Casa Colombo — Museu do Porto Santo

In the quiet village of Vila Baleira on Porto Santo, the Casa Colombo is a museum devoted to Christopher Columbus and the age of the discoveries. The house is traditionally linked to the navigator, who is said to have lived on the island after marrying Filipa Moniz, daughter of Bartolomeu Perestrelo, its first captain.

Columbus and Porto Santo

Porto Santo was granted to Bartolomeu Perestrelo in the fifteenth century as one of the captaincies of the newly settled Madeira archipelago, and Columbus spent time on the island during those early decades of Atlantic exploration. The house that bears his name now serves as a museum, with displays on the voyages of discovery and Portugal’s maritime expansion.

What to see

• Displays on Christopher Columbus and the Portuguese discoveries.
• Temporary exhibitions on the history of navigation and the Atlantic islands.
• The house itself, in the centre of Vila Baleira, a short walk from the beach.

Visiting the museum

The museum is in Vila Baleira, Porto Santo. Opening hours are published by the regional culture service, so check before your visit.

Visitor information: cultura.madeira.gov.pt.

Image credit: Casa Colombo, Porto Santo, by Paulo SP/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.