The tiny island of Porto Santo (Porto Santo) is located 40 km northeast of Madeira .However, it is located significantly south of the mainland of Portugal, at the same latitude as Bermuda and Cairo .This is a small island with an area of ​​only 42 square meters .km, but despite the lack of a large number of attractions or a variety of landscapes, in the high season it is quite popular .If you want silence and seclusion, then practically in any month of the year, except for July-August (as the most popular ones), you will find here both that and others .The tranquil atmosphere of the island contrasts with the active life of summer resorts located in the neighborhood .

How to get here

In the heart of the island of Porto Santo there is a small airport. Direct aircraft from Russia, of course, do not fly there, but what is surprising is that the whole trip there with two transplants can come out cheaper than before any city in continental Portugal. If you understand in stages, you first need to get to Funchal, Madeira - through Lisbon or another European city. You can get to Porto Santo by local plane in 10-15 minutes or by ship, which leaves Madeira every morning and returns in the evening.

Transport

On Porto Santo there is a taxi and a municipal bus route that connects the marina to the city center. On the island, strangely enough, a fairly extensive network of roads of good quality - and as many as 4 companies offer car rentals. But since the terrain on Porto Santo is more flat than in Madeira, many here prefer a bicycle to any other means of transportation.

Beaches

Along the coast stretches a nine-kilometer strip of amazing beauty and rare clean beaches. Their golden sand is famous for its medicinal properties. The farther from the center of the only city on the island - Vila-Baleira, the fewer people, the more deserted beaches and the more chances to find a secluded place.

Climate

The island has a dry and stable climate with little seasonal temperature fluctuations. The average annual precipitation is less than 372 mm, rains are rare and only in winter, and the temperature is quite flat - rarely when above +32 ° С or below +18 ° С. The water temperature always remains at +22 ... + 25 ° C, so you can swim in the warm and calm waters of the Atlantic all year round.

Entertainment, excursions and attractions Porto Santo

Fans of outdoor activities will find here excellent opportunities for water sports: diving, water skiing, catamaran, windsurfing and kitesurfing .A married couple will offer you a sightseeing tour around the island at a price of 35 EUR per person (children under 12 years old - from 20 euros) .In addition, in the center of the island there are several mountain peaks, from which delta and paragliders are often descended .The most popular sport in Porto Santo is golf .The local golf course has 18 holes and is the largest on the entire archipelago .Even in Porto Santo you can play tennis, take a walk on horses, bicycles or jeeps, and also take part in the sport orienteering on the terrain .Like any maritime city, Vila-Baleira offers ample opportunities for fishing .

There are not many cultural monuments here, but they can quite satisfy the desire to learn something about the place of rest .One of the main attractions of Vila Baleira is the house in which Christopher Columbus himself lived for several years after his marriage .The wife of Columbus became the daughter of the owner of the island, so the choice of location was quite obvious .Now it is a museum with a thematic exposition that tells both about the life of Columbus, and about the history of the discovery and colonization of the island .Since the Columbus House plays the role of the main city museum, sometimes there are temporary exhibitions, thematically not related to either Columbus or the island .

Interesting is the church of Largo do Pelourinho, located in the heart of the city. It was built in 1430 and was plundered in 1556 by French pirates. Currently, it has been restored, and now there are not only services being held, but there is also an exhibition of paintings by Martin Conrad and Max Romer. Another city attraction is Largo do Pelourinho - a 16th century building, also known as the Town Hall. The history of this building is amazing - in the past it served as a prison or a palace.

The Botanical Garden of Quinta Das Palmeiras

The island of Porto Santo is quite deserted, because of the poor soil the vegetation here is poor, but to the west of the airport there is a beautiful corner called Quinta das Palmeiras .This small botanical garden, in which you can also meet a huge number of birds, arose from the 15-year work of Carlos Alfonso, who independently designed it and planted all the plants .He also took care of the irrigation system .Quinta das Palmeiras is a kind of branch of the Madeira Botanical Garden, and one can get an idea of ​​the latter without leaving Porto Santo . Photos Porto Santo (10)