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 rather than the imported yellow sand you get on the south coast. On a calm day it's the best place on this coast to spend an afternoon out of the car.

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.

I'd come here when the swell makes the open beach pointless. The rock takes the worst of it.

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.

Go when it has rained. In a dry August it is a thin white line on a big brown cliff.

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, and most people put the two together in one day.

Our live temperature above comes from the station at Porto Moniz, the nearest one on this coast. The south coast usually reads warmer at the same hour, so check both before you pack a towel.

Tours that stop here, and for how long

The trips we've published that stop at Seixal, longest stop first. The time is how long that trip stays here, not how long the day is.

14 more published trips stop here for 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 small-group tours in 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.