Pico do Arieiro
Sunrise above the clouds at 1,818 m — the drive most people remember longest.
Madeira's third-highest peak, and the only one you can drive to the top of. The road climbs from sea level to 1,818 metres in about 45 minutes, which is exactly why we push people towards the automatic.
Go for sunrise. Leave Santa Cruz around 05:30 in summer, an hour later in winter. Above roughly 1,200 m you break through the cloud layer and the island turns into islands.
Practical notes:
- Dress for 10°C colder than the coast, and add wind on top of that
- The car park fills by 06:15 in August — arrive early or park lower and walk up
- The ER202 is occasionally closed in bad weather; check before you set off
- There is a café at the top, but it opens later than the sunrise crowd arrives
More island guides
25 min from our office
Ponta de São Lourenço
Red cliffs, no trees, and the driest corner of the island — 25 minutes from the office.
20 min from our office
Funchal
The capital, the old town and the market — 20 minutes down the coast.
1h 15min from our office
Porto Moniz
Volcanic rock pools on the north-west corner — the island's best long drive.