All guides
Ponta de São Lourenço
Red cliffs, no trees, and the driest corner of the island — 25 minutes from the office.
The eastern tip looks like it belongs to a different island: bare, wind-scoured, ochre and rust instead of green. It is the closest headline walk to our office.
The PR8 trail runs roughly 8 km there and back, two to three hours at a normal pace. It is exposed the whole way — there is no shade at all.
Practical notes:
- Start before 09:00 in summer, or leave it until late afternoon
- Carry more water than you think, there is nowhere to buy any on the trail
- The car park at Baía d'Abra is small; by mid-morning cars queue along the access road
- Sturdy shoes — the last section is loose rock and drops away on both sides
More island guides
45 min from our office
Pico do Arieiro
Sunrise above the clouds at 1,818 m — the drive most people remember longest.
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.