Hiking in Madeira: Best Trails + Mistakes to Avoid!

Madeira is a hiker’s paradise, with jaw-dropping mountain trails, lush forests, and coastal paths that rival anywhere in the world. In this guide, we share the best hikes in Madeira plus essential tips to help you hit the trails safely and confidently.

Hiking in Madeira is unlike anywhere else in the world. 

And I say this as someone who has done extensive hiking in well over 30 countries. 

From narrow levada trails to hikes with coastal views to ridgelines that bring you above the clouds, hiking in Madeira is incredibly varied.

The thing is you shouldn’t just hit the trails on this island without a plan… 

In this article, we’re sharing our mistakes, our top tips, and all the info you need for some of the best hikes in Madeira.

Lace up your hiking boots — things are about to get epic.

Madeira Hiking Guide

We’ve included some extra info for planning your hiking trip to Madeira. Jump to the following sections (or just keep scrolling to see it all!).

• Our experience
• Things to know
• Best hikes
• Hikes that are still on our bucket list
• What to pack
• Madeira travel guide
• Madeira itinerary

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Our experience hiking in Madeira

We did several of the most popular hikes in Madeira and had a fantastic time. 

We did these hikes with our two young daughters (3.5 years old and 6 months old). In our opinion, it’s a great spot for hiking with kids as long as you have good carriers. Jump down to see which ones we recommend.

We felt like we were able to do a variety of different hikes around the island and while we had a truly incredible time, we made many mistakes, which we’re sharing with you so that you can avoid them.

One of our biggest lessons: You have to stay flexible (the weather changes constantly!), which is exactly why we designed our Madeira itinerary with interchangeable days. 

This article will share both our personal experiences and tips as well as our team member, Amanda’s, experience. She went to Madeira just a couple weeks before us and also did lots of hiking.

We hope that our combined experiences and advice will help you feel prepared so that your trip goes smoothly!

Things to know about hiking in Madeira

As we’ve already mentioned, there is a lot to plan before you show up at the trailhead in your hiking boots. We were lucky enough to have our team member, Amanda, travel to Madeira just weeks before us and she passed a long a lot of helpful advice.

I wasn’t until we arrived in Madeira and experienced the trails ourselves that we understood the importance of pre-planning. Below are some of the things we were glad we were told and wish we would have known before we went.

Trail names

Each hike has a numbered name (ex. PR6). PR stands for pequena rota, or “small route”.

Elevation gain

The elevation gains on AllTrails are almost all incorrect (this is due in great part to the tunnels). It is almost always less elevation than what AllTrails says.

Levada hikes

Madeira has many levada hikes. These are trails that follow levadas, or narrow channels of water that used to be used as irrigation routes to bring water across the island (from the wet north to the dry south).

Levada hikes are really unique, but one thing to know about them is that they are extremely narrow in places, making it difficult when there is 2-way traffic on the trail. For this reason, we have specific timing recommendations below…

Crowds & Timing

The timing of your hike can make the difference between enjoying the trail to yourselves, or really slowing you down if you have to constantly pause and give way to other hikers.

It is no secret that Madeira’s hiking trails are popular and people tend to get going on the early side. In our experience, if you show up at the trailhead by 9 a.m., you’re already too late to beat the crowds.

Aim to arrive at the trailhead before 8 a.m. (the earlier the better!) or you can wait until the late-afternoon when most people have finished their hiking for the day. We actually found some of the popular trails on this list to be a lot more peaceful in the late-afternoon/early evening hours (4 p.m. or later).

Weather

With a tropical climate, the weather can vary drastically around the island, so while it’s rainy in one region, it can be completely sunny in another. For this reason, it helps to be flexible with your itinerary. 

We recommend checking the weather the night before and planning your hikes for the following day based on which region has the best chance of good weather.

Tip: Use Windy.app to track weather as it is the most accurate.

Entry fees

As of 2025, there is a 3 euro entry fee on several of the popular hiking routes in Madeira. For a full list of the hikes, please reference the payment page on the Simplifica portal page.

The hikes covered in this guide that need an entry fee are:

• PR1 Areeiro Trail
• PR6 Levada of the 25 Fountains
• PR7 Levada do Moinho
• PR8 Ponta de S. Lourenço Trail
• PR9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde
• PR11 Levada dos Balcões

You can either purchase your entry ticket beforehand and schedule your time, or buy one on the spot with a staff member. However, there might be a line to pay and the card readers don’t always work well in these remote places.

To purchase your entry fee ahead of time, go to the Simplifica portal page, select your hike from the drop-down menu, select a date and time and the number of people you are hiking with. Children under 12 are free.

Footwear

Hiking boots are great, but good sneakers will work as well. We packed ultra light for our trip and wore our Chacos on hikes; they worked well for us.

Be sure to check out our full packing list recommendations below.

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Best hikes in Madeira

Below are some of our favorite hikes in Madeira that we’ve personally experienced and enjoyed. Read the descriptions closely as there is a lot of confusing information online about some of them…

1. PR1 Pico do Arieiro

At a glance: iconic ridgeline above the clouds (accessible to non-hikers as well!)

Madeira’s third highest peak offers breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks—and if you’re lucky, you might witness a cloud inversion, where you stand above a sea of clouds. The road brings you right up to the weather station at the top of the peak making this view accessible even to non-hikers.

Entry fee: Be sure to purchase an online entry ticket here before you leave and screenshot it to your phone.

Spelling note: The peak is typically spelled “Arieiro,” however, for some reason Alltrails has it as “Areeiro” so we wanted to acknowledge both spellings here.

Hike: PR1 Pico do Areeiro – Miradouro Ninho da Manta – Pedra Rija

• Distance: 3.8 km (2.4 miles)
• Out and back
• Elevation gain: 460m / 1,512 ft
• Difficulty rating: moderate
• Timing: 3.5-4 hours
• Alltrails trail notes

The trail begins at the summit, descending first—so you’ll climb on the way back. Pace yourself and bring enough water. You can turn around anytime, but the views only get better the farther you go.

About 0.5 miles in: Miradouro do Ninho da Manta – an observation deck built into a large rock pillar.

About 0.8 miles in: famous view of the Stairway to Heaven, Miradouro Pedra Rija. This can get busy with everyone trying to get the same photo, but it is a cool spot.

At this point, you could turn around because you have 1,000 ft of elevation gain to get back up to the start.

Timing 

Sunrise at the peak is ultra popular; it’s also packed with tour buses and crowds by 5 a.m. We’ve read accounts of people arriving to a full parking lot as much as an hour before sunrise. 

Sunset is a much quieter (and just as beautiful) alternative at Pico do Arieiro. Arrive about 1-2 hours before for the best light.

Our mistake: We arrived at the peak just in time for sunset, but wished we’d had given ourselves a lot more time to settle in and find a good spot to enjoy the show.

Parking

• Parking P1 (upper lot) costs €4 per hour or €20 per day but has limited spots
• Parking P2 (lower lot) costs €5 per day and is better if you’re doing the full hike

Getting there

Google Maps will likely send you via Monte (ER103), a slightly shorter but very narrow and winding road with lots of blind corners. It’s scenic, with several pull-offs for views, but we recommend taking the alternative ER203 route instead—especially after dark. It’s only about 5 minutes longer but on a much wider road, with no blind turns (though less scenic).

Amanda’s mistake: I drove the way Google Maps suggested and the road was so narrow I had to white-knuckle it the entire way. I took the alternative way down and it was a much easier drive (especially in the dark!). 

Weather

The peak is often above the clouds, so conditions can differ from lower areas. We recommend watching the weather forecast using apps and the webcams to make sure the view at the peak is clear.

Webcam | Weather

Amanda’s experience: On the day I had planned to visit the peak, the weather in Funchal and Monte was overcast, grey and slightly rainy. I almost didn’t go to the peak thinking it wouldn’t be any better up there, but boy was I wrong! On the drive up, I passed through the clouds and actually came out above them. Not only did this make for some incredible photos on the way up, but the experience at the top was magical with the cloud inversion!

Also, the peak is notoriously windy! We bundled up in all of our layers and still struggled to stay warm with the constant wind.

Amanda’s experience: The winds were so high when I was at the peak, there were parts of the trail I honestly felt a bit unsafe on (the exposed ridge line) with such strong winds. Be sure to dress appropriately and exercise caution!

2. PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes

At a glance: fun levada trail with lots of waterfalls and a cute cafe

• Distance: 7.2 km (4.5 miles)
  • +1 mile for Risco Falls
• Out and back
• Elevation gain: 465m (1,525 ft)
• Difficulty: moderate
• Time: 3-3.5 hours
• AllTrails notes

Parking: Park here

Timing: 3 hours (+30 minutes extra for Risco Falls)

Entry fee: Be sure to purchase an online entry ticket here before you leave and screenshot it to your phone. There are rangers checking that you’ve done this, and paying on the spot can take additional time.

Aim to be starting the hike by 8 a.m. to avoid crowds on the trail. 

This is a popular levada hike, for good reason. It is beautiful and worthwhile, but only if you start early. The path is very narrow and if you start late, you’ll constantly be bumping into other hikers going the opposite direction.

Optional: After making it to the end (do this 1st because it gets the most congested), add on a hike to Risco Waterfall. This adds an additional 1 mile total (flat trail, no levada) and we recommend it. 

3. PR7 Levada do Moinho – Levada Nova

At a glance: unique levada loop trail that winds behind a double waterfall

• Distance: 10.4 km (6.5 miles)
• Loop
• Elevation gain: 122m (400 ft)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Time: 3-4 hours
• AllTrails notes

This was one of the most unique levada trails we did in Madeira, however, there is a bit of confusing information on AllTrails, so be sure to read carefully…

Entry fee: Be sure to purchase an online entry ticket here before you leave and screenshot it to your phone. We didn’t see anywhere you could pay on the spot when we were there.

Parking: The best parking is at Igreja da Lombada, but you may have to park farther down on the roadside if the lot is full. (We had to park a good 10 minute walk downhill from the start of the trail so it added to our distance and elevation gain.)

The starting point is directly behind the church.

Amanda’s mistake: I arrived to start the hike by about 9:30 a.m. and the small parking lot was completely full (I actually saw someone snag a spot as other hikers were leaving the lot at this time). I had to circle the very narrow and winding streets around the church for a while before finally finding parking about a 15 minute walk downhill from where the trailhead was.

However, you should note that some parts of the upper trail do not have a barrier in place and you are walking on the narrow levadas much higher up.

You will get wet/muddy. There’s a few places you’ll have to walk through water (plan to bring dry shoes in the car!).

4. PR8 Ponta de São Lourenço

At a glance: coastal hike with incredible views

• Distance: 6.6 km (4.1 miles)
• Out and back
• Elevation gain: 303m (994 ft)
• Difficulty: easy to moderate
• Time: 3-4 hours
• AllTrails notes

This is one of the (if not the) most popular hikes on the island—and for good reason! The fairly moderate trail features stunning views the entire way. Plan plenty of time for photos—you’ll want to make lots of stops.

Entry fee: Be sure to purchase an online entry ticket here before you leave and screenshot it to your phone. We did see anywhere you could pay on the spot when we were there.

Parking

There is a small car park just before the trailhead, but the entire road (ER109) will become lined with cars starting early in the morning. There is also a second car park a bit further down. 

We recommend driving all the way up to the roundabout at the trailhead and looking for parking on your way back as cars are constantly coming and going.

Timing

This is another one of the trails that gets a lot of traffic in the morning. Even if you try to go early, we read reports that the parking fills up by 8 a.m. 

Amanda’s mistake: I arrived at 11 a.m. and both the parking and trail were packed! However the crowds had thinned by 2:30/3 p.m. when I was on the return hike. 

For this reason, we suggest you arrive 1 or 2 hours before sunset. At this time (when we went), there was plenty of parking and most of the crowds had left. It was very peaceful. 

Facilities

There are food trucks, but no bathroom facilities at the trailhead. There is a cafe and restrooms at the furthest point on the trail (however the line for the bathroom was 20 people long).

Tips

• This hike is best on a clear day, so plan your itinerary according to the weather. 
• It was super windy. Dress in layers!
• It’s a fully exposed trail with no shade. A hat/sunglasses are necessary!

Optional variations

• If you don’t have the time or energy to do the entire thing, you can follow this shorter route to Miradouro de São Lourenço which is stunning, especially at golden hour. Or just turn around at any point and head back the way you came.
• There is also an option to go kayaking from the trail. Amanda and her mom rented kayaks for just 7.5€/30 min (10€/hour) and it was fun, but we got wet!

5. PR9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde

At a glance: levada trail with 4 tunnels and a waterfall

• Distance: 13 km (7.4 miles)
• Out and back
• Elevation gain: 600m (1,968 ft)
• Difficulty: moderate
• Time: 5-6 hours
• AllTrails notes

Entry fee: Be sure to purchase an online entry ticket here before you leave and screenshot it to your phone. There are rangers checking that you’ve done this, and paying on the spot can take additional time.

Parking: Queimadas Forestry Park

This unique levada trail takes you through a green paradise to reach a waterfall at the end.

You’ll pass through 4 tunnels – the last 2 are the longest and shortest. Be sure to bring a headlamp. A phone flashlight works in a pinch but keeping your hands free makes it much easier to work through the tunnels.

Hiking tip: If you have a child in a hiking carrier on your back, you may need to take them out in the tunnels so they don’t hit their heads.

Go early so that you encounter fewer people on the return hike. There are many spots on the hike where you have to lean over the levada to allow others to pass.

6. PR11 Levada dos Balcões

At a glance: short, flat trail with great views and a trail-side cafe

• Distance: 2.9 km (1.8 miles)
• Out and back
• Elevation gain: 140m (459 ft)
• Difficulty: easy
• Time: 1 hour
• AllTrails notes

Parking: Park at or around John’s Poncha, the trailhead is just around the corner.

Entry fee: Be sure to purchase an online entry ticket here before you leave and screenshot it to your phone. There are rangers checking that you’ve done this, and paying on the spot can take additional time.

This short, flat hike has an incredible view of the valley at the end. It is also not very crowded compared to Levada do Caldeirão Verde.

Our mistake: We didn’t factor in the weather when planning our own itinerary in Madeira and arrived to do this hike on a completely foggy and overcast day. You can see from the picture we had zero viability at the end—which is the view this hike is known for. 

Hopefully, you’ll have better weather than we did! However, it was still a beautiful trail and worth the short hike. 

7. RB2 Banana Plantation Walk

At a glance: short, flat walk through a working banana plantation

This is less of a “hike” and more of a walk, but it’s pretty cool (and quintessential to Madeira) so we wanted to include it on this list.

There are a few different walks you can do through banana plantations in Madelena do Mar on the south coast. We chose RB2 (which stands for “Rota da Banana” 2) . It’s flat and peaceful (we only saw one other couple on this walk). The entire walk is just 331 meters, but you walk as far as you’d like and then turn back.

Madeira hikes that are still on our bucket list

We were able to do all of the hikes listed above on our trip to Madeira (with the exception of PR7—but Amanda and her mom did that one). We think this is a great taste of all the diverse hikes you can do in Madeira and these can all easily fit into a one-week itinerary. 

However there are still plenty more trails to discover on the island! The below are a few hikes we still have on our bucket list for next time:

Ribeira do Inferno

• Distance: 1.4 km (0.9 miles)
• Out and back
• Elevation gain: 124m (406 ft)
• Difficulty: easy
• Time: 45 minutes
• AllTrails notes
• Parking: Park here

This hidden gem hike follows the old coastal road (101), winding between dramatic cliffs draped in greenery and sweeping ocean views. The path leads to the massive and impressive Ribeira do Inferno gorge.

PR17 Pinaculo e Folhadal

• Distance: 5.1 km (3.2 miles)
• Loop
• Elevation gain: 310m (1,017 ft)
• Time: 2-2.5 hours
• Difficulty: challenging
• AllTrails notes

PR17 Pinaculo e Folhadal is an off-the-beaten-path trail with fewer crowds than many other hikes on the island. It is challenging and takes a good chunk of time, so be sure you’re prepared.

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What to pack for hiking in Madeira

• Navigation: we recommend using Alltrails+ to download the offline trail map
  • Get your first week of using Alltrails+ for FREE when you sign up using our link!
• Hiking daypack
  • we have an article on our sister site with our favorite pack suggestions
• Insulated water bottle and/or bladder for your Camelbak
• Bug repellant
• Sun protection: sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
• Headlamp for the tunnels and/or if you go before sunrise/after sunset
• Camera/tripod (this is our favorite travel tripod and this one is a budget-friendly mini tripod that we have had for years)
• Hiking layers (here is a great resource if you’re wondering what to wear hiking)
• Rain jacket
• Comfortable hiking boots or shoes
  • We did all of the hikes in Madeira in our Chocos sandals
• Hiking poles (optional) – we didn’t see a lot of people on the trails here with poles, but you could definitely bring them if you’re more comfortable

→ Be sure to download our FREE Portugal packing list before your trip as it includes all the essentials for hiking, plus everything else you won’t want to forget!

Madeira travel guide

If this is your first time visiting the island, you’ll want to read our Madeira travel guide. This guide is packed with helpful information like tips for the driving, where to stay and important things to know before you go.

Ultimate Madeira Travel Guide: Essential Tips for First-Timer’s

Madeira itinerary

Want the perfect Madeira itinerary planned for you?

We created a done-for-you one-week Madeira itinerary that’s packed with details—including hidden gems we discovered on our own trip, detailed driving routes, and local restaurant recommendations (including what to order!). All in a downloadable PDF that makes planning a breeze.

It’s designed to take all the guesswork (and hours of research!) out of planning your Madeira adventure so you can spend less time glued to your laptop and more time soaking up those epic coastal views and misty mountain trails.

If you want a stress-free, ready-to-go plan that shows you exactly how to see the best of Madeira, this is it!

→ Psst! We also have a FREE version of our 1-week Madeira itinerary if you just want a basic overview.

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Plan your trip to Portugal

From vibrant cities to seaside escapes, we’ve got everything you need to plan the perfect Portugal adventure—from city guides and road trip itineraries to food tips and hidden gems! Start with our Portugal homepage or dive into some of our favorite articles below…

• 3-Day Lisbon Itinerary: Explore Portugal’s lively capital like a pro.
• 2-Day Porto Itinerary: Discover this charming riverside city in a weekend.
• More articles coming soon!

Don’t miss your chance to grab our Portugal Packing Checklist!

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We want to hear from you!

Did you find this Madeira hiking guide helpful? Which of these Madeira hikes are going on your bucket list? Do you have any other hikes you think we should add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!