If one day you fancy having a swim and spending the day on the beach, Madeira has a lot to offer. Some beaches are situated farther off, around the island, others are close by. There are places where you can swim in fresh or salt water, and beaches of small, round pebbles, typical of the island, and also sandy beaches. Although you have to pay to use some of the beaches, the majority are free – they are treated as public amenities. Nowadays, as anywhere else in the world, you can hire sun beds and other equipment, for a set price, but it’s never very much.

There are a number of swimming venues very close to Casa das Videiras.
While you can swim just down from the house, you can also go a bit further afield. In the latter case, go a little further up the hill, past the church. You’ll find a sign pointing you towards the swimming pools. Take that path, and you won’t regret it.

There are also the natural swimming pools at Porto Moniz, which are very typical of the island.