Free hikes in Madeira: no booking, no fee
Only 4 of Madeira’s 39 official walks are free: PR3, PR3.1, PR4, PR23, run by local councils. Every other PR, Balcões and Fanal included, needs a SIMplifica slot and most cost €4.50. Outside the official network, the Vereda do Larano and the Levada do Caniçal are free too.
The short answer
Free means one of two things: a PR run by a council instead of the IFCN, or a path that is not a PR at all.
- Best free day
- Pico do Arieiro down to Monte, 12.2 km
- Free official walks
- PR3, PR3.1, PR4, PR23
- Free, not official
- Vereda do Larano, Levada do Caniçal, Levada Nova
- Not free
- Balcões, Fanal trail, 25 Fontes: €4.50
The best free day: Pico do Arieiro down to Monte
Two council trails join up into 12.2 km and about 4 h 40 of walking, from the third-highest peak to the hill above Funchal. It is about 1,250 m down: easy on the lungs, hard on the knees. No car needed.
The 06:00 bus to Pico do Arieiro
From the Teleférico stop in Funchal, €3 paid on board, at the summit by 06:45. Reserve a seat by phone on +351 291 705 555, 2 to 7 working days before. The Arieiro bus.
Sunrise at the Juncal viewpoint
Free, and often above the clouds: the Miradouro do Juncal is past the radar station, away from the PR1 queue. Bring a warm, windproof layer: the summit is far colder than the coast.
PR3 Vereda do Burro
6.7 km, about 2 h 40, from the summit through mountain heath to the Funchal Ecological Park.
PR3.1 Caminho Real do Monte
5.5 km, about 2 h, on the old royal path down to Monte, past the Pico Alto viewpoint.
Cable car down to Funchal
€16 one way, 15 minutes, last car at 17:45. Monte guide.
Take the 06:00 bus: on the 13:30 one you reach Monte after the last cable car. I have not walked the PR3 and PR3.1 myself: times and distances are the IFCN’s and Visit Madeira’s. Bus: Horários do Funchal: Pico do Arieiro timetable (27/03/2026). Cable car: Madeira Cable Car: prices and schedule, checked 3 November 2026.
The 4 free official walks
Funchal council and the Caniço parish council run these, not the IFCN, so they are not on SIMplifica. Just turn up.
- PR3
Vereda do Burro
EasyPico do Arieiro → Ribeira das Cales
From just below Pico do Arieiro down through high-mountain vegetation to the Funchal Ecological Park.
- Distance
- 6.7 km
- Time
- 2 h 40
- Height
- 1,130–1,805 m
- Fee
- Free, no booking
Managed by Funchal council, outside the SIMplifica booking system.
- PR3.1
Caminho Real do Monte
ModerateRibeira das Cales → Monte
From the Funchal Ecological Park down to Monte, past the 1784 Levada das Cales and the Pico Alto viewpoint.
- Distance
- 5.5 km
- Time
- 2 h
- Height
- 550–1,130 m
- Fee
- Free, no booking
Managed by Funchal council, outside the SIMplifica booking system.
- PR4
Levada do Barreiro
EasyPoço da Neve → Casa do Barreiro
From Poço da Neve, an ice house built in 1813, along a levada with views over Funchal.
- Distance
- 6.7 km
- Time
- 2 h 10
- Height
- 975–1,650 m
- Fee
- Free, no booking
Partly open on the IFCN list of 2 November 2026. Only partially passable.
Managed by Funchal council, outside the SIMplifica booking system.
- PR23
Levada da Azenha
Not gradedAzenha → Caminho Velho do Castelo
A short levada walk in Caniço, managed by the parish council.
- Distance
- 1.3 km
- Time
- n/a
- Fee
- Free, no booking
Managed by the Caniço parish council, outside the SIMplifica booking system. No access point is published, so it is not on the map.
Source: IFCN: classified walking routes, updated 2 November 2026, and the IFCN fees FAQ: trails run by another entity are outside the booking system.
Free walks outside the official network
Not classified, so there is nothing to book or pay. The IFCN does not maintain them or publish their status: read recent reviews and skip them after heavy rain.
-
North-east coast, Machico
Vereda do Larano →
A cliff path from the Boca do Risco pass along the north coast: about 12 km one way, 4 to 5 h, moderate to difficult. Some stretches run along the cliff edge with no railings, so skip it with vertigo. In 10 of the 13 hiking guides we read, 4.8 on Tripadvisor. Good to know: Reviewers report no-parking signs and punctured tyres at the access: park in town.
-
Machico to Caniçal, east
Levada do Caniçal →
A fairly gentle levada from Maroços along the hillside towards Caniçal. Some narrow stretches, fenced where it matters. Good to know: Machico is next to the airport, so it fits a first or last day.
-
Lombada, Ponta do Sol
Levada do Moinho and Levada Nova →
A loop behind a waterfall, in 6 of the 13 guides. Easy and mostly flat, beside steep drops. Good to know: Do not park at the church: cars get towed.
-
Paul da Serra, north-west
Fanal clearing →
Not a hike, a wander among old til trees and grazing cows, a few steps from the car park. Good to know: Only the trails from Fanal (PR13, PR14) are booked and paid.
Not free, whatever you read online
Lists and AI answers call some of these free. They are IFCN trails: one slot per person on SIMplifica, paid, children 12 and under free but still booked.
| Walk | 2026 fee per person |
|---|---|
| PR11 Balcões viewpoint | €4.50 |
| PR13 Fanal trail from Paul da Serra | €4.50 |
| PR6 25 Fontes | €4.50 |
| PR8 Ponta de São Lourenço | €4.50 |
| PR9 Caldeirão Verde | €4.50 |
| PR1 Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo | €4.50 to Pedra Rija, €10.50 to Pico Ruivo |
Some lists name a PR26 or PR30 on Madeira: the IFCN list has no walks with those numbers. Several walks in one day cost €9 together, PR1 excluded. Fees: IFCN FAQ in English, updated 2 June 2026. How to book.
Questions about free hikes
Are there free hikes in Madeira?
Yes. 4 of the 39 classified walks need no booking or fee: PR3, PR3.1, PR4, PR23, run by local councils. Walks outside the official network, like the Vereda do Larano and the Levada do Caniçal, are free too.
Is the Balcões walk (PR11) free?
No. The PR11 is an IFCN trail: €4.50 a person and a timed slot on SIMplifica, like most classified walks. The Balcões walk.
Is Fanal free?
The clearing with the old trees is free and needs no booking. The PR13 trail from Paul da Serra to Fanal costs €4.50 and needs a SIMplifica slot. Our Fanal guide.
Do children pay for hikes in Madeira?
Not on the IFCN trails if they are 12 or under, but they still need their own slot on SIMplifica. On the free walks there is nothing to book for anyone.
What happens if you walk a booked trail without a slot?
Visit Madeira says you may be asked to leave the trail and could be fined. Book before you go: slots on the famous trails sell out in busy months. How to book on SIMplifica.
Want the free days and the paid trails in one plan?
Which walks suit your group, in the right order for your dates, with the slots, buses and drive times worked out.