Pico do Areeiro is one of the most popular places in Madeira—and also one of the places I receive the most questions about. Do you have to hike to see the sunrise? Where is the famous Stairway to Heaven? Which PR1 ticket do you need? And if the trail is… Read More »Visiting Pico do Arieiro: Sunrise, Stairway to Heaven, and PR1 Tickets
Every time I hike in Madeira, I see people on the trails who are simply not prepared. They are wearing unsuitable shoes, starting far too late, unsure of where they are going, or with no real understanding of how long the trail will take them. Honestly, that is probably because… Read More »What to Check Before Hiking in Madeira
If you’ve spent more than five minutes researching Madeira, you’ve probably already come across Fanal Forest. The ancient, twisted trees, rolling fog, and almost surreal atmosphere have made it one of the island’s most photographed places. It’s the kind of location that feels like it belongs in a fantasy movie… Read More »Fanal Forest: Can you still visit Madeira’s Fairytale Forest?
PR1 finally reopened earlier this year, and it immediately shot to the top of everyone’s Madeira itinerary. The trail is often booked out weeks in advance, and many people now plan their entire trip around securing one of the limited reservation slots. If you’re one of the lucky ones who… Read More »How to return from Pico Ruivo after hiking PR 1
Some hikes never lose their magic, no matter how many times you do them. For me, Eagle’s Rock (Penha d’Águia) is one of those hikes. It was one of the very first hikes I did when I first visited Madeira, and since then I’ve returned countless times. Every single time,… Read More »My climb up Madeira’s Iconic Eagle’s Rock (Penha d’Águia)
I’ll be honest: PR 2 wasn’t love at first hike. Madeira has no shortage of spectacular trails, and for a long time this one quietly sat in the background while more famous routes grabbed all the attention. But the more I hiked it, the more it grew on me. This… Read More »PR2: a spectacular trail from the South to the North
After almost two years, Madeira’s most famous hike is finally back. The PR1 Vereda do Areeiro trail was heavily affected by the wildfires in summer 2024 and closed for a long period of restoration work. Since the reopening at the beginning of May, getting a reservation has honestly felt harder… Read More »PR1 Madeira Reopened: Everything You Need to Know About the Famous Peak to Peak Trail
I’m currently traveling through the US for two weeks and honestly… it made me appreciate Madeira itinerary planning so much more. Before this trip, I spent hours researching places, saving locations, organizing routes, and building what I thought was a decent itinerary. But somehow, we still ended up spending huge… Read More »How to plan your Madeira itinerary (without feeling overwhelmed)
Madeira is often called a hiking paradise and honestly, it lives up to the hype. Most itineraries include at least some of the popular levada walks or mountain hikes. But what if you don’t feel like hiking every single day? Or the weather just doesn’t cooperate, which happens more often… Read More »What to do in Madeira (besides hiking)
If you’re coming to Madeira, chances are hiking is at the top of your list. And rightly so. With hundreds of trails spread all across the island, it’s one of the best hiking destinations in Europe. But once you start planning, the same questions always come up: how do you… Read More »The best transport options for hiking trails in Madeira
