Making the most of Porto Santo Island
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
This is a tender port for larger cruise ships. Porto Santo Island is a Portuguese island 43 kilometers (27 mi) northeast of Madeira Island in the North Atlantic Ocean. Smaller vessels can tie up to the pier. The only significant settlement on the island is the town of Vila Baleira, about 1 km from the port. There is a bus into Vila Baleira that connects with the ferry from Madeira.
The island is characterized by two areas: the accidented northeast (mountainous, with rocky ledges and cliffs), and a coastal plain in the southwest (that includes a nine kilometer long white sand beach, giving the island an advantage over neighboring Madeira)
Getting around
Porto Santo has a good road network, that links the main points of the island. Several companies rent cars in Porto Santo.
You can also rent scooters, motorbikes and quadbikes from the kiosk next to the petrol station in Vila Baleira.
Money
Euro