Porto Moniz Things to Do

Porto Moniz is famous for its sea natural pools. There are two groups of pools: the west group is more “artificial” with plenty of facilities; the east group are more “natural”. I enjoyed going from one corner to another taking pictures from different angles. The second group was really beautiful! I guess that in summer time it gets really crowded so I enjoyed my time being almost the only person there.

This fort was rebuilt in 1998. The original fort (1730) protected the village against pirates’ attacks. Legend says that Porto Moniz has an ancient furnace hidden in the rocks. It was used by its inhabitants to hide their values from pirates. Maybe a pot full of gold it is still waiting to be discovered!
Nowadays the fort hosts the city Aquarium. It is opened from 10,00 till 19,00. I did not visit it so I can't tell you more.

The Madeiran waters are very rich in cetaceans, with at least 22 species recorded. After 40 years of hunting, whales and dolphins are now legally protected in Madeira. Fortunately, whales were not hunted to extinction, and today the whale and dolphin watching in Madeira can be a great experience of a day boat trip. Many agencies organise these boat trips, with biologists on its crew. You can find them on Google.

The best spots for whale watching are in the south and near Desert Islands. The common whale species to see in Madeira are:
Bryde's Whale (Balaenoptera edeni) - April to October
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - All year but mainly from March to September
Short-finned Pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) - All year but mainly November to April

I was very interested in whale watching. Unfortunately I did not have the time to take a boat trip so I had to satisfy myself with this “cachalote” painted on the wall.

Wandering around the fishing port is a good way to see a little bit of local life. When I was there in the afternoon it was very quiet. I suppose that it is busier in the morning, when the ship market with its fresh products is also opened. The port is small but its colorful boats are a good opportunity to take nice pictures.
Next to the port there is an heliport. I wander who may come here by helicopter!

Leaving the sea area behind, I start climbing some stairs until the old village. This is how the main square looks like. It is a nice place which offers nice wide angle perspectives and where one can find everything he needs in the village: the town hall, a bank, the cultural centre, some fresh water for hot summers . . .
The black and white pavement with some designs is very typical in Madeiran village. In this case there are some waves designed, I would say.

The church is only at few metres upstairs.

This is a nice hike at only few km away from Porto Moniz. This hike will allow you to discover the most wild places in the primary forest . La Levada da Ribeira de Janela was built in 1960 to feed the hydroelectric plant. It took 5 years for its construction because the topography was difficult and weather conditions were very bad at that time.
The walking path follows the levada along its 14km crossing tunnels, small waterfalls and the laurisilva forest. I found this hike very relaxing because I was walking all the time with the sound of the water running. I also had the opportunity to see different endemic birds and plants ( picture 2).

Warning: some tunnels are plenty of water so you have 99% of chances to get your feet very, very wet. A second pair of sockets is not a bad idea at all. Be careful because tunnels are also very slippery. Protect your stuff from water and don’t forget your head lamp.

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This is maybe the church that I liked most in Madeira. Standing in the middle of a small square with views over the sea, it is built in the traditional colonial style of Madeira.
Inside, decoration is very simple: wooden furniture and white stucco. The vault is painted with many, many colours but it is not very painful to see. I liked how the local saints are surrounded by colorful birds of paradise, a very common flower in Madeira (picture 2). I found saints + birds of paradise a nice combination :-)

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In Portugal we use to say that "one image speaks more than 1000 words". Having that in mind, and more than 1000 pictures to post, I decided to change my behaviour, posting the pictures as soon as they are ready, and adding the comments later.
Don't get mad on me - I'm glad to share my pictures with you, and the comments will be added soon.