The third-highest peak on the island, 1,818 metres up, where you stand above the clouds.
A road runs all the way to the summit, which makes Arieiro the easiest place on Madeira to watch the sun rise over a sea of cloud. On a clear morning the central peaks stand out of the white like islands.
From here the PR1 trail crosses ridges, stairways and tunnels to Pico Ruivo, the island's highest point at 1,862 metres. It is one of the great walks of Europe and a hard one.
A tipIt is cold and windy at the top even in August, so bring a jacket. Trails can close after storms or fires: check the status with the regional forestry institute (IFCN) before you set out.
- Altitude1,818 m
- From Funchalabout 45 minutes by car
- Trail to Pico RuivoPR1, about 7 km each way, demanding
At the end of the route, in Funchal, four artists draw whatever you bring back from the island: a place, a flower, a word, a set of coordinates.
Peaks, sun and a whale
The mountains and the ocean of the island in one frame.
The mountain line
The ridge you walked, in a single line.