Rising dramatically from the Atlantic Ocean, Madeira is a lush Portuguese island renowned for its volcanic peaks, UNESCO World Heritage laurel forests and spectacular coastal cliffs. Known as the “Island of Eternal Spring”, it offers year-round walking in a landscape of soaring mountains, flower-filled valleys and ingenious levada irrigation channels that contour the hillsides.

This Cicerone guidebook, Walking on Madeira, is your complete companion to exploring Madeira and neighbouring Porto Santo on foot, with 60 carefully curated day walks covering mountains, coast, forests and classic levada routes. Written by renowned outdoor author Paddy Dillon, it blends meticulously researched route descriptions with local insight so you can plan safe, rewarding and memorable days in Madeira’s most spectacular landscapes.

• It includes 60 day walks on Madeira and neighbouring Porto Santo, from relaxing levada strolls to more strenuous high-mountain hikes like Pico Ruivo (the highest peak on the island at 1,862m) and Pico do Arieiro
• Routes range from 4 to 27km (2–17 miles), so you can tailor your walking holiday to your experience or combine walks to create longer days out
• Details of planning, facilities and public transport are provided, and all routes are easily accessed from Funchal, the island’s main accommodation base
• Rich introductory sections on Madeira’s geology, history, flora, fauna and protected areas, along with notes on Funchal, Monte and Porto Santo to help you get more from your trip beyond the trails
• Sketch maps are provided for each walk to supplement the GPX files for digital navigation across this Portuguese island 

Whether you’re planning a dedicated walking holiday in Madeira or looking for the best levada walks and mountain hikes on the island, this comprehensive guide provides the detail and reliability you need. With 60 expertly selected routes, practical planning advice and trusted navigation support, Walking on Madeira is the essential companion for discovering Madeira’s most spectacular trails with confidence.

Walking on Madeira - Key Facts

Destination: Madeira, Portugal (Madeira Archipelago, including Porto Santo)
Distance: 4–27km (2–17 miles) per walk
Typical duration: 1–8 hours per walk
Start/Finish: Walks accessible from key bases, including Funchal, Monte and across Porto Santo
Trail type: Day walks including levada paths, coastal trails and mountain hikes
Difficulty: Easy levada strolls to strenuous high-mountain routes
Terrain: Volcanic peaks, laurel forest, cliffside paths, irrigation channels, coastal headlands
Navigation: Step-by-step route descriptions with sketch maps; GPX files available for download
Best season: Year-round walking; spring and autumn are ideal for warm temperatures and clear mountain views
Accommodation: Wide choice of hotels and guesthouses, with most walks accessible from Funchal, the island’s main accommodation base

Author Top Tip 

“The Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation now charges €3 per person for walking some of the more popular waymarked and signposted ‘PR’ trails, and this scheme is likely to be expanded to cover ALL the waymarked and signposted ‘PR’ trails. For details, see simplifica.madeira.gov.pt/ services/78-82-259. It has been claimed that walkers who don’t pay the charges could be fined €50.”

- Paddy Dillon, author of Walking on Maderia 

Overview map
Map key
Preface

Introduction
Location
Geology
History
Landscape
Trees and flowers
Birds
Animals
Parque Natural da Madeira
Funchal and Monte
Getting to Madeira
Getting around Madeira
Accommodation
Porto Santo
Currency
Language
Food and drink
Weather
Tourist information
Health issues
Emergencies
Maps of Madeira
Making multi-day trips
Using this guide

1 Eastern Madeira
Walk 1    Levada dos Tornos: Monte to Camacha
Walk 2    Levada dos Tornos: Camacha to Quatro Estradas
Walk 3    Levada da Serra: Campo do Pomar to Camacha
Walk 4    Levada da Serra: Camacha to Santo da Serra
Walk 5    Levada Nova from Santo da Serra
Walk 6    Baia d'Abra and Ponta de São Lourenço
Walk 7    Levada do Caniçal: Maroços to Caniçal
Walk 8    Levada da Portela: Santo da Serra to Portela
Walk 9    Vereda das Funduras: Portela to Maroços
Walk 10    North Coast: Porto da Cruz to Ribeira Seca

2 Funchal to Santana
Walk 11    Vereda da Penha d'Águia
Walk 12    Levada do Furado: Portela to Ribeiro Frio
Walk 13    Caminho Velha: Poiso to Porto da Cruz
Walk 14    Fajã da Nogueira and Levada da Serra
Walk 15    Caminho Velha: Poiso to Santana
Walk 16    Levada do Barreiro: Poço da Neve to Monte
Walk 17    Levada da Negra: Poço da Neve to Barreira
Walk 18    Levada do Curral: Curral das Freiras to Funchal
Walk 19    Levada dos Piornais: Lombada to Funchal

3 The high mountains
Walk 20    Boca da Encumeada to Achada do Teixeira
Walk 21    Boca da Encumeada to Curral das Freiras
Walk 22    Pico do Cedro and Pico do Areeiro
Walk 23    Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo
Walk 24    Pico Ruivo, Vale da Lapa and Ilha
Walk 25    Pico Ruivo, Queimadas and Santana
Walk 26    Levada do Caldeirão Verde from Pico das Pedras
Walk 27    Levada do Rei from Quebradas
Walk 28    Santana, Calhau and São Jorge
Walk 29    Boca da Encumeada and Pico Grande
Walk 30    Colmeal and Pico Grande
Walk 31    Fajã dos Cardos to Fajã do Penedo
Walk 32    Boca da Encumeada to Colmeal

4 Jardim da Serra
Walk 33    Boca da Encumeada to Marco e Fonte
Walk 34    Boca da Corrida and Curral das Freiras
Walk 35    Boca dos Namorados and Curral das Freiras
Walk 36    Marco e Fonte to Fontes
Walk 37    Terreiros from Boca da Corrida
Walk 38    Crista do Espigão from Fontes
Walk 39    Fajã da Ribeira, Levada Norte and Boa Morte
Walk 40    Levada do Norte: Boa Morte to Estreito de Câmara de Lobos

5 Paúl da Serra
Walk 41    Pico Ruivo do Paúl da Serra from Estanquinhos
Walk 42    Rabaçal, Levada do Risco and 25 Fontes
Walk 43    Levada do Paúl: Rabaçal to Cristo Rei
Walk 44    Levada das Rabaças and Cascalho
Walk 45    Caminho do Pináculo e Folhadal
Walk 46    Levada dos Cedros: Fanal to Ribeira da Janela
Walk 47    Levada da Janela: Fonte do Bispo to Porto Moniz

6 Western Madeira
Walk 48    Ponta do Pargo to Fonte do Bispo
Walk 49    Levada do Moinho: Tornadouro to Ribeira da Cruz
Walk 50    Levada da Calheta – Ponta do Pargo to Ponta do Pargo
Walk 51    Levada da Calheta – Ponta do Pargo to Prazéres
Walk 52    Caminho Real: Prazéres to Paúl do Mar
Walk 53    Levada da Calheta – Ponta do Pargo to Lombo dos Faias
Walk 54    Levada da Calheta – Ponta do Sol to Ponta do Sol
Walk 55    Levada Nova and Levada do Moinho from Ponta do Sol
Walk 56    Levada Nova: Jangão to Ribeira Brava
Walk 57    Lombo do Mouro to Ribeira Brava

7 Porto Santo
Walk 58    Pico do Castelo, Pico do Facho and Pico Branco
Walk 59    Campo de Baixo, Bárbara Gomes and Eiras
Walk 60    Ponta, Pico de Ana Ferreira, Pico do Espigão and Calheta

Cruise to the Ilhas Desertas

Appendix A    Route summary table
Appendix B    Language notes
Appendix C    Useful contacts

Seasons

A year-round destination: hot and humid in the summer, cooler and a little wetter in winter.

Centres

Funchal, Ribeira Brava, Santana, Porto Moniz, Porto Santo

Difficulty

Routes for all abilities, from easy, level levada walks to very steep and rugged mountain paths. Some routes are mostly downhill. Adjacent routes can be linked to form longer walks.

Must See

Parque Natural da Madeira, Pico Ruivo, levadas, laurisilva forests, Ponta de São Lourenço

November 2024

Walk 17

November 2024

PR trail charge

September 2024

August 2024 forest fires

February 2024

Updates

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