Ponta Gorda Lido

Frequently mentioned in reviews: Top-rated.online cuts through the clutter, highlighting only the reviews that are most helpful, earn the most likes, or come from the most active contributors. Great views and a place for swinming. I usually make a point of using my swimsuit at least once on holiday, and after researching the various lidos, I chose this one because it seemed to be the quietest—and we’d actually walked past it the day before. I didn’t fancy one with a crab as a lodger or rough waters that wouldn’t suit my mum. This one isn’t the closest to town amenities, but that’s probably why it stays so peaceful. We had a bit of a laugh getting in. There’s a little kiosk outside with turnstiles, and as we were fiddling with some doorknobs trying to figure out where to go, a head suddenly popped out the other side to greet us—scared the life out of both of us! We paid for two sunbeds and access, and I also bought a padlock. Ironically, I’d taken one out of my bag while packing, thinking I wouldn’t need it—so definitely bring your own to save a couple of euros. Inside the complex, it was lovely and quiet—though bear in mind this was a weekday in May with temperatures around 20°C. Still warm enough to enjoy without the crowds. We spotted some lockers, and since I had my swimsuit on underneath my clothes, I just got changed right there. Mum went off looking for the ladies' changing rooms. There was some work going on around the and it was a bit overcast, so most people were just sunbathing—but me and mum had a proper go in the pool. It’s one of those that’s shallow around the edges and deeper in the middle—great if you’re not a super confident swimmer. It overlooks the sea too, and you can walk further down to a section that lets you into the ocean itself, though it was a bit choppy that day. Upstairs seemed to have a spot for kids or teens, and there looked to be a café, though I couldn’t tell if it was open. At the end of the day, we went back to get our stuff from the lockers and got whistled at a bit awkwardly—turns out we’d been using lockers next to the gents. But there weren’t any clear signs saying they were for men only, so we just shrugged it off and headed over to the proper ladies' changing area. Overall, it was a chilled and peaceful experience—definitely one of the quieter lidos. I don’t think I’d cope with it in peak season, but for a calm, low-key day, it was perfect. It is a must if you like to have a pool, for kids, a fully and partly open to an ocean! Prices are low! One sunbathing chair costs only 2,10€ with 2€ additionally for umbrella. Drinking refilling station, showers, clean tidy toilets and changing rooms, bar with a fair prices. Definitely a must! They are closed only for one - Christmas - day. Great pools with waves, jumping board and drinks Ticket cost with sun bed 7.10 Swimming has salt water. There inside small beach shop and cafe. Best visit very early quite time. Super beach front close by to many hotels. Really joyful atmosphere. Entry for 2 people, parasol and 2 deck chairs - €12.80. Totally worth it! Terrible Experience! Never Again This public is a nightmare because of the people. We paid €11 for entry and €5.50 for two sunbeds and an umbrella, but it wasn't worth it at all. The adult was completely overrun with children — screaming, yelling, and jumping on people. It was loud, chaotic, and very unpleasant. We’re definitely not coming back. Disgusting place. Complexo Balnear Ponta Gorda is a lovely seaside complex in Funchal with two seawater pools and a natural carved into the rocky coastline. The views of the ocean and Cabo Girão cliff are breathtaking, and there are plenty of sun loungers and umbrellas available for visitors. The facilities are clean and well-maintained, with showers and changing rooms nearby. The natural is a unique feature, and in it feels like a truly natural experience. Overall, it's a great place to relax and soak up the sun while enjoying the beauty of Madeira's coastline. We purchased tickets on site before the morning rush around 11, which I would recommend, however to enter and pass through the turnstiles the seemed perplexed by 3 admissions in one printed barcode which their own provided to us. Aside from that, there were may lifeguards and clearly marked staff, which added to the feel of safety in the complex. The was wonderful, with steps on either side leading into the pool. Additionally the area of the sea available was my favourite part with floating stations available on either side to rest on whilst in the water. However as the tide rose around 3 the became more choppy so only confident swimmers should be entering around that time. Diving boards dotted around added to the overall fun! Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and the sun loungers were an excellent addition to the (including an extra cost). A paid public pool Price was about €16 for 2 beds with umbrella for the entire day. I would say a reasons price. We went here twice, we had a good suntanning, and relaxing. It was really busy, but since we had paid for our beds we had our own spot and it didn’t bother us. We purchased tickets on site before the morning rush around 11, which I would recommend, however to enter and pass through the turnstiles the seemed perplexed by 3 admissions in one printed barcode which their own provided to us. Aside from that, there were may lifeguards and clearly marked staff, which added to the feel of safety in the complex. The was wonderful, with steps on either side leading into the pool. Additionally the area of the sea available was my favourite part with floating stations available on either side to rest on whilst in the water. However as the tide rose around 3 the became more choppy so only confident swimmers should be entering around that time. Diving boards dotted around added to the overall fun! Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and the sun loungers were an excellent addition to the (including an extra cost). We discovered this place at the end of our holiday. A cool place especially for families with children. The only issue is the poor service in the nearby bar but hopefully, it's not like that every day. I was informed that the see access and natural was not permitted after I have bought a ticket only. The safeguards closed the see with no reason because the weather was good and the see was calm. Natural with lots of space to sunbathe. There are shower areas and bathrooms. The area is very clean and well maintained. We paid about €14 for 2 people with 2 sunbeds and umbrella. Some parts are inaccessible due to big waves. We came here in mid September 2025. It’s a very lovely , but they got to start on time. Got here at 10am, I’ve been waiting for 50 mins for the to set up and still can’t get into the water. I only have an hour to swim, and I don’t have all day to wait. Public service should be more reliable. One of the best places to chill & swim in the south. We went in February so imagine it is busier in high season, but the sea access is great and is sea as well. Highly recommend! This review is for the benefit of tourists that aren't aware of the rechargeable card you can get for entries to the complex, which works out much cheaper per entry. True, it doesn't include sunbeds and umbrellas but it definitely helps to reduce costs. Ask at the kiosk about it before the turnstiles. The great thing is that the card doesn't expire, we've had ours since around 2017, perhaps before that. I've been coming here for years (my family is from Madeira) and whilst I do mostly recommend Ponta Gorda, it does get super busy during the summer so expect to have a lot of teens and kids around naturally making some noise. Definitely avoid the area around the natural if you want more quiet because most of the teens are there, as well as the kids' for obvious reasons. The quieter times are after 5pm but sunny weekends will always be packed. Has a late closing of 8pm and the sun is very much still warm. Website change monitoring Monitor any webpage for changes – get instant email alerts when prices drop, new jobs are posted, products come back in stock, or competitors update their sites. See how the number of reviews and average review scores have changed over time.