Porto da Cruz, under the Eagle Rock
A north-east coast village below the Penha d'Águia rock, with sea pools, black surf beaches and a rum mill that still runs on steam.
Porto da Cruz at a glance
A north-east coast village under the Penha d'Águia rock, with sea pools, surf beaches and a steam-driven rum mill.
- Where
- Machico, on the north-east coast
- From Funchal by car
- about 35 min
- Time to allow
- 30 minutes to 1 hour
- Penha d'Águia
- the Eagle Rock, 590 m high, between Porto da Cruz and Faial
- Rum mill
- a rum mill from 1927 that still runs on steam; the cane is crushed from March to May
- Sea pools
- two pools, open daily 10:00 to 19:00 in the bathing season, with changing rooms and a bar
Go there with us
- East Madeira: Santana and Ponta de São Lourenço Private tour 8 h €2501–4
- Rum Tour: the sugar-cane distilleries Private tour 8 h €2801–4
- Surf lesson day at Porto da Cruz Private tour 5 h €2151–4
Prices are for the whole car, not per person. Each page has the price for 5 or 6.
What you see and do
Porto da Cruz sits on the north-east coast under the Eagle Rock, 590 m high, between Porto da Cruz and Faial, a sheer block of rock that rises straight out of the sea.
On the seafront is Engenhos do Norte, a rum mill from 1927 that still runs on steam; the cane is crushed from March to May. Visitors can tour the mill and taste the rum next door.
By the harbour there are sea pools for a calm swim, and either side of the village are black beaches where the surf schools meet: Alagoa, black sand below the Eagle Rock with changing rooms and toilets, and Maiata, wilder, with no facilities.
Before you go
- The mill is open on weekdays and Saturdays. To see the cane crushed, come between March and May.
- The surf beaches are for surfers. Swim in the sea pools unless you know the waves.
- The north coast is windier and wetter than Funchal, so bring a layer.
Porto da Cruz with us
Our east Madeira day stops by the harbour in the afternoon, on the way back from Santana. The Rum Tour starts its day at Engenhos do Norte, and the surf day takes you to the school's meeting point on the beach here.
Nearby, on the same day
All places-
Machico
The east-coast bay where the Portuguese discoverers landed in 1419, now a town with a yellow-sand beach.
-
Santana
A north-coast town known for its small triangular houses with thatched roofs and colourful fronts.
-
Ribeiro Frio and the Balcões walk
A forest hamlet with a trout hatchery, where the short, level PR11 levada walk leads to the Balcões viewpoint.
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Ponta de São Lourenço
Madeira's bare, windswept eastern headland, walked on the PR8 from Baía d'Abra past red cliffs to Casa do Sardinha.
Porto da Cruz questions
Can you visit the rum mill in Porto da Cruz?
Yes. Engenhos do Norte is a rum mill from 1927 that still runs on steam; the cane is crushed from March to May. It opens on weekdays and on Saturday; the tasting room is next to the mill.
How far is Porto da Cruz from Funchal?
About 35 minutes by car, through the tunnels past the airport and Machico.
Porto da Cruz on the east day
Pico do Arieiro, Santana and the north-east coast in one day from your hotel. Send us a date and we reply within 60 minutes, 07:00–22:00, with the price for the car.
East Madeira: Santana and Ponta de São Lourenço €250 per car for 1 to 4 people, €290 for 5 or 6