During your stay on the island of Porto Santo, don’t forget to immerse yourself in the island’s history! We recommend a visit to the Christopher Columbus Museum, housed in the presumed home of the famous navigator in Vila Baleira. This small museum traces Portuguese maritime expansion and the history of the island.
In this article, discover our useful tips to help you prepare for your visit and have a great time.
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We made our own choices, visited the area anonymously, and paid our bills in full.
Why visit the House of Christopher Columbus in Porto Santo?
Is the museum worth it? Our opinion:
In our opinion, the museum is well worth a visit. Here you’ll discover the links between Porto Santo and Christopher Columbus. Part of the exhibition is devoted to the epic of the great Portuguese maritime discoveries, of which the famous navigator was a key player.. The collection aroused our curiosity.
In addition to its historical interest, the museum is one of the must-do activities during a stay in Porto Santo to soak up the island’s rich past!
Why is the Columbus House Museum famous?
Handed down from generation to generation, popular tales claim that Christopher Columbus stayed in this former home, now a museum. Following his marriage to Filipa de Moniz, he would make short stays in Porto Santo during his maritime explorations. She is the daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrelo, the island’s captain-governor.. The wedding is said to have taken place in Lisbon in 1479 or 1480.
Our favorite moments
During our visit, we were struck by 3 moments in particular:
- works from China and Japan,
- navigation charts,
- exhibition on the history of Porto Santo.
WHERE TO STAY IN Porto Santo
Option 1 : Vila Baleira (north beach)
For access to a small town and the beach
- Hotel Torre Praia – prices, pictures and availability
- Vista Dourada apartment: see prices, photos and availability
Option 2: Central or southern beach
Tourist areas near the beach
- Pestana Porto Santo, 5 stars – see prices, photos and availability
- Hotel Porto Santo & Spa, 4 stars – prices, pictures and availability
History in brief
The museum occupies several small buildings, which were unified during renovations in the 18th and 19th centuries. We crossed a footbridge, marked with dates associated with great navigators, to reach the second part of the tour.
Some remains date back to the early 16th century, such as the north wall of the main building, which features 2 Gothic-style windows.. Inaugurated in 1989, the museum has since undergone several redevelopment campaigns, the most recent in 2004 redefining its entire program..
Access: Christopher Columbus Museum, Vila Baleira (Porto Santo)
Where is the museum?
- On the island of Porto Santo,
- In the main town of Vila Baleira,
- Next to the Nossa Senhora da Piedade church.
OUR ADVICE FOR RENTING YOUR CAR AT Porto Santo
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- The island is small and easy to drive.
- A car gives you plenty of freedom to explore every corner of Porto Santo
- There’s plenty of demand and few cars, so book early.
How to get there?
If you’ve come to the island by ferry from Funchal, there are 3 ways to get to Vila Baleira. You’ll disembark at the port on the east side of the island. A 30-minute walk along Porto Santo beach. The walk, with your feet in the sand, is quite pleasant.
Otherwise, there’s a cab network on the island, but it’s fairly limited. We recommend renting a car to get around more easily and freely. If you request it in advance, a vehicle will be waiting for you directly at the foot of the ferry. You can’t miss the city. It’s a straight shot from the landing stage.
Haven’t booked your ferry trip yet? – see prices and availability.
Parking
Once you’ve arrived in Vila Baleira, we recommend parking in a parking lot on Avenida Henrique Vieira de Castro. It’s relatively large. Depending on the season you’re visiting, you may have to pay a small fee. From here, it’s a 7-minute walk to the museum.
OUR FAVORITE ACTIVITY IN Porto Santo
Depuis Ponta Calheta, découvrez la côte et les grottes en Kayak.
An unforgettable experience close to the volcanic cliffs.
Useful tips: duration, schedules, eating…
Best time to visit
The museum is not very busy overall, as tourists generally prefer Porto Santo Beach and outdoor activities.
During the summer months, it’s best to visit at opening time, i.e. around 10 a.m., to avoid late-morning or late-afternoon peaks. Otherwise, feel free to explore the area whenever you like!
Length of visit and main difficulties
Allow 30min to 1h to visit the museum.
The old house is not really suitable for people with reduced mobility. As soon as we entered, we had to climb a staircase to reach the first exhibition. The floor is cobbled and uneven in some places. However, we did see a few benches outside.
Advice on how to visit
First, we went up to the 1st floor of the main building, where we discovered some religious works. We then looked at the exhibition on Portuguese maritime expansion, which took us to Japan and China in particular. After leaving the hall, we crossed a raised terrace overlooking a fresco depicting Christopher Columbus. It led to a footbridge providing access to the other buildings in the museum.
After that, the meaning of the visit is not particularly clear-cut. You can wander through the different exhibition spaces as you please. On the program: model ships, a short film, and lots of informative panels on the history of the island and Christopher Columbus. Round off your visit to the museum with a visit to Nossa Senhora da Piedade Church, right next door!
OUR GUIDE TO PLANNING A Dream trip
- 7 maps that make planning easier
- + 120 pre-selected locations
- Practical advice
- + 260 photos to help you choose
Visiting with children
We didn’t observe any specific itineraries for children. There are, however, some model boats and objects that might interest them.
Schedules and rates
Schedules:
- open weekdays from 10am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 5:30pm,
- open from 10am to 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays,
- closed on Tuesdays from October to June.
Rates:
- Adult ticket: €2 in cash only,
- Children under 12 free.
Catering
In our opinion, the best restaurants in Porto Santo are not to be found in Vila Baleira. We suggest you take the road to Restaurant Teodorico. Nestled in a green setting in Serra de Fora, we were seduced by this good address recommended by a local.
Start the tour: religion and Portuguese maritime expansion
Before delving into Portuguese maritime expansion, the museum’s main subject, you’ll discover a number of works related to religion.
Religious works
Still very present in Portugal and the Madeira archipelago, religion also plays a key role in Porto Santo. So it’s only logical that the museum should exhibit a number of sacred works. We saw statuettes and oil paintings. In this part of the old house, the most striking piece is the gilded copper processional cross. It originated in Spain in the second half of the 15th century.
Portuguese maritime expansion
In the same space, you can learn more about Portuguese maritime expansion through informative panels, objects, statues and porcelain pieces. This showroom took us on a journey from Japan to India, via China!
Do you know about the Treaty of Tordesillas signed in 1494? It really piqued our curiosity and interest! This historic agreement aimed to share the new lands discovered during the great maritime explorations between the 2 Iberian colonial powers of the time: Spain and Portugal. It followed on from the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492 on behalf of Spain.
The conquest of the Atlantic Ocean led to the discovery of new territories by the Portuguese. Traces of their passage are identified in Japan through language: for example, iesu (Jesus) or Kirisut (Christ). The ambition of King Manuel I of Portugal was simple: to develop trade routes. During his reign, Vasco de Gama discovered the Indian Route in 1498. Later, the Portuguese reached China. This dive into history really interested us!
The works exhibited in this room are the fruit of trade between these countries and Portugal. Some pieces really caught our eye, like this porcelain terrine in the shape of a boar’s head, inspired by Chinese models.
The tour continues outside on the museum terrace, facing a huge mural!
Continue the tour: Christopher Columbus and Porto Santo
The outdoor terrace features a large fresco depicting Christopher Columbus. Then take the footbridge to the other exhibition areas to continue your visit.
The history of the island
Inextricably linked to Portuguese maritime expansion, Porto Santo’s history is summarized in a few key dates on a timeline. Looking at it made us aware of the influence of Portuguese navigators around the world. Located off the coast of Morocco, the island was a strategic stopover on the sea route to India.
Porto Santo was also attacked by pirates and privateers! Its wide, open beach was ideal for landing all types of vessels. What’s more, the island was devoid of any defensive military structures until 1620. We imagined the ships coming over the horizon, frightening the poor, totally helpless inhabitants.
Tempted by a guided tour in the footsteps of pirates to discover the island in a different light? As you explore Porto Santo’s most beautiful spots, you’ll learn more about its rich past. – See prices, photos and availability.
Focus on Christopher Columbus
Explorer Christopher Columbus landed in Madeira in 1478 on his quest for the Indian Route. Throughout the museum, you’ll see paper engravings of the famous navigator. He married Filipa de Moniz, daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrelo, in 1479 or 1480. Captain Governor of Porto Santo, he was also an explorer.
Christopher Columbus is said to have called at Porto Santo on several occasions. He is even said to have lived in the museum, which served as his home at the time, where he prepared for his future sea expeditions to the Americas. We observed paintings, maps and other objects related to his time on the island.
Closing the visit: between short film and Infant Jesus
Before leaving this building, take time to watch the short film that concludes the exhibition on navigation and Porto Santo.
Sea Odyssey
Poetically entitled L’Odyssée des mers, the museum’s permanent collection closes with a film projection. After repeatedly evoking the question of navigation, let yourself be lulled by the movement of the waves through soothing images. The turquoise waters of Porto Santo will sweep you away!
The Infant Jesus
We then followed a small passageway to a final exhibition room in a stone building. In a very dark room, we discovered a small illuminated statue of the Divine Child. The Chinese are very good at carving ivory, as you can see from our photo.
Following Vasco de Gama’s discovery of the sea route to India, this became the main artery linking Europe to the Asian continent. It was used to transport precious Asian goods. This work is on loan from the Quinta das Cruzes Museum in Funchal.
The museum staff encouraged us to discover the Church of Vila Baleira to round off our visit in style. It adjoins the House of Christopher Columbus. It’s worth the detour!
PLAN YOUR STAY IN Porto Santo
Best of
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Porto Santo’s most beautiful beaches
The dunes
Salemas natural pools
Best restaurants
Terra Cha hiking trail
Pico Ana Feireira
Practical advice
How to get to Porto Santo
Getting around Porto Santo
Rent a car in Porto Santo
Where to stay in Porto Santo – best hotels
