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Often referred to as Madeira’s little sister, the tiny
island of Porto Santo lies less than 50 miles north-west of Madeira, but it
would be hard to find a pair of siblings more radically different than these
two. Compared to Madeira’s
imposingly majestic mountains, Porto Santo’s peaks are merely gentle hills.
Whilst Madeira is cloaked in lush, tropical vegetation, Porto Santo’s
dryer climate is reflected in a rather more barren landscape.
And where in Madeira, the mountains meet the sea almost vertically in
most places, with only the odd rock pool or volcanic stone beach to facilitate
sea swimming, the entire length of Porto Santo’s south coast is seamed by one
of the most stunning beaches in the whole of Europe, a vast 9-km expanse of
soft, golden sand backed by dunes and low shrubbery.
The remarkable contrast between Madeira and Porto Santo
makes these two islands a natural choice for a split-centre holiday, especially
bearing in mind that travelling to Porto Santo almost always involves flying via
Madeira. However, those simply
looking for a wonderfully laid-back and truly relaxing beach holiday will find
Porto Santo an enticing destination in its own right.
Although discovered and settled some years earlier than
Madeira, Porto Santo never achieved the affluence of its larger neighbour and
remained a true backwater throughout the centuries (electricity didn’t make
its debut until 1954!). Today, the
island’s fabulous beach makes it a popular venue for weekend breaks amongst
Madeirans in the summer, but despite the recent building of a golf course and
resort hotel, Porto
Santo remains one of Europe’s least discovered beach destinations.
The beach is undoubtedly Porto Santo’s prime
attraction, but for the more active visitors a golf course, tennis academy and
equestrian centre are recently opened attractions. the island also offers some rewarding terrain for walkers, and a
handful of charming villages in which to potter around and enjoy the laid-back
ambience. Vila Baleira - officially the island’s capital but really
just a lively village of less than 3000 souls - is situated in the centre of the
south coast. A very picturesque
village with cobbled streets and an assemblage of 17th-century houses fanning
out from the palm-shaded square, Vila Baleira also boasts a small museum
dedicated to Christopher Columbus, as well as a selection of shops, banks,
restaurants, bars and cafés. The
only notable village in the north of the island is Camacha, renowned for its
restaurants and an excellent starting point for walks to the island’s three
tallest peaks, which afford magnificent views across the island.
Those who like walking but are less keen on hills can enjoy long strolls
with their feet in the water along the seemingly endless beach.
A unique mineral composition is said to give Porto
Santo’s beach all manner of therapeutic qualities, and there is an excellent
thalassotherapy centre at Cabeço da Ponta, offering a wide range of treatments. Whether or not you believe in the sand’s healing
properties, the island’s utterly relaxing atmosphere makes it almost
impossible not to return from a holiday there feeling totally refreshed and
invigorated.
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