Madeira Hiking, Trail Running resources

Madeira has a crazy amount of trails to choose from with a variety of difficulty levels. Some of these trails are famous, being featured on ads or Instagram reels and some are not so much. That’s why there is a big difference in how crowded these trails are.

There are 20+ local-recommended routes. These are numbered with PR <some number>. These are frequently maintained, have thorough signage on the path, have parking spaces at their trailheads and are easy to navigate and get information on thanks to the government website.

But these are not the only possible trails you can follow. There are plenty of other paths you might stumble upon if you go exploring. But since Madeira is an island of heavy rain which makes the soil very soft and prone to landslides and there are scary cliffs everywhere, it is recommended to not be too reckless when exploring.

The local-recommended trails list: https://ifcn.madeira.gov.pt/atividades-de-natureza/percursos-pedestres-recomendados/percursos-pedestres-recomendados.html

Due to heavy rains, rock falls or maintenance some trails might be closed. It is a good idea to check whether the trail you want to walk is open on the government website linked above. These closures are serious. People have gotten stranded in tunnels, got injured badly or even lost their lives when they ignored the warnings. So please don’t attempt closed trails.