Things to Do in Machico

A 16th-century parish church with a striking white facade and blue azulejo panels inside. The carved altarpiece is gilded and worth a close look.

🕐 Mon-Sat 08:30-18:00, Sun 09:00-12:00

💡 Enter from the side door near the square. The church opens early for mass but tourists are welcome quietly. No flash photography.

A 18th-century fort perched on a headland east of the beach. Small but well-preserved, with views over the bay and out to Ponta de São Lourenço.

🕐 Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00 (may vary)

💡 Free to enter but hours can be erratic. Check the notice board at the gate. Best light for photos is late afternoon.

A wide sand beach divided by the Ribeira Seca river. The golden sand is imported, but the setting beneath green cliffs is dramatic. Clean and good for swimming when calm.

🕐 Always open

💡 Go early in the morning before the wind picks up. Deckchair hire costs about €3 if you want one.

A small museum in a restored 17th-century manor house. Exhibits cover local agricultural and domestic life, including a traditional sugar mill. Modest but genuine.

🕐 Tue-Sat 09:30-12:30, 14:00-17:30

💡 Ask the attendant to demonstrate the sugarcane press. It only takes a minute and brings the room to life. Closes for lunch.

A lookout point atop the hill that once held a signal beacon. The climb is steep but short (20 minutes), rewarded with a 360° view over Machico, the airport runway, and the mountains.

🕐 Always open

💡 Wear sturdy shoes—the path is rocky. Go at dusk for the sunset and watch the airport lights come on. No facilities up top.