Beaches
Porto Moniz
Swimming pools carved by lava, filled by the Atlantic
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The place
Natural pools formed where lava met the sea, walled off enough to swim in while waves break a few metres away. The north-west corner of the island, and a long but spectacular drive from anywhere.
When to come
Calm, sunny days. In a northerly swell the pools close and the sea comes over the wall.
Worth knowing
- Two sets of pools: the paid complex and the free natural ones
- Closes in rough seas — check before committing to the drive
- Water is cold year-round; this is the Atlantic, not the Mediterranean