Seixal: black sand, free sea pools and the waterfall on the old road

What is here

A headland, a small harbour, vines and banana terraces on the slope behind. The cliffs of the north coast run away east and west, and the rock in front of the village is full of holes the sea fills.

Three swims, none of them ticketed: the black sand beach, the sea pools at the Clube Naval, and a sheltered spot called Poças das Lesmas. That's the whole reason to come.

The black sand beach

Praia do Porto do Seixal sits beside the Clube Naval, with showers and toilets, and it costs nothing.

The sand is dark volcanic grit. Showers and toilets are right there, which makes it a practical stop between sightseeing rather than a special trip.

The sea pools

The Clube Naval do Seixal runs the pools, free of charge, between 10:00 and 19:00. There's a solarium with loungers, a bar, showers and toilets.

The club also hires out kayaks and diving gear, which is the cheapest way to see this coast from the water.

Poças das Lesmas

This is the sheltered one, next to Praia da Laje: calm water, a bar, toilets and showers, and no ticket.

It sits next to Praia da Laje, with a bar, toilets and showers, and the municipality lists it as calm and sheltered.

Véu da Noiva

The Bridal Veil waterfall drops off the cliff straight into the sea, on the old road between São Vicente and Seixal. The viewpoint is free and takes five minutes.

The waterfall drops off the cliff straight into the sea. How much water comes down depends on the weather in the days before you arrive.

Getting there

Line 139 leaves Funchal at 07:35 and reaches Seixal at 10:25. Coming back, buses leave at 12:25 and 14:25 and reach Funchal at 14:05 and 17:05. Some runs change bus at São Vicente.

By car it's the tunnels through the middle of the island, then the coast road. The same road carries on west to Porto Moniz.

Our live temperature above comes from the station at Porto Moniz, the nearest one on this coast. It is a reading from there, not from Seixal.

Tours that stop here, and for how long

The trips we've published with a stop here, the longest first. The time is what the operator books for the stop, so on a walking trip it is the walk itself rather than time standing about.

11 more published trips have timed stops of 20 minutes or less. Prices and ratings as of 21 September 2026. Ratings combine Viator and Tripadvisor. All west Madeira day tours from Funchal → · All 4x4 jeep tours of west Madeira → · All Madeira tours that pick up outside Funchal → · All private tours of Madeira →

Marked routes in this municipality

Status from the IFCN table of classified routes, re-read at every build and again in your browser. All routes with today’s status.