Best beaches in Madeira: from black sand to volcanic pools thesmoothescape.com

From wonderful black sand beaches to pebbly coves and natural lava rock pools, here are the best beaches in Madeira, Portugal.

The Portuguese island of Madeira has some of the most beautiful nature I have ever seen. Located in the Atlantic Ocean, the island is nicknamed the Hawaii of Europe because of its jaw-dropping volcanic landscapes, humid climate and subtropical vegetation.

Although the island isn’t really known as a beach holiday destination, you can still find plenty of unique swimming spots and scenic beaches in Madeira. During the five weeks I spent on this island, I got to visit gorgeous black sand beaches, secluded pebble beaches, natural lava rock pools and so much more.

In this blog post, I’ve compiled a list of the best beaches in Madeira and split them into two categories: the best sandy beaches and the best rocky beaches, which includes natural pools. At the bottom of the post, you’ll also find a map which gives you an overview of where each of these Madeira beaches are located.