Seixal Beach

Seixal Beach (Praia do Porto do Seixal) is one of the few natural sandy beaches on Madeira's north coast. The sand is black and volcanic, the bay sits beneath steep green cliffs, and thin waterfalls drop from the rock face behind the village — a setting that feels more like Hawaii than Europe.

The beach is in the village of Seixal, municipality of Porto Moniz, about 40 minutes by car from Funchal via the VE4/ER101 coastal road. Parking is limited near the harbour, so arrive early in summer. The north coast gets Atlantic swell — swim on calm days and treat the ocean with respect.

Go for the landscape rather than beach facilities: there is a small café and showers, but the real draw is swimming under the cliffs at golden hour and watching clouds spill over the ridge above the bay.