Where to Swim — Our Three Favourite Beaches and Swim Spots Near the Apartments

Three places we send guests, all within 20 minutes of Madeira Home Cliff Residence — plus one extra for the snorkellers.

People sometimes arrive on Madeira expecting long stretches of soft sand. The island is volcanic, so the truth is more interesting than that: pebble coves, sea pools carved into black rock, a few imported sandy beaches, and the kind of clear Atlantic water that makes you forget about umbrellas. Below are the three swim spots we go back to ourselves, all an easy drive from the apartments.

Praia da Banda d'Além, Machico — the sandy one

About 15 minutes from the apartments and the easiest "proper beach" near us. Machico has a long curve of imported golden sand, calm water in summer, and the village right behind it — easy parking, cafés, ice cream, the whole holiday-beach feeling. This is the one to choose if you're travelling with kids, or if you just want to lie on actual sand for an afternoon. Maria grew up here, so she has a soft spot — and we usually pair a morning at Machico with breakfast at O Galã beforehand.

Best for: families, sandcastles, easy access, full-day stays.

Praia das Palmeiras / Santa Cruz — the spot under the airport

About 10 minutes from the apartments, and one of our favourite local quirks. Praia das Palmeiras sits right at the end of the airport runway — so you swim in beautifully clear water while planes glide low overhead on approach. It's a pebble beach with two free saltwater swimming pools (one for adults, one for kids), concrete sunbathing platforms, ladders into the sea, and the whole Santa Cruz seafront promenade behind it for a long walk and coffee afterwards. The Ribeira da Boaventura Bathing Complex right next door has two swimming pools and a small sheltered bay, ideal for families, and the Aquaparque water park is a five-minute walk for guests with kids who want a fuller day.

Best for: crystal water, calm swimming, plane-spotters, half-day visits before lunch in town.

Cais da Pedra D'Eira (Caniçal) — our favourite

This is the one we save for last because it's not in any guidebook. Cais da Pedra D'Eira is a small pier and natural swim spot in Caniçal, near the Whale Museum, about 15 minutes from the apartments. No sand — you jump straight off the rocks and the pier into deep, clear blue water. It's quiet, very local, and on a calm summer day it feels like a private cove. Bring water shoes, bring a snorkel, and don't be in a hurry.

Best for: quiet swimming, snorkelling, jumping in off the pier, lazy afternoons with a book.

And one extra: Praia do Garajau — the snorkel and diving one

About 25 minutes the other way, just past Caniço — and absolutely worth the drive. Part of a marine reserve, Garajau Beach is bathed in crystal-clear waters and much sought after by scuba divers. The beach sits at the foot of an imposing cliff inside the Partial Nature Reserve of Garajau — the first marine reserve in Portugal — characterised by calm, crystalline waters that provide excellent conditions for diving. You reach it by cable car down the cliff, which is half the fun. Pebble beach, calm water, and the chance to see groupers, manta rays, and other big fish that have made this reserve home. Bring goggles at minimum — a mask, snorkel and fins if you have them.

Best for: snorkelling, scuba diving, dramatic scenery, half-day trips.