Santana
PR1.2 Vereda do Pico Ruivo, the short way to the highest point
The short answer
PR1.2 Vereda do Pico Ruivo climbs from the road end at Achada do Teixeira to the summit of Pico Ruivo, the highest point in the Madeira archipelago. It is an out-and-back on a made path, needs a booked IFCN timeslot, and is included free with a full PR1 ticket.
Trail fee, per person over twelve
€4.50
Booked as a dated timeslot on the SIMplifica portal. Free for ages twelve and under, who still have to be on the booking.
IFCN, 2026 · check it · read August 26, 2026PR1 full route ticket
€10.50
Covers PR1.1 and PR1.2 as well, and PR1.3 when it reopens.
IFCN, 2026 · check it · read August 26, 20263 more sourced figures on this page
Chao do Areeiro, January mean daily maximum
8.7 °C
Derived from the stated observation and anomaly in the IPMA regional bulletin.
IPMA, 1991–2020 normal · check it · read August 26, 2026The facts
| Where | Santana |
|---|---|
| Type | Walks and levadas |
| How long | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Cost | €4.50 |
| Best season | Year round, with the clearest air in summer and early autumn |
| Permit | Yes — book before you go |
The route
The path runs 2.8 km, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 each way from the car park at Achada do Teixeira to the summit shelter, and the tourism board gives 1 hour 30 minutes, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 for the round trip. It is a made path with steps, not a scramble, and it barely changes altitude between 1,852 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 and 1,857 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 until the final climb.
The summit is 1,862 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026, the third-highest point in Portugal. There is no road to it. Every approach is a Classified Walking Route with a fee attached.
Fee and booking
PR1.2 is managed by IFCN, so it costs €4.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 and needs a dated timeslot booked on SIMplifica before travel. Nobody sells tickets at the trailhead, at IFCN offices or anywhere else physical.
Anyone holding the €10.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 full PR1 ticket already has PR1.2 covered, because it is one of the two permitted exits from the summit after the one-way ridge walk.
What it is actually like up there
Above the treeline the vegetation is heath and rock, and there is nothing between the path and the wind. In January the mean daily maximum at the mountain station is 8.7 °C, source: IPMA, 1991–2020 normal, read August 26, 2026 against 20.0 °C, source: IPMA, 1991–2020, read August 26, 2026 on the Funchal seafront, so a comfortable morning in the city is not a comfortable morning here.
On a clear day the view runs to the Desertas and Porto Santo. On a bad day it is the inside of a cloud, and the walk is still exactly as long.
What is not perfect about it
This is by far the easiest way to stand on the highest point in the archipelago, which is exactly why it is busy. The path runs above the treeline the whole way with no shelter, and cold, wind and cloud arrive fast while Funchal stays warm.
Questions people actually ask
Is there a road to Pico Ruivo?
No. Every approach is on foot along a Classified Walking Route, and the shortest of them, PR1.2, is still 2.8 km, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 each way from the road end at Achada do Teixeira.
Is PR1.2 included in the PR1 ticket?
Yes. The €10.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 full PR1 ticket covers PR1.1 and PR1.2 at no extra charge, and PR1.3 when it reopens. Bought on its own, PR1.2 costs €4.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026.
Is it suitable for children?
It is a made path with steps rather than exposed scrambling. Children aged twelve and under pay nothing but still have to appear on the SIMplifica booking.
Where this came from
- IFCN: Percursos Pedestres Classificados — taxas e reservas (FAQ). ifcn.madeira.gov.pt/pt/atividades-de-natureza/percursos-pedes Read August 26, 2026.
- Governo Regional da Madeira: SIMplifica — reserva de percursos pedestres classificados. simplifica.madeira.gov.pt/services/78-82-259 Read August 26, 2026.
- Visit Madeira: PR1.2 Vereda do Pico Ruivo. visitmadeira.com/en/what-to-do/nature-seekers/activities/h Read August 26, 2026.
- Visit Madeira: Pico Ruivo. visitmadeira.com/en/where-to-go/madeira/north-coast/santan Read August 26, 2026.
- IPMA: Boletim Climatológico da Região Autónoma da Madeira — January 2026. ipma.pt/resources.www/docs/im.publicacoes/edicoes Read August 26, 2026.
- IPMA: Normais climatológicas 1991–2020 — Funchal, Observatório (estação 522). ipma.pt/bin/file.data/climate-normal/cn_91-20_FUN Read August 26, 2026.