Funchal to Santana
PR1 Vereda do Areeiro, Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo
The short answer
PR1 Vereda do Areeiro links Pico do Areeiro to Pico Ruivo along the central ridge, through tunnels and carved staircases. IFCN charges a fee and a booked timeslot through the SIMplifica portal. Beyond the Pedra Rija viewpoint the route is one way, and IFCN provides no transport back to the car park.
PR1 full route, per person over twelve
€10.50
Also covers PR1.1 and PR1.2 at no extra charge, and PR1.3 when it reopens.
IFCN, 2026 · check it · read August 26, 2026Pico do Areeiro to Pedra Rija and back
€4.50
A separate ticket. It is not upgraded to the full route.
IFCN, 2026 · check it · read August 26, 20264 more sourced figures on this page
The facts
| Where | Funchal to Santana |
|---|---|
| Type | Walks and levadas |
| How long | 3 hours |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Cost | €10.50 full route |
| Best season | Late spring to early autumn for the best chance of a clear ridge |
| Permit | Yes — book before you go |
What the walk actually is
The route runs 6.1 km, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 from the Pico do Areeiro viewpoint to Pico Ruivo, and the tourism board puts it at 3 hours, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026. It climbs and drops repeatedly between 1,491 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 and 1,857 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026, so the graded distance understates the work.
Three summits are involved: Pico do Areeiro at 1,818 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026, Pico das Torres at 1,851 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 and Pico Ruivo at 1,862 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026, the highest point in the archipelago. Much of the middle section is inside rock tunnels or on staircases hacked into the tuff.
The permit, and what it does not cover
Since 1 January 2026 every Classified Walking Route managed by IFCN needs a paid, dated timeslot booked through the SIMplifica portal. The full Areeiro to Ruivo route costs €10.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026, and that ticket also covers PR1.1 Vereda da Ilha and PR1.2 Vereda do Pico Ruivo at no extra charge, and PR1.3 Vereda da Encumeada when it reopens — its Boca das Torrinhas to Encumeada section is currently closed.
The short out-and-back to Miradouro da Pedra Rija is a separate, cheaper ticket at €4.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026. IFCN does not convert one into the other: a Pedra Rija ticket bought by mistake is not upgraded at the gate. Parking at the Pico do Areeiro viewpoint is charged separately at €4.00 per hour, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026.
The one-way problem
Past Pedra Rija the route is one way. It finishes at Pico Ruivo, and the only permitted exits from there are PR1.2 down to Achada do Teixeira or PR1.1 down to Ilha. Both end on the north side of the mountain, a long way by road from the car left at Pico do Areeiro.
IFCN states plainly that it provides no return transport. A second car, a booked taxi or a shuttle has to exist before the walk starts, not after. This is the single most common way the day goes wrong.
Weather, closures and refunds
The ridge sits above 1,491 m, source: Visit Madeira, read August 26, 2026 for its whole length, which is high enough that Funchal weather predicts nothing. The trail reopened on 1 May 2026 after a long closure and IFCN has run it daily since 26 June 2026, but the east branch through Pico das Torres remains shut and the west branch through the tunnels carries all the traffic.
Refunds exist only where IFCN or another competent authority officially closed the trail on the booked date. Rain, illness, a missed flight or a change of mind forfeit the fee.
What is not perfect about it
One way beyond Miradouro da Pedra Rija. From that point there is no turning back, the exit is at Pico Ruivo on the Santana side, and IFCN explicitly provides no return transport to Pico do Areeiro. The east branch via Pico das Torres is closed. Long staircases and severe exposure make it unsuitable for anyone with vertigo.
Questions people actually ask
Can you turn back on PR1?
Not beyond Miradouro da Pedra Rija. Up to that point the route is an out-and-back and the cheaper €4.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 ticket covers it. Past it, the route is one way to Pico Ruivo.
Does the PR1 ticket cover Pico Ruivo?
Yes. The €10.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 full-route ticket also covers PR1.1 and PR1.2 with no extra fee, and PR1.3 when it reopens. That last condition matters: PR1.3 is the Encumeada descent, its lower section is closed, so the exits from Pico Ruivo available today are PR1.1 and PR1.2.
What happens if the weather is bad on the booked day?
The fee is forfeited. IFCN refunds or reschedules only when the trail was officially closed or restricted on the booked date, and requests have to be made within ten working days.
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.
- IFCN: Percursos Pedestres Recomendados — registo e estado dos percursos. 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 Vereda do Areeiro. visitmadeira.com/en/what-to-do/nature-seekers/activities/h Read August 26, 2026.
- Visit Madeira: Pico do Areeiro. visitmadeira.com/en/where-to-go/madeira/madeira-peaks/pico Read August 26, 2026.
- Visit Madeira: Pico Ruivo. visitmadeira.com/en/where-to-go/madeira/north-coast/santan Read August 26, 2026.