With 42.48 km2 and 5 483 inhabitants, Porto Santo is the second largest island in the Autonomous Region of Madeira.

Vila Baleira is the country’s capital. Porto Santo is also a municipality in Portugal. You can fly in from Lisbon in 12 hours. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean, in the farthest south-west of Europe, and is only 500 kilometers from the African coast and 1,000 kilometers from Europe.

The early history of Porto Santo is still shrouded in mystery. In the most well-known story, a storm in 1418 caught the mariners Joo Gonçalves Zarco, Tristo Vaz, and Bartolomeu Perestrelo off guard as they were sailing in the opposite way, sent by Henry the Navigator. They arrived at an island they named Porto Santo (“Holy Harbour”) after many long days at sea.

A previous account, backed up by historical evidence, said that following a strong storm, a vessel discovered the island to be a secure port. According to this version, the island was already known as Porto Santo when the Portuguese arrived. The so-called “Medici-Laurentian Atlas,” a document from around 1370, backs up this claim.

The island’s vast fine golden sandy beach, which stretches for over 9 kilometers along the island’s whole southern coastline, between the port and Calheta, is well-known. Above all, it provides peace and quiet as well as a captivating charm that does not disappoint any guest. The island’s sea water temperature is a particular distinction; it is consistently warm throughout the year. Because the environment in Porto Santo is dry and consistent, with little difference in temperature from season to season, it is common to visit the beach throughout the year.

Because of the natural qualities of Porto Santo, agriculture is weak, and the majority of the economy is dependent on trading and services.

Christopher Columbus House Museum is an important cultural icon in Porto Santo, indicating the presence of America’s discoverer on the island. The museum’s goal is to mimic the explorer’s rudimentary habitat. Columbus’ residence is actually two structures, the older of which dates back to the navigator’s time on the island. Aside from images of Columbus from the 16th through the 20th century, the display also includes maps depicting his various journeys.

Porto Santo Golf offers one-of-a-kind sports challenges as well as breathtaking scenery. The Porto Santo golf course, surrounded by tranquil scenery and cooled by the sea air, provides ideal year-round playing conditions.

On August 6th, 1996, Vila Baleira, Porto Santo’s only urban center, was granted city status. Porto Santo is also the name of the municipality and the island’s only parish.

On the island of Porto Santo, there are numerous areas of interest from a geomorphological, ecological, and visual standpoint. They’re all worth a look because they’re great spots for photo shoots.