Towns & villages · 64 m above the sea
Seixal
A cliff-hugging village between two of the northwest's best natural pools.
See it on the 3D islandOpens in your browser, on a phone or a computer.
The place
Seixal sits halfway between Porto Moniz and São Vicente, wedged onto a shelf of land under green peaks that plunge almost straight into the Atlantic. It has both a black-sand beach and its own natural pools (Poças das Lesmas), plus the Véu da Noiva waterfall viewpoint just along the coast road. It's small enough to see on foot in an hour, which makes it an easy add to a pools-and-viewpoints day.
When to come
Morning light for the drive in along the coast road; midday sun is best for swimming at the pools or beach.
Worth knowing
- Parking is limited in the village core — expect a short walk from wherever you find a spot
- Steep terrain — the village drops in tiers toward the water
- Coast road (ER101) sections nearby occasionally close after heavy rain
- Chão da Ribeira valley trailhead is a short drive up from here