Want to venture into a historic destination and full of beautiful scenery? The Island of Porto Santo is able to offer a unique experience both for those who want to enjoy a day at the beach and those who are interested in Portuguese history.

Located in the Archipelago of Madeira Island, just two hours flight from Lisbon, Porto Santo has as its main attraction the House-Museum of Christopher Columbus, famous discoverer of America. The place recreates the environment where Christopher lived and houses an exhibition with pictures of Portuguese and maps with the most different routes traveled by him.

For those seeking tranquility at the seashore, Porto Santo has an extensive stretch of sand of 9 kilometers of beach. With its waters in different shades of blue, the otherwise known as “Golden Island” is a beautiful postcard of the Atlantic. Also, the island’s water activities are breathtaking. At one of the top attractions, visitors can dive to meet a submerged freighter, located 34 feet below the surface.

And speaking of the waters of Porto Santo, another famous attraction of the island are the Spas to relax, where the waters are used as therapeutic treatment, due to its large amounts of strontium, chromium, and iodine, elements beneficial to health. For those who want the complete treatment, it is also possible to use the sand and clay of the island in orthopedic and rheumatic treatments.

If your ideal tour is on land, take advantage of restaurants specializing in seafood and fresh fish. And do not forget to try the ice cream typical of the island, the “lambeca” is made in an artisan way. Porto Santo also offers bike or jeep tours, vehicles help you get to know the whole island, including Mirante da Pedreira, popularly known as “Piano”.

Photo: Tourism of Madeira