Madeira · 43 trails
Best Summit Hikes in Madeira
This list is ranked by distance, not by today. Which of these is the best walk right now depends on the weather, the crowds, and the light on the day you go.
The high routes: Pico do Arieiro, Pico Ruivo and the exposed ridges between them, with big ascent, real exposure and sea-of-cloud sunrises above the island.
See also best hikes in Madeira · all Madeira levada walks and trails · Easy Levada Walks · Waterfall Hikes · Coastal Walks · Forest & Laurisilva Trails · Family-Friendly Walks · Which trails are free
The 43 walks, shortest first
The numbers are the order of this list, shortest first, not a verdict on which walk is better. Each distance is the one shown on that walk's own page: the official panel figure where the route is a classified one, and the council or recorded figure where it is not.
- 1
Vereda do Pico Ruivo do PaúlV-PICOPAUL
- 2
Caminho Real nº23 Achada do GramachoCR23
- 3
Levada do Paul IIPR6.8
- 4
Vereda do Pico do FachoPS-FACHO
- 5
Rota do Pico de Ana FerreiraV-ANAFERREIRA
- 6
Vereda da Penha de ÁguiaV-PENHA
- 7
Caminho Real do Paul do MarPR19
- 8
Pequena Rota do FanalV-FANALLOOP
- 9
Vereda da Eira do SerradoV-EIRASERRADO
- 10
Vereda da Boca dos NamoradosV-NAMORADOS
- 11
Vereda da Ribeira do NatalV-RIBNATAL
- 12
Vereda do Pico Branco e Terra ChãPS-PR1
- 13
Vereda do Pico RuivoPR1.2
- 14
Levada das RabaçasL-RABACAS
- 15
Vereda do Pico do CasteloPS-PR2
- 16
Circuito da Bica da CanaV-BICACANA
- 17
Levada do AlecrimPR6.2
- 18
Vereda do Pico FernandesPR6.5
- 19
Vereda da Ponta de São LourençoPR8
- 20
Levada do Pico do CasteloPS-PR3
- 21
Caminho Real do MontePR3.1
- 22
Levada do CaniçoL-CANIÇO
- 23
Vereda do Pico CastanhoV-PICOCASTANHO
- 24
Vereda do LaranoV-LARANO
- 25
Glaciar de PlanaltoPR27
- 26
Vereda do Pico GrandeV-PICOGRANDE
- 27
Levada do BarreiroPR4
- 28
Vereda da CavacaV-CAVACA
- 29
Vereda do AreeiroPR1
- 30
Levada dos PiornaisL-PIORNAIS
- 31
Vereda da Fajã da NogueiraV-FNOGUEIRA
- 32
Vereda do BurroPR3
- 33
Vereda da IlhaPR1.1
- 34
Vereda das FundurasPR5
- 35
Vereda da Terra ChãV-TERRACHA
- 36
Vereda do UrzalPR2
- 37
Levada do BlandyL-BLANDY
- 38
Vereda do FanalPR13
- 39
Levada do FuradoPR10
- 40
Vereda da EncumeadaPR1.3
- 41
Caminho Real da EncumeadaPR12
- 42
Caminho do Pináculo e FolhadalPR17
- 43
Levada da Serra de ÁguaL-SERRAAGUA
Frequently asked questions
How many summit hikes are there in Madeira, and how long are they?
43 walks are on this list, from 0.9 km to 17.1 km. The shortest is Vereda do Pico Ruivo do Paúl, the longest is Levada da Serra de Água. Each distance is the one shown on that walk's own page, and the list is numbered in that order, shortest first.
How hard are Madeira's summit hikes?
Of the 43 walks here, 8 are graded easy and 20 hard, and 26 climb less than 300 m. The grade comes from the route itself: how long it is, how much it climbs and how exposed it gets. It says nothing about the weather on the day you walk.
Do Madeira summit hikes need a booking?
17 of the 43 walks here need a SIMplifica timed-slot booking, made in advance. The other 26 do not. Each trail page states which one you are looking at.
All of those bookings go through one government portal, with its own slot rules, refund deadline and price. See what SIMplifica costs and how to book.
Are Madeira's summit hikes official IFCN routes?
22 of the 43 walks here are officially classified IFCN routes, and 21 are council or community paths outside that classification. The classification decides which body manages the route and publishes its official status, not how good the walk is.