invme Place
Everywhere
All cities · Everywhere →
EN
ENEnglish RURussian FRFrench DEGerman ITItalian ESSpanish PTPortuguese PT-BRBrazilian Portuguese ES-MXLatin American Spanish FR-CACanadian French EN-GBBritish English UKUkrainian PLPolish JAJapanese NLDutch KOKorean SVSwedish DADanish NBNorwegian FIFinnish CSCzech HEHebrew ELGreek ZH-HANTTraditional Chinese HUHungarian RORomanian HRCroatian SKSlovak SLSlovenian ETEstonian LVLatvian LTLithuanian BGBulgarian TRTurkish

Pico do Arieiro

Mountains & peaks ·Funchal
4.77.0K
#6Things to do in FunchalTravelers' Choice 2026
Make a plan here
Directions Bookmark

Sign up free — See who's going and message them.

About

Pico do Arieiro is Madeira’s third-highest mountain, rising to 1,818 metres in the island’s mountainous interior.

More photos 11

1 / 11
Pico do Arieiro — Narrow ridge path climbing through clouds toward a rocky summit Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 3.0 · edited
Pico do Arieiro — Narrow ridge path climbing through clouds toward a rocky summitPico do Arieiro — Sunlit jagged mountain ridges dropping into a deep green valleyPico do Arieiro — Layered reddish rock peak rising above steep mountain slopesPico do Arieiro — Sharp green ridges and rocky peaks beneath drifting cloudsPico do Arieiro — Rugged mountain range with sheer cliffs and scattered cloudsPico do Arieiro — Stone summit path and wooden railing among high mountain peaksPico do Arieiro — Rocky summit trail with railings and distant mountain viewsPico do Arieiro — Mountain slopes above a broad sea of cloudsPico do Arieiro — Dark mountain cliffs overlooking clouds from the summitPico do Arieiro — Deep mountain valley partly filled with cloudsPico do Arieiro — Cloudy blue gorge seen from a steep green mountainside

Why go

  • On clear days, Porto Santo is visible 48 kilometres to the northeast.
  • Endemic Madeira viper’s bugloss bears blue-violet flower spikes up to 45 centimetres long.

The trail

route
Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo via Pico das Torres
length
10 km
ascent
1,000 m
duration
3–3½ hours to the Pico Ruivo summit marker
difficulty
Strenuous
middle section
Only the western route through the Pico das Torres tunnel is currently available. The eastern ridge route has been permanently closed since 2018 following slope collapses.

Season and conditions

  • The mountain has a cool Mediterranean climate.
  • Heavy precipitation often arrives as drizzle and fog.
  • Spring arrives late at this altitude.

Safety

  • Bring a flashlight and suitable clothing for the route’s mountain tunnels.
  • The route requires fitness and comfort with heights, despite its secured sections.
  • Snow and ice can briefly make the access road slippery in winter.

What you see

  • On clear days, views take in Madeira’s north and south coasts, Ponta de São Lourenço and Curral das Freiras.

What's in season

  • May – JunScotch broom blooms on the rocky slopes.

Photo spots

  • Summit dome and lookoutThe military dome and lookout stand at the summit.At the summit

Facilities

  • Car park Two large car parks sit below the summit.
  • Café or cafeteria A cafeteria with a souvenir shop sits below the summit.
  • Restaurant A restaurant is located at the peak.

History

Pico do Arieiro’s recorded history here is tied to its ancient geological formations and the later changes that made the ridge route more manageable.

  1. PlioceneThe mountain’s geological formations date to between 5.3 and 3.6 million years ago.
  2. Until the 1960sThe route toward Pico Ruivo remained a mountaineering feat until secured ridge stairways and the Pico do Gato tunnel made it more manageable for fit hikers comfortable with heights.
  3. 2011A Portuguese Air Force air defence radar station was built near the summit facilities.

How to get there

  • CarRoad access reaches the summit from Funchal and from Poiso Pass.
  • BikeCyclists ride up the mountain from Funchal.

Shorts

Sources: Pico do Areeiro - Wikipedia · Pico do Arieiro - Wikipedia · Pico do Areeiro - Wikipedia · Pico do Areeiro (Madeira) - Wikipedia · checked 29 Sep 2026

Where
E 202, Funchal

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

Can cyclists ride up Pico do Arieiro from Funchal?

Yes. Cyclists ride up the mountain from Funchal.

Is Pico do Arieiro Madeira’s most visited summit?

Yes. It is Madeira’s most visited summit.

Is there a conservation centre near Pico do Arieiro?

A Madeira freira conservation centre stands near the summit.

How invme works
  1. See who's going — faces, not ticket counts.
  2. Write to someone who shares your interests — no swipes, no matches, no paywall.
  3. Pick the event or the place to meet at — and go together.
Join free

Reviews on invme

Sign in to review
Comment Share
Loading comments…