m, so the sea stops eating the road. Through traffic now uses the ER101 tunnel. The old road is for walking. A short way along is the Pala, a rock roof over the carriageway. This camera does not point at it. Clube Naval is the bar by the water. The picture does not say whether the kitchen is open.
The way down is a wooden stair, the varadouro. It is slippery. There is no sand ramp. When the sets are lined up and white, this bay is for looking from the promenade. It is a poor place to find out you cannot get back out. After rain, water from the cliff runs across the path.
The sea sits around 18°C late in winter and around 24°C late in summer. A calm afternoon in Funchal does not make this bay calm. The harbour in Funchal is a different shore. If the foam already reaches the walkway, leave the stair alone and look again later. Image by Beachcam.
About this webcam
Quick facts
- Location: Fajã da Areia, Madeira
- Category: Surfing
- Best time to watch: Winter months for best surf; summer for calmer conditions
- Coordinates: 32.8000, -17.0500
Weather Information
Madeira has a mild climate year-round. Use the webcams for real-time conditions (visibility, sea state, wind).
About the area
This page belongs to the Surfing category in Madeira and groups 9 related webcams. Use the category link to explore nearby views and compare conditions.
Quick Tips for Visitors
- Check local visibility and ocean conditions via the webcam before heading out.
- Madeira weather changes fast: bring a light jacket.
- Respect signage and local guidance.
Highlights
- Beach break waves
- North coast exposure
- Scenic mountain backdrop
- Consistent surf
Nearby attractions
- São Vicente village
- Volcanic caves
- North coast levadas
Travel tips
- Use leash and suitable wetsuit.
- Respect lineup priority.
- Avoid heavy shorebreak above your level.