Things to do at the Porto Moniz lava pools

Porto Moniz, on Madeira's north-west tip about 1 hour 15 minutes from Funchal by the VR1, is really two attractions in one.

The developed pools (piscinas naturais) are a walled-in, chlorine-topped-up complex with changing rooms and lifeguards, entry around 5-6 euros; the wild pools next door are free volcanic hollows filled and refreshed by the swell, with no facilities and slippery rock underfoot.

Both formed in old lava flows and both depend on the sea: a north swell, common even in July and August, closes one or both sets for the day with no warning and no refund. Water sits around 18-20°C year-round, noticeably colder than a pool. Arrive before 11am in summer to get a locker.