Porto Santo is not Madeira’s little sister but its opposite. Around 43 square kilometres, roughly 5,500 residents, barely any forest, and instead of cliffs one continuous sand beach 9 kilometres long along the southern side — effectively the island’s entire inhabited front.
You get there by ferry from Funchal in about 2.5 hours, or by plane in 15 minutes. The ferry normally runs once a day, which leaves about five to six hours on the island for a day trip. Anyone who wants to swim rather than walk should plan two nights.
The town of Vila Baleira is easily covered: one main street, one square, the Columbus house. Christopher Columbus married Filipa Moniz, daughter of Porto Santo’s first captain, in 1479 and afterwards lived on the island for a time — historically documented, generously interpreted for visitors.
The rest is landscape: Pico do Facho at 517 metres as the highest point, waymarked trails across the volcanic cones, and a climate markedly drier than Madeira’s.
A hire car is rarely necessary on Porto Santo — the island measures about 11 kilometres end to end.
