Porto Moniz was named for Francisco Moniz, who was a nobleman from the Portuguese Algarve. He married one of João Gonçalves Zarco's granddaughters and settled the town at the northwestern tip of Madeira. For centuries, Porto Moniz remained isolated from the rest of the island and could only be reached by boat.
At the harbor are the remains of a 17th-century castle. It was originally built to protect Porto Moniz from pirates. The harbor is protected by a rock that extends towards the island of Ilhéu Nole, which also helps to protect the harbor. As a result, Porto Moniz has the best natural harbor on Madeira's northern coast.
Not far from the harbor, near the Calhau restaurant, the sea has carved several natural pools in the volcanic rock. Later, locals deepened and connected these pools so they could be used for swimming. The pools are replenished with each tide, but they are small enough to be quickly warmed up by the sun.
In the central square of Porto Moniz is a nice 17th-century church. The ER101 road from the town into the mountains, offers marvelous views over the area.
There are several hotels and plenty of restaurants in Porto Moniz. The town is 35 km northwest from Funchal.