HOW TO VISIT SEIXAL NATURAL POOLS IN MADEIRA.
Undoubtedly, visiting the Seixal Natural Pools was one of the highlights of our time on Madeira. The pools in Seixal have been formed by volcanic rocks, creating an entirely natural pool with quite unique aspects.
After a hike in the morning, we spent a Sunday afternoon soaking up a little bit of sun. For a day in March, we weren’t quite sure if it was warm enough to swim – but the pools were just too tempting to say no.
In this blog post, we share everything we learnt about visiting the pools – including how to get there and what to do nearby.
Where are the Seixal Natural Pools?
The Seixal Natural Pools are found to the North of Madeira, in the tiny village of Seixal. They are a bit of a local secret, with most tourists heading to nearby Porto Moniz pools instead. We much preferred the calm tranquillity of Seixal – with only a handful of visitors enjoying the pools alongside us.
How to get there
BY CAR
Seixal is an easy 40 minute drive from Funchal via the ER101 and ER104.
When visiting Seixal Natural Pools there are two options for parking. Either you can drive down to the pool, there’s a parking lot with about 10 spaces. But be warned that the track down is extremely steep. We didn’t fancy it!
The second option is to park up on the road above the pools. There are a few spaces along the road here. Parking is free, and we were able to find a space easily on the weekend when we visited. I expect in peak summer it may be a little more crowded.
You can find out more about our experience of driving in Madeira here.
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
There are buses between Funchal and Seixal, but be warned they can be very slow as they don’t go to Seixal directly. What would be a 40 minute journey by car, will become a 2 hour bus journey.
My research suggests that this is bus number 139 with company Rodoeste. I’d recommend checking with your hotelier or Airbnb host to confirm latest times.
BY TOUR
A final option if you don’t have a car is to take a day tour, which includes a visit to Seixal. This well-rated tour on Get Your Guide, includes Porto Moniz, Seixal, and a Fanal Jeep Tour – personally, these three places were highlights for me. So I would definitely recommend taking this tour if you don’t have a car.
What you need to know about the pools
The pools are free to enter, making them a super choice for a budget day out in Madeira. There are two pools, one to the right as you climb down the stairs and another to the left. We chose the one to the left, which you can enter at different points – either under an arch formed by a rock formation, or further around to the left.
There are various places to pop your towel down on the rocks around the pools. Or some people chose to lay on the walls of the pools, looking out to the ocean.
The water is calm and lovely and clear. There’s even a shallower pool suitable for little ones. I’ll be honest, getting in and out the pools is not the most dignified of things – the pools are natural, so there are rocky areas ands slippery greenery. If you have water shoes, they may help protect your feet.
Don’t except sun loungers or any fancy facilities but there is a public toilet where you can get changed into your swimmers.
For refreshments, there is a bar selling cocktails (albeit they are a little bit pricey.) You can also take your own food and drinks – there’s nothing to stop you packing a full picnic if you plan to make a day of it.
What can you do near to Seixal Natural Pools?
When we were exploring Madeira, we tried to visit as many things as we could in each area of the island – grouping places, hikes and activities by region. Whilst the driving is straightforward, it felt that getting to anywhere took a minimum of 40 minutes. So you may as well make the most of your day out!
DINE OUT IN SEIXAL
If you wanted to spend a little longer in Seixal, we would recommend family run restaurant Seixal Butcher. This is one for meat eaters only – a tiny place with a few tables, serving up fresh BBQ meat at reasonable prices. Grab a cold bottle of coral and sit back and relax with ocean views.
SEIXAL BLACK SAND BEACH
Just around the corner from the natural pools is Seixal beach. This is quite a famous spot on the island, because the sand is completely black. A great spot for photographs or taking a walk after you visit the pools.
PORTO MONIZ
Porto Moniz is a small coastal town to the North West of the island. It is a popular tourist destination to visit.
We were particularly wowed by two things in Porto Moniz. One was the waves, which can become huge in certain weather. We loved sitting out enjoying the epic waves.
The second thing that Porto Moniz is known for is the lava pools. These are tidal pools built into lava rock. A vast complex, which has won awards for being the best tidal pool in Europe. Personally, I preferred the more laid-back Seixal pools, but the Porto Moniz pools are still very beautiful.
FANAL FOREST
Fanal is a park area towards the west of Madeira, part of the indigenous Laurissilva forest and with trees that are centuries old. It is a short distance to Seixal, taking 20 minutes in the car.
It is an open area of space, with fantastic views, and a completely different contrast to the more tropical parts of the island.
Here you can find cows grazing, stunning Til trees and if you visit when there is mist it takes on an enchanted and atmospheric quality.
PR 14 TO PR 13 HIKE
If you want to do something more active before relaxing at the pools, consider the PR14 to PR13 hike. This is a hike of 6.5 miles/ 10.2km which takes between 3 and 5 hours. The PR14 starts here, where you can park. As this is a circular hike, you will return to this point.
The PR14/13 combines two hiking routes, starting in forest on quiet trails and ending in the beautiful Fanal forest.
You can find our full guide to hikes on the island, including this hike here.
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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