Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo (PR1) - Madeira

Pico Ruivo is Madeira’s tallest mountain with epic panoramic views of the entire island and famous for having some of the best sunrise vistas in the world! The only way to get there is by hiking the famous PR1 trail from Pico do Areeiro where the trail snakes around the side of the steep mountains where you will be surrounded by dramatic peaks and lush green valleys.

Where is Pico Ruivo Located

Pico Ruivo is located in central Madeira in the heart of the island 17km from the capital Funchal.

TRAVEL TIP: Currently the trail partially closed and is only open for about 800m until the first tunnel from Pico do Areeiro. If you wish to hike to Pico Ruivo you need to start and end in Achada do Tixeira (check out the Alltrails map above for details).

How to get to Pico Ruivo

The Trail starts from Pico do Areeiro where there is a carpark, viewpoint and some shops.

Car: Just a 30 minute drive(17km) from Funchal. There is a small carpark near the summit of Pico do Areeiro and another larger overflow carpark about 500m down the road. You will need to arrive early to snag a spot at the main car park.

Bus: You can catch a bus from Funchal to Pico do Areeiro from the bus depot near the teleferico station. Currently there are 2 busses per day going out to Pico do Areeiro at 06:00 and 13:30 and 2 returning at 12:00 and 19:00 (during winter 18:00). The price is 3 euro each way.

You can find out more information here

When is the best time to visit Pico Ruivo

The temperatures here can be much colder than the rest of Madeira especially early mornings and in the evening. So be sure to bring along some warmer clothes.

Summer (June–September): The peak tourist season with dry and warm weather with temperatures averaging between 9 °C (48 °F) – 18 °C (64 °F).
Spring and Autumn: Shoulder season with milder weather and temperatures averaging between 5 °C (41 °F) – 16 °C (61 °F).
Winter (December–February): Low season with the most rain and milder weather with temperatures averaging between 5 °C (41 °F) – 11 °C (53 °F).

Our Verdict: Shoulder or peak season is the best weather wise. To get the classic views of being above the clouds it’s best to arrive early morning around sunrise.

Where to stay

You can easily drive from Funchal or take the bus. So anywhere around Funchal or central Madeira like Valley of the Nuns or Ribeiro Frio. We stayed in Ribeiro Frio and it was only a 20 minute drive from there.

Tips for your visit

Check ahead of time to see if the trail is open as there was recently a wildfire that closed the trail and from time to time rock falls will damaged the trail and require repair.
If you wish to arrive for sunrise set off at about 3:30am we left at about 4 and it was not quite early enough. The trail was also damp making the steps slippery slowing down our progress and as well as being pitch black which slows you down even more.

Pico Ruivo Trail Summary

• Distance: 12km
• Time needed: 5 hours
• Difficulty: Strenuous
• Route type: Out and back
• Elevation gain: 671m

What to pack

Warm clothes, Rain Jacket, Sunscreen, Sunglasses, Water, Snacks

Our Experience

We set out early at 4am from the Pico do Areeiro carpark hoping to catch the sunrise at Pico Ruivo. It was cold, dark and a light misty rain that made the millions of stairs hard to navigate especially in the dark. We made as much ground as we could but as luck would have it at about 3/4 through the trail after a steep climb we crossed over the mountain range to then follow along the eastern side of the mountain. This happened to be the moment the sun started to rise and we got to witness one of the most magical sunrises we have ever seen! The warm yellow glow illuminated the valley and the mountains and it was just spectacular.

After taking in the sunrise we made the final push to the Pico Ruivo summit where there is 2 viewpoints that give you 360 panoramic views of the Island a truly spectacular pace. You can see the Atlantic ocean and the green jagged peaks that make up the islands interior and also Pico do Areeiro where we started.

After taking in the views at the summit we made our way back along the trail to Pico do Areerio was completely dark in the morning and now we could see it all in its glory. And it was fantastic, the trail is very thin and hugs the side of the mountains as it snakes its way around the steep mountians to Pico do Areeiro. The views here are incredibly dramatic where you are surrounded by jagged peaks and lush valleys truly amazing and to think we hiked through here not knowing what the dark was hiding!

Near the end of the trail there is a couple of viewpoints and loads more people who are visiting Pico do Arreiro especially around the “Stairway to heaven” a section where the trail goes across the top of the thin ridge with steep cliffs on both sides.

Finally we made it back to where it all begun at Pico do Areeiro! From the summit there is a viewing platform and a radar station that looks like a giant golf ball. If you fancy there is food available as well as a gift shop.