Seixal Beach: black sand under Madeira’s green north coast
Seixal is worth the stop for one thing Madeira rarely gives you: natural black sand beneath steep green cliffs. Add the lava pools, a good local grill and Véu da Noiva, and it can easily fill half a day.
My quick take
Come for the scenery even if swimming is off. On a calm day, start at the black-sand beach, decide whether the pools look safe, then slow down for food rather than treating Seixal as a five-minute photo stop.
- Best for
- Beach scenery, swimming when calm and a north-coast drive
- Beach
- Natural black volcanic sand
- Pools
- Poças das Lesmas, €2.50 published entry
- Combine with
- Porto Moniz, Fanal and Véu da Noiva
The black sand is the reason to come
Most of Madeira’s beaches are pebbles, rock or imported sand. Seixal has a natural strip of volcanic black sand, with the green wall of the north coast rising straight behind it. The contrast is why it photographs so well, but it is also a proper place to spend time when the weather gives you a calm sea.
The official tourism board lists showers, a bar and kayak hire by the harbour and Clube Naval. This is an Atlantic beach, though, not a sheltered resort bay. Watch the water before deciding to swim.
Check beach informationPick your swim by the sea, not by the photo
Seixal and Porto Moniz are close enough to compare on the same day. Their pools are not interchangeable: one is a rawer lava setting, the other is the structured option when you want more facilities.
| Seixal Beach | Poças das Lesmas | Porto Moniz | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose it for | Black sand and the full landscape | Volcanic pools and a shorter swim stop | A longer swim with more structure |
| Facilities | Showers, bar and kayak hire nearby | Lifeguards, toilets, showers and bar | Managed complex, changing rooms and lifeguards |
| What decides it | Sea conditions on arrival | Sea conditions on arrival | Sea conditions and complex status |
Near Laje Beach
Poças das Lesmas: the quieter lava-pool stop
Poças das Lesmas has the lava rock and Atlantic water people expect from the north coast, without the scale of Porto Moniz. The published entrance fee is €2.50. There are lifeguards, toilets, showers and a bar, but none of that makes the exposed edges safe when the swell rises.
Look at the water before changing. Large waves can arrive without much warning, so skip the swim if they are breaking across the rock. The view is still worth the walk.
Check pool informationPrice and facilities: Visit Madeira: Seixal Natural Swimming Pools / Poças das Lesmas, checked 21 October 2026.
Eat by the beach, or eat the local way
Seixal now has an easy beachside stop, but the meal I would actively seek out is a few minutes away and works very differently.
Across from the black sand
Obsidian 17
For coffee, a sandwich or an easy lunch after the beach, Obsidian 17 is the convenient choice. It is directly opposite the sand, with published hours of 8am to 10pm every day. Check on the day before making a special trip.
Find Obsidian 17Michael’s local pick
Talho do Seixal
This is the smaller, less polished cousin of Talho do Caniço. You choose the meat, then take it outside to be cooked over the coals. It is the kind of meal you go to for the ritual, the smoke and the view, not table service.
Order an espetada. You can call it a beef skewer to explain it, but espetada is the Madeiran name and the important part: meat grilled over charcoal, traditionally on a bay-laurel stick, shared at local gatherings and festas.
Find Talho do SeixalAfter the beach
Snack Bar Arco Íris
When I go to Seixal Beach, this is where I would get a prego: a steak sandwich in bolo do caco, the Madeiran flatbread. It reopened in October 2024 under new owners, is open from morning to late afternoon and closes on Mondays.
Arco Íris on Google MapsA proper sit-down meal
Casa de Pasto Justiniano
Traditional Madeiran cooking, mostly meat over the coals and espetada on a bay-laurel stick, in Chão da Ribeira, Seixal. Choose it when you want table service and a long lunch rather than the grill-it-yourself ritual at the talho.
Justiniano on Google MapsA photo stop that is easy to miss
On the road down to the beach, look for the large “SEIXAL” sign. On the left is a small public entrance with a view across the bay and the cliffs. It is a quieter angle than the beach itself and one I would use for the wide landscape shot.
Stay on the public path and do not climb walls, cross fences or go near an exposed edge for a photo.
On the road from São Vicente
Make time for the Véu da Noiva viewpoint
The waterfall drops down a sheer green cliff and out towards the Atlantic. The official viewpoint sits on the old road between São Vicente and Seixal, so it is a simple stop on the way in or out rather than a detour.
After rain, it carries much more water. On a dry spell it may be lighter, but the coast and the old road still make the stop worthwhile.
View official information
Nearby
- Porto Moniz The island’s best-known natural pools, with a free and a managed swimming area.
- Fanal Old laurel trees and mist on the plateau above the north coast.
- São Vicente A north-coast village and a useful stop before or after the road to Seixal.
Seixal fits naturally into a north-and-west day. Give it longer than a roadside photo stop if the sea is calm.
Questions about Seixal
Is Seixal Beach worth visiting?
Yes. Seixal is worth the drive if you want Madeira’s rare natural black sand, green north-coast cliffs and a short stop that can become a swim when the sea is calm. It works especially well with Porto Moniz and Fanal on the same day.
Is Seixal Beach sandy?
Yes. Porto do Seixal is one of Madeira’s few natural sandy beaches. Its sand is volcanic and dark, unlike the imported pale sand at some of the island’s other beaches.
How much are the Poças das Lesmas?
The published entrance fee is €2.50. The pools have lifeguard supervision, toilets, showers and a bar, but waves can still arrive quickly on the exposed rock. Check conditions when you arrive.
Can you swim at Seixal?
You can when conditions are calm, but treat the sea as the decision-maker. The beach and the lava pools are on the north coast, where a sunny day can still bring a strong swell. If the water is moving hard over the rocks, do not get in.
Where should I eat in Seixal?
For a coffee or easy lunch opposite the black-sand beach, try Obsidian 17. For a local meal, Michael recommends Talho do Seixal: choose your meat, then take it to the grill outside for an espetada-style meal. For a sit-down lunch with table service, Casa de Pasto Justiniano in Chão da Ribeira.
Plan a north-coast day that suits the weather
Tell us your dates, whether you will hire a car and what you want from Madeira. We plan your days by hand, with a plan B for when the north coast is in cloud. A personal plan from our family is €149 for up to 5 days (€199 for 6 to 8), ready in 48 hours.