Porto Moniz | The pools, if the sea allows

Porto Moniz

Porto MonizOffline

North Coast

Two pool complexes

The municipal complex is the Piscinas Naturais do Porto Moniz. The Câmara Municipal do Porto Moniz beaches page, read on 7 October 2026, gives a solarium of about 3,217 m², a swimming area of 3,800 m², about 2 m deep, and 7,600 m³ of seawater. Visit Madeira’s card, read the same day, says the solarium is about 3,210 m² and the swimming area 3,800 m². The ticket is the council page.

The other complex is the Piscinas Naturais do Aquário, also called Cachalote. The council page puts it almost at the entrance to the town, beside the Cachalote restaurant, and calls it free. Visit Madeira says the same area is free, has an outdoor shower, and has no support building and no toilets. It is supervised through the bathing season.

Ticket, hours, lifeguards

The council page says the municipal pools are open all year: 09:00 to 17:00 in winter, and 09:00 to 19:00 in summer time. The page calls that second span horário de verão and does not date the change.

Entry is paid all year. Over 3 years: €3.00. Age 3 or under: free. A municipal card in series SX, RJ or RB, PM, and AC: €0.50. A student card or a 65 card: €1.50. A disability card at 60% or more: free. Take the card. The page says the rest of the discount rule is the notice at the ticket office. The pools phone on that page is 291 850 190.

The same page lists a bar, changing rooms, a children’s play area, a first-aid post, loungers and sun umbrellas for hire, and lifeguards on duty. It does not print a hire price. It also gives a yearly average water temperature of 20 to 21ºC.

Portaria n.º 206/2026, Jornal Oficial of 13 May 2026, names the bathing water Porto Moniz, code PTMV3Q, as a bathing beach from 15 April to 15 October 2026. On that portaria a bathing beach is a beach where lifeguards are provided during the bathing season. The council page is the one that says the complex stays open outside those dates. The portaria does not name Cachalote.

By car

The ViaExpresso concession page says the VE2 runs 14.05 km from São Vicente to Porto Moniz, and calls it an alternative to the old ER101. The same page splits that as São Vicente to Seixal 6.50 km and Seixal to Porto Moniz 7.55 km. It does not give a driving time.

The same page calls the VE4 the preferred link from the south coast to the north coast on the west of the island. It runs from Serra de Água to São Vicente, and a large part of it is the Encumeada tunnel, 3.1 km. The VE2 starts at the São Vicente end of that road.

The Direção Regional de Estradas page, dated 7 July 2025 and still that page on 7 October 2026, lists the ER101 as the coastal road through Porto Moniz toward Ponta do Pargo, and the ER105 from Porto Moniz (Portas da Vila, ER101) up to Serra de Água by Paúl da Serra. That page does not give a driving time from Funchal.

Parking

Visit Madeira lists a car park at the municipal pools and does not give a price or a number of spaces.

The council parking page, read on 7 October 2026, says about 70% of the parking capacity in the town is free. It also lists 144 spaces where the blue lines are charged every day from 09:00 to 19:00: a minimum of €0.20, €0.80 an hour, and €0.20 for each 15 minutes. Pay with coins at the meter, from €0.05 to €2.00, and put the ticket on the windscreen. A missed payment is increased by 100% of the daily rate. The page does not print that daily rate, and it does not say which of the 144 spaces are the pool car park.

Bus from Funchal

Rodoeste’s carreira 80 sheet, still the file on their site on 7 October 2026, is marked valid from 9 January 2023. The times are approximate passage. Weekdays: Funchal 10:00, Porto Moniz 13:00. Saturday, Sunday and holidays: Funchal 10:00, Porto Moniz 12:30, and that column uses the express between Calheta and Ponta do Pargo. Back from Porto Moniz at 16:00: Funchal 19:35 on weekdays, 18:40 on Saturday, Sunday and holidays. No service on 25 and 26 December or 1 January. The sheet does not print a fare.

The Porto Moniz locality sheet on the same site prints the weekday 10:00 as arriving at 13:30, and the weekday 16:00 as reaching Funchal at 19:40. The weekend pair matches the carreira 80 sheet: 12:30 there and 18:40 back. The two sheets do not agree on the weekday clocks. Read both before you travel.

Rodoeste’s carreira 139 sheet, marked valid from 1 March 2021 and still the file on 7 October 2026, is the north-coast bus through the Encumeada tunnel. Every day, with a change at São Vicente from carreira 6 to carreira 150: Funchal 07:35, Porto Moniz 10:45, Santa 10:55. Monday to Saturday, same change: Funchal 13:30, Porto Moniz 16:55. Monday to Friday, same change: Funchal 14:10, Porto Moniz 16:55. On weekdays those two afternoon buses then end at Achadas da Cruz. Saturday, with a change at Ribeira Brava from carreira 146 to carreira 6: Funchal 17:35, Porto Moniz 20:35. The sheet does not print a fare.

The same 139 sheet prints returns from Porto Moniz. Columns marked b change at São Vicente from carreira 150 to carreira 6. Weekdays 06:10, Funchal 07:30. Weekdays 06:40, Funchal 09:35. Saturday and Sunday 07:10, Funchal 09:35. Weekdays 12:10, Funchal 14:05. Saturday 14:10, Funchal 17:05. The weekday 18:20 and 19:05 departures from Funchal do not line up with one Porto Moniz clock on that sheet, and the locality sheet sends both to Santa at 20:30. Those evening trips are left out. No 139 service on 1 January, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, or 25 and 26 December.

A same-day return after the 07:35 bus is the carreira 139 at 12:10 on weekdays, or the carreira 80 at 16:00. After the 10:00 carreira 80, the 12:10 has already gone, and 16:00 is the return on that sheet. The afternoon carreira 139 reaches Porto Moniz at 16:55, after that 16:00 departure. The council page keeps the municipal pools open until 17:00 in winter and 19:00 in summer time, so the 16:00 bus leaves before closing.

Taxi

A taxi uses the regional meter. The second amendment to Convenção n.º 1/2019, in force on 6 February 2026, sets the flag at €4.00 by day and €4.80 at night for a 4-seat car. The flag covers the first kilometre. After that it is €0.10 every 65 m by day, or every 52 m from 21:00 to 06:00 and all day on Saturday, Sunday and holidays. That document does not publish a fixed price to Porto Moniz. Waiting, luggage (€1.50) and an empty return are extra.

In the town

The council page places the Cachalote pools near the Aquário da Madeira, the Centro de Ciência Viva, and the municipal pools. Neither that page nor Visit Madeira prints a walking time, so none is copied here.

The aquarium is in the rebuilt Forte de São João Baptista, Rua Forte São João Baptista. The council page says the original fort was built in 1730 and the aquarium opened on 4 September 2005, with more than 90 native species in 12 tanks. Open every day 10:00 to 18:00. Tickets on that page: single aquarium ticket €8, normal €7, group from 5 people €5, junior aged 5 to 14 €4, senior from 65 €4, group of 5 or more juniors or seniors €3.

The Centro de Ciência Viva is at the Espaço Multiusos, Rotunda do Ilhéu Mole. Open Monday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, including holidays, closed 25 December. The permanent exhibition is the Laurissilva, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tickets on that page: normal €3.50, junior aged 5 to 14 €2.50, senior over 65 €3.00, group over 5 people €3.00, school groups €2.50, under 5 free. The note of about 1h30 on that page is for a booked group visit, not a walk from the pools.

What the picture is for

The picture on this page is the Madeira-Web Places Live camera on the hillside above the town. It shows the village and the pools from above, not the ticket gate.

For the outer rocks, use the Porto Moniz lava pools camera on this site. That picture is NetMadeira’s. The council page does not print a wave height that closes the gate.

Sources, read 7 October 2026

Wind25 km/h

Air Temp21°C

Cloud69%

07:03 WET·Condition Guide →

Picture is off for now

What this picture is for

The view: The natural pools at Porto Moniz and the ocean in front of them.
Useful for: See if the sea is already running over the walls.
It will not show: It does not sell a ticket, and it does not know if the gate has closed.
It does not say whether the north-coast road or the high road over Paul da Serra is open.
The camera: Image by Madeira-Web Places Live
Getting there: About an hour and a quarter from Funchal on the north-coast road. ER110 over Paul da Serra is colder and closes in bad weather.

Porto Moniz Volcanic Lava Pools & Atlantic Swell Gate

Favorable Conditions07:03

Are the Porto Moniz volcanic lava pools open and safe for swimming, or is Atlantic wave wash surging over the basalt seawall?

Look at the water before you go down to the rocks. A sunny Funchal is not this coast.

Air Temperature21°C

Wind25 km/h

Cloud69%

Weather nearbyThe picture is the check

What this picture shows

Observe the perimeter rock wall facing the open sea. Look for wave crests breaking over the walkway.

Optimal Hours & Parking

Recommended hours: Mid-morning through early afternoon

Parking access: Standard municipal and roadside parking areas.

Recommended Gear & Footwear

Shoes you can walk in, and something for the sun.

More on this place

Informational travel guide for visitor planning. Always check official advisories from IFCN, Capitania, and Civil Protection before outdoor mountain or coastal activities.

North Coast Sea State

When to go

Madeira time: 12:00

Visit goal:

Bathing requires open gates and lifeguard duty (green/yellow flag). When red flags fly or ocean swell washes over outer walls, swimming is closed regardless of the hour.

Porto Moniz is the north-west corner, and the natural pools sit in the volcanic rock with the ocean in front. This picture shows that ocean and the pools from outside. It does not show the ticket window, and it does not know if the complex has closed for swell. If the sea is running over the walls, do not plan a swim on the strength of a sunny Funchal.

The pools and the ocean in front. Water over the walls means they may be shut.

Read more about this webcam

The ocean and the pools. A big sea closes them. The picture is not the ticket office.

Porto Moniz is the north-west corner, and the natural pools sit in the volcanic rock with the ocean in front. This picture shows that ocean and the pools from outside. It does not show the ticket window, and it does not know if the complex has closed for swell. If the sea is running over the walls, do not plan a swim on the strength of a sunny Funchal.

About this webcam

Quick facts

Location: Porto Moniz, Madeira
Category: North Coast
Best time to watch: All day for coastal and village views; late afternoon for sunset hues
Coordinates: 32.8667, -17.1333

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 North Coast category in Madeira and groups 13 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

Upper hillside panoramic perspective
Natural volcanic pool complex
Northwest Atlantic oceanfront
Traditional coastal village setting

Nearby attractions

Natural volcanic pools
Porto Moniz harbour & promenade
Ribeira da Janela sea stacks (east)

Travel tips

Check local advisories and signage.
Stay hydrated and use sun protection.
Plan routes and timings ahead.

Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen)CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons

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Elevation: Sea level
Coordinates: 32.8667, -17.1333
Region: Porto Moniz
Camera: Live picture

Frame and highlights

The view

The pools

•Whether the sea is already over the walls.
•A calmer ocean in front of the pools.
•Not the queue at the window.

Highlights

✓The pools and the ocean.
✓Water on the walls.
✓Not the ticket office.

Porto Moniz Natural Pools & Sea Conditions

North Coast Sea State

Northwest Volcanic Rock Pools

Natural swimming pools formed by volcanic basalt lava rock and continually refreshed by the tide
Directly exposed to powerful North Atlantic swells rolling in from the open ocean
Large swells can break over the outer walls, making the pools unsafe for swimming during rough weather
Constant ocean spray and clean sea air keep conditions fresh along the waterfront promenade

Coast & terrain

Landscape & geography

The drive

From Funchal, about an hour and a quarter. The north-coast road is the usual one. The ER110 over Paul da Serra is the high road, and it is a different drive: colder, and it closes in bad weather. The picture will not tell you which road is open.

Related Views

13 webcams in North Coast

Browse all North Coast webcams →

Approach & Planning

Visitor logistics

A big sea closes them

Closed pools: A big sea does that. Look at the water on the walls, then believe the gate when you arrive.
The town: Small. If you only wanted a swim and the pools are shut, Seixal is back along the north coast.
Image by Madeira-Web Places Live.

From our visits

A Local Guide

Location history

The drive Use the picture before you leave Funchal, and again when you are close. A calm Lido, or a flat bay in town, does not make this shore calm. If the sea is white on the stones, stay on the path or the terrace. Do not take the steps because the water inside a pool looks still. Pools cut into the rock shut when the sea comes over the wall, and this frame is not the ticket window. Shade matters on a black-sand or pebble beach under a cliff: the sun often leaves in the afternoon, and you can see that here before you drive the tunnels. The north coast and the west coast take a swell that the south does not. Park where the sign allows. A narrow lane with a car stopped in it blocks the village. The picture shows the water and the shore in front of it. It does not show the café kitchen, the changing room, or whether the gate has already closed. When you arrive, trust the water in front of you over the memory of the picture from an hour ago. A north swell builds through the morning. What was blue at breakfast can be white by the time you park. If you have children, the terrace is the plan until you have watched a few sets. The steps stay slippery after rain, and after any sea that reached them. There is rarely a sandy entry. You step off rock. A towel and a dry layer live in the car, because the wind on the north and west coasts does not feel like the marina. If the car park is full, the next village is a better idea than a car left in the lane. Come back to the picture in the afternoon if shade is the thing you cared about. The cliff takes the sun on its own clock. Look once before you leave Funchal and once more when you still have a choice. The island changes between the city and the place in the picture. A jacket in the car costs nothing. A car left in a narrow lane costs the village its road. If the picture and the sky over Funchal disagree, believe the picture. Ten minutes later is a fair second look. An hour later can be a different coast.

Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen)CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons