Towns & villages · 3 m above the sea
Machico
Madeira's 1419 founding town, with the island's longest sandy beach.
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The place
Machico is where Madeira's story starts: navigators João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira landed here in 1419, and the town has grown into the east coast's main hub, with the Forte de Nossa Senhora do Amparo still guarding the bay. Its curved beach is one of the most swimmable stretches on this side of the island.
When to come
Summer for swimming; year-round for the old town and fort.
Worth knowing
- Machico municipality has around 20,000 residents across five parishes
- Beach has lifeguard cover in season
- Gateway to Santo António da Serra, Portela and Ponta de São Lourenço