If you’ve been following along on my social media, you might have seen that last week I was given a challenge that felt almost impossible: keeping two never-tired German Shepherds entertained in Funchal. It was exhausting, no doubt, but it also turned into something really positive. It pushed me to get back into hiking closer to the city, explore a few new trails, and revisit some that I hadn’t done in a while. And honestly, it reminded me of something we often forget. We get so focused on the “big” hikes on Madeira, driving an hour to 25 Fontes or heading all the way to São Lourenço, that we overlook how much nature we have right outside the city. There are so many beautiful, easy-to-reach trails near Funchal.

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Over the past week, I tried quite a few of them. Here are my three favorites. Perfect if you’re looking for a quick nature escape without a long drive.

1. Pico Alto Sunrise Hike

I’m starting with one of my favorite viewpoints over Funchal. I had done Pico Alto before, but always during the day. This time, I decided to go for sunrise, mainly because it fit better into my work schedule, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions. I followed the PR3.1 trail starting in Terreiro da Luta, where you can park along the road. The trail climbs steadily uphill, first through forest and then gradually opening up to wider views as you reach around 1100 meters above Funchal.

It’s a short hike, about 30 to 40 minutes each way, but incredibly rewarding. I didn’t meet a single person on the way up, and reaching the viewpoint just as the sun started rising behind the mountains felt pretty special. Having that view all to myself made it even better.

• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Starting Point: Terreiro da Luta
• Parking: parallel parking along the street

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2. Parque Ecológico do Funchal

I feel like this place is still very underrated. Many people visit Madeira and don’t even realize that there’s a huge ecological park right above Funchal with some really great trails. The park is home to the PR3 and PR4 routes, but also has plenty of smaller paths, including a biodiversity trail where you can learn about native plants. It’s one of those places where you can just wander and see where you end up.

This time, I stayed close to the visitor center (there’s parking there) and did a relaxed one-hour loop with Max. The trails are well maintained, and along the way you’ll spot peacocks wandering around. And yes, there’s even a café next to the visitor center, plus donkeys just a little further up the hill. With the variety of trails, facilities, and little extras, this is also a great option if you’re traveling with family.

• Difficulty: Easy
• Starting Point: Parque Ecologico do Funchal – Visitor Center (Ribeira das Cales)
• Parking: small parking lot by the visitor center, more parking available at the Café

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3. Levada do Norte (Cabo Girão Area)

Levada do Norte has been getting more popular recently, but it’s still far less crowded than many other levadas on the island. I like starting this walk near Cabo Girão, which is already on most people’s itinerary anyway. This time, we started just below the viewpoint and followed Vereda das Furnas for a short stretch until it connects to the levada.

From there, you get beautiful open views towards the southwest over Campanário. We followed the levada for a while before turning back, but you can easily extend the walk. There’s also a short tunnel along this route. It’s well maintained, but I’d recommend bringing a flashlight just in case. On the other side, the views shift, opening up towards Câmara de Lobos and Funchal, and on clear days you can even spot the Desertas Islands in the distance.

For our shorter walk, we looped back towards Cabo Girão using a smaller levada on the other side of the tunnel – Levada do Facho. If you want something longer, you can continue east along Levada do Norte all the way to Estreito de Câmara de Lobos.

What I love about this levada is how flexible it is. Easy to walk, great views, and different route options depending on your mood. And for now, still relatively quiet.

• Difficulty: Easy
• Starting point: Cabo Girao
• Parking: a few parking spaces available at Cabo Girao, and more along the street

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There are plenty more levadas and trails around Funchal that are just as worth exploring. If you’re looking for more ideas, you can check out my other posts or follow along for more updates.

If you want a full overview of the best PR trails on the island, including tips, routes, and how to reach them (even by bus), have a look at my PR Trails Guide.