Travel Guide > Porto Moniz > Seixal

Seixal

The land of trout
 
The lands that today make up Seixal originally belonged to the Porto Moniz civil parish, when the latter was merely the headquarters of a simple chaplaincy performing the duties of an ecclesiastic parish.
Seixal, as we know it today, is very different from the way it was at that time. It has evolved from a land of passage, enticing passers-by to stay longer.
 
Seixal, halfway between São Vicente and Porto Moniz, has to offer rural tourism cottages and small hotel units. The traditional dish is fresh water trout.
 
The name is thought to come from “seixo”, which means stone or pebble, but there are also those who say that it owes its origin to “seixo”, a vegetable species
 
The parish was created in 1553 and although there are no historical data, it is believed that the Portuguese were the first to settle there.
 
Today it is estimated to have around 1200 inhabitants.
The main economic activity is agriculture, with some trade, fish farming and the hotel and restaurant industry as secondary activities. In agriculture, the winemaking industry has boomed, with the production of high-quality table wine, such as Seiçal.
 
Seixal has an excellent microclimate with mild temperatures all year round.
 
How to get there


To get to Seixal from Funchal take the freeway in the direction of Ribeira Brava (Funchal – Ribeira Brava). Once you get to Ribeira Brava, take the Estrada Regional 101 (regional road), towards the high mountains and less housing in the direction of São Vicente. There is a quicker route by tunnel or via the old road, which winds its way through the mountain from South to North with Encumeada at the top welcoming the magnificent northern hillsides.
 
After passing São Vicente, carry on until the coastal road and turn left in the direction of Porto Moniz. Seixal is halfway.
 
It is also possible to get to Seixal from the opposite side, coming from Porto Moniz.