The best hikes in Madeira, according to 13 hiking guides
Two hikes appear in every one of the 13 guides we counted: the ridge from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo (PR1) and Ponta de São Lourenço (PR8). The coastal Vereda do Larano, 25 Fontes, Caldeirão Verde and the Balcões viewpoint come next. Below, each one with its Tripadvisor rating and what travellers say about it.
The consensus ranking
| # | Hike | Guides | Tripadvisor | Time | Difficulty | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo PR1 | 13 of 13 | 4.7 (6,960) | 3 h | Moderate | €10.50 (full PR1) |
| 2 | Ponta de São Lourenço PR8 | 13 of 13 | 4.7 (2,650) | 2 h 30 | Moderate | €4.50 |
| 3 | Vereda do Larano to Boca do Risco | 10 of 13 | 4.8 (21) | n/a | Not graded (not a PR) | No fee, no booking |
| 4 | 25 Fontes and Risco waterfall PR6 | 9 of 13 | 4.3 (1,111) | 3 h | Moderate | €4.50 |
| 5 | Caldeirão Verde PR9 | 8 of 13 | 4.7 (895) | 6 h 30 | Moderate | €4.50 |
| 6 | Balcões viewpoint PR11 | 8 of 13 | 4.2 (24) | 1 h 30 | Easy | €4.50 |
| 7 | Pico Ruivo from Achada do Teixeira PR1.2 | 7 of 13 | 4.7 (47) | 1 h 30 | Moderate | €4.50 |
| 8 | Fanal PR13 | 5 of 13 | 4.6 (15) | 4 h | Moderate | €4.50 |
Guides: the 13 “best hikes” lists ranking for “madeira hikes” and “best hikes madeira” in the UK, counted 22 October 2026. Ratings: Tripadvisor, same date. Quotes: travellers on r/Madeira. Times and difficulty: Visit Madeira. Fees: IFCN.
1
13/13 guides
4.7 on Tripadvisor, 6,960 reviews (includes people who only visit the viewpoint)
Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo · PR1
Pico do Arieiro → Pico Ruivo · 6.1 km · 3 h · Moderate · €10.50 (full PR1)
What people love
- The ridge between the three highest peaks, often above the clouds
- Tunnels and stairways cut into the rock
What people complain about
- The stairs are the hardest part, and reviewers disagree on how tough it is
- Cars parked along the road at the start; reviewers suggest starting before 8am
What travellers say
“found it challenging, but very rewarding”
“It’s a little challenging depending on your fitness but worth it.”
“our legs were in extreme pain for the next 3-4 days”
Best for: Fit friends who are fine with heights and long stairways. Plan the way back before you book.
Two-way only between Pico do Arieiro and Pedra Rija; one-way towards Pico Ruivo after that. The east variant over Pico das Torres is closed; the route uses the west variant through the tunnels.
Trail facts and map How to book on SIMplifica The one-way PR1 rules The full PR1 day, step by step
2
13/13 guides
4.7 on Tripadvisor, 2,650 reviews
Ponta de São Lourenço · PR8
Baía d'Abra → Cais do Sardinha · 4 km + 4 km back · 2 h 30 · Moderate · €4.50
What people love
- Cliffs and sea on both sides of a bare volcanic peninsula, with the north and south coasts in view
What people complain about
- No shade at all: bring water and sun protection
- The car park fills during the day; reviewers suggest arriving before 8am
- A few reviewers found it crowded or not worth the hype
What travellers say
“A unique hike up and down rocky path that has great views of ocean on both sides.”
“Very easy if you avoid the heat in the middle of the day.”
“It is extremely crowded so highly recommended to get here as early as possible.”
Best for: Almost anyone used to walking, early in the day. Without a car, a transfer from Funchal solves the parking.
Visit Madeira lists temporary diversions: follow the signs on the ground.
Trail facts and map How to book on SIMplifica No car? PR8 transfer from Funchal (affiliate link) Ponta de São Lourenço guide
3
10/13 guides
4.8 on Tripadvisor, 21 reviews
Vereda do Larano to Boca do Risco
Not a classified PR trail: no SIMplifica booking or fee, and no official status from the IFCN.
What people love
- A path along the north-east cliffs above the sea
- One of the highest Tripadvisor ratings of any walk in this list, from few reviews
What people complain about
- Reviewers report no-parking signs at the access and cars with punctured tyres
What travellers say
“Keep going because the middle few miles are stunning.”
“If you are afraid of heights skip this.”
Best for: Walkers without vertigo. It is not a classified PR, so there is no booking or fee, and no official status either.
4
9/13 guides, 1 says avoid
4.3 on Tripadvisor, 1,111 reviews
25 Fontes and Risco waterfall · PR6
Rabaçal → 25 Fontes · 4.3 km + 4.3 km back · 3 h · Moderate · €4.50
What people love
- Two waterfalls from the same start at Rabaçal
- Levada walking through laurel forest
What people complain about
- The most reviewed trail on Tripadvisor and the lowest-rated of the top group, mostly because of crowds at the 25 Fontes lagoon
- Reviewers who went early enjoyed it far more
What travellers say
“If you can only do 1 levada do 25 Fontes.”
On PR6.3, Lagoa do Vento
“the better version of levada das 25 fontes which is over crowded”
Best for: Families and mixed groups, if you start early.
Controlled one-way circulation: out along the levada, back by the alternative path called the bypass.
5
8/13 guides, 1 says avoid
4.7 on Tripadvisor, 895 reviews
Caldeirão Verde · PR9
Queimadas → Caldeirão do Inferno · 8.7 km + 8.7 km back · 6 h 30 · Moderate · €4.50
What people love
- Laurel forest, tunnels and a waterfall at the end
What people complain about
- A small car park: one 2026 review found it full at 9:55am, with police turning cars away
- Narrow sections where you wait for people coming the other way
- You need a torch for the tunnels
What travellers say
“absolutely stunning and very easy”
On the extension to the Caldeirão do Inferno
“This section is much more impressive”
“Need to be mindful of passing safely as there are a lot of narrow spots with people coming back”
“I cannot recommend Caldeirao Verde to anyone. It is not a convenient hike and sometimes dangerous.”
Best for: Groups with a full day and good legs. Start early for the car park.
6
8/13 guides
4.2 on Tripadvisor, 24 reviews
Balcões viewpoint · PR11
Ribeiro Frio → Balcões · 1.5 km + 1.5 km back · 1 h 30 · Easy · €4.50
What people love
- The shortest and easiest walk on most lists, ending at a viewpoint over the north-east valleys
What people complain about
- The lowest Tripadvisor rating in this list (4.2), from only a few reviews
What travellers say
“Levada dos Balcoes is the starter levada. Short accessible with gorgeous view.”
“Very popular place for people with less mobility and for younger children”
My photos from the walk: Ribeiro Frio, where the PR11 starts, the trail sign and one of the birds near the viewpoint.
Best for: Families with children, older walkers and anyone short on time.
7
7/13 guides
4.7 on Tripadvisor, 47 reviews
Pico Ruivo from Achada do Teixeira · PR1.2
Achada do Teixeira → Pico Ruivo · 2.8 km + 2.8 km back · 1 h 30 · Moderate · €4.50
What people love
- The easiest way up the highest peak of Madeira
- A favourite at sunset in one of the guides
What people complain about
- Forum users note the views are not as dramatic as the full PR1
What travellers say
“if watching the tallest mountain in madeira is what you want pico ruivo is the walk for you”
Best for: Anyone who wants the summit without the full ridge.
8
5/13 guides, 1 says avoid
4.6 on Tripadvisor, 15 reviews
Fanal · PR13
Paul da Serra → Fanal · 10.8 km · 4 h · Moderate · €4.50
What people love
- Old til trees in the fog, the photo most people come for
What people complain about
- One of the 13 guides lists it among the hikes to avoid
What travellers say
“Fanal Forest was surreal, one of the best places I've ever seen in my life.”
“The ancient looking Laurisilva trees are truly magic in the mist.”
“There's a car park and the forest is right there. My disabled friend walked it fine. Fine for kids.”
Best for: Photographers, and anyone who likes forest walks in the fog.
Traveller favourites the guides barely mention
Lagoa do Vento · PR6.3
1.8 km + 1.8 km back · 1 h 30 · Easy · €4.50
“Must do, a great spin on the levada das 25 fontes and less crowded. Bring swimsuit”
Traveller on r/Madeira, 2024
Rated 10/10 in the most detailed hike review on r/Madeira: a muddier path from Rabaçal to a waterfall pool, with far fewer people than PR6.
In 1 of 13 guides. Trail facts
Levada Fajã do Rodrigues · PR16
3.9 km + 3.9 km back · 3 h 30 · Moderate · €4.50
“A very special cave tunnel that set this Levada walk apart from the others”
Traveller on r/Madeira, 2024
Rated 9/10 in the same review. The same reviewer warns: “100% you will get wet”.
In 1 of 13 guides. Trail facts
Levada do Rei · PR18
5.3 km + 5.3 km back · 3 h 30 · Moderate · €4.50
“I liked PR18 Levada do Rei. It has no noticeable elevation.”
Traveller on r/Madeira, 2023
Suggested when someone asked for a levada with little climbing.
In 1 of 13 guides. Trail facts
Scenic walks with no booking
These routes are run by Funchal council, outside SIMplifica: no fee and no slot. Every other classified route needs a booking. PR3 and PR3.1 join end to end, so you can walk from Pico do Arieiro all the way down to Monte, 12.2 km, mostly downhill.
Vereda do Burro · PR3
Pico do Arieiro → Ribeira das Cales · 6.7 km · 2 h 40 · Easy · No fee, no booking
From just below Pico do Arieiro down through high-mountain vegetation to the Funchal Ecological Park.
Caminho Real do Monte · PR3.1
Ribeira das Cales → Monte · 5.5 km · 2 h · Moderate · No fee, no booking
From the Funchal Ecological Park down to Monte, past the 1784 Levada das Cales and the Pico Alto viewpoint.
Levada do Barreiro · PR4
Poço da Neve → Casa do Barreiro · 6.7 km · 2 h 10 · Easy · No fee, no booking
From Poço da Neve, an ice house built in 1813, along a levada with views over Funchal.
Marked partly open on the IFCN list of 2 October 2026. Check today’s status.
Popular in the guides, but check before you go
Levada do Moinho and Levada Nova (Ponta do Sol)
6 of the 13 guides recommend this loop behind a waterfall, and it has 165 reviews for Levada Nova on Tripadvisor. The Ponta do Sol council closed both levadas temporarily on 5 May 2026, and we found no reopening notice by 22 October 2026. Some guides call it “PR7”: the classified PR7 Levada do Moinho is a different route near Ribeira da Cruz, and it was also closed on the IFCN list of 2 October 2026.
Which hike for your group
- Family with children
- Balcões (PR11) is the short, easy one. Risco (PR6.1) is graded easy too; start early to avoid the crowds at Rabaçal.
- Friends who want a big day
- Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo or Caldeirão Verde. Both are long; plan the transport and the start time first.
- No car
- Ponta de São Lourenço has a return transfer from Funchal. For the mountains, look at a guided day; see getting around Madeira.
- Away from the crowds
- Levada do Furado (PR10) is one of the calmest levadas, and the stretches along drops and peaks are well fenced. Go for the quiet rather than the views: the forest hides much of the scenery, and after a dry spell the waterfalls can be dry.
- One short morning
- Pico Ruivo from Achada do Teixeira or Balcões.
How we ranked them
We took the 13 “best hikes” lists that Google shows in the UK for “madeira hikes” and “best hikes madeira”, and counted a hike when it had its own section in the list. Ties are ordered by Tripadvisor reviews. We added the rating and number of reviews on Tripadvisor, and the praise and complaints that come up again and again in recent reviews and the Tripadvisor forum. Official times, difficulty, fees and closures come from Visit Madeira and the IFCN, not from the guides.
The quotes come from the 20 r/Madeira threads, from 2019 to 2026, where travellers ask for or give hike advice. They are copied exactly as written. Many were posted before the 2026 booking system, so we use them for what a walk is like, never for fees or rules.
Questions about hiking in Madeira
What is the best hike in Madeira?
By consensus, the Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo ridge (PR1) and Ponta de São Lourenço (PR8). Both appear in all 13 hiking guides we counted and both hold a Tripadvisor rating of 4.7. The PR1 has long stairways and is one-way after Pedra Rija, so you need transport back.
What are the easiest good hikes in Madeira?
The Balcões viewpoint walk (PR11) is the short, easy option that appears most often in the guides. The Risco waterfall walk (PR6.1) is graded easy by Visit Madeira, and Pico Ruivo from Achada do Teixeira (PR1.2) is the easiest way up the highest peak, though it climbs steadily.
Do I need to pay to hike in Madeira?
Every classified PR trail managed by the IFCN needs a SIMplifica booking. Most cost €4.50 per person; the full PR1 costs €10.50. Children aged 12 or under are free but still book. The Vereda do Larano is not a classified PR, so it has no fee or booking.
Is the Levada do Moinho and Levada Nova walk open?
The Ponta do Sol council closed both temporarily on 5 May 2026, and we found no reopening notice by 22 October 2026. Many guides still recommend the walk, so check the council's website before you go.
Which Madeira hikes need no booking?
Only the routes managed by councils instead of the IFCN: PR3 (Pico do Arieiro down to Ribeira das Cales), PR3.1 (on to Monte) and PR4 (Levada do Barreiro) in the Funchal area, and the short PR23 in Caniço. Every other classified PR route needs a SIMplifica slot.
What time should I start a popular hike in Madeira?
Before 8am, according to reviewers of the PR1, PR8, PR6 and PR9. The common problems later in the day are full car parks and crowds at the viewpoints and waterfalls.
See all 42 trails on a map
Every classified route by area, with time, difficulty, fee and the ones that need no booking.