Porto Moniz is a municipality in the northwest corner of the island of Madeira. The town features a natural complex of lava pools that are popular with locals and tourists. It is unclear when the area of Porto Moniz was first colonized, although it is likely that it occurred at the beginning of the last quarter of the 15th century. Francisco Moniz O Velho, is referred to as one of these first settlers, who had uncultivated lands in this area and was responsible for establishing a farm and chapel. The municipality was created on October 31, 1835, but was quickly abolished and reestablished successively in 1849-1855, 1867-1871 and again in 1895-1898. We stayed at the wonderful Aqua Natura Hotel which overlooked the lava pools. Be sure to click on the links for each location to see my more in depth posts on the topic.
Adjacent to the pools are the rocky shoreline leading up to the Madeira Aquarium.
The Seaview Restaurant has wonderful Portuguese cuisine.
A walk through the town has great views and with cafes and shops.
Stop by a cafe like the Cantinho Tradicional for a drink or snack. Alex loved his fresh squeezed orange juice.
