Island of the Região Autónoma da Madeira constituted by only a parish and fourteen localities. This Vila Baleeira is the most important population nucleus.
Porto Santo is 2 hours by boat and 10 minutes by plane far from Madeira.
It has a mild and dry climate and its main touristic attraction is the 9-Km length beach, which gave the name Golden Island.
Its sand has curative properties to rheumatic and bone diseases. This Island has also thermal water of great therapeutic capacities to stomachaches. It can be found in Fontinha and Sitio das Lombas.
This Island also offers wonderful panoramic views either in South (along the beach) or in the North, where the Fonte da Areia is particularly interesting.
As far as the local handicraft is concerned, we can find the straw hats – "palmitos" – and as far as gastronomy is concerned, there is Kettle of fish and the salted "bodião".
These dishes are accompanied by Porto Santo’s table wines: "Verdelho" and "Malvasia".
Besides of the wide variety of nautical sports, riding is a good way to explore Porto Santo, because it is less mountainous than Madeira.