Miradouro do Pico do Areeiro

• Outdoors
• From 3
• Children free
• Just turn up

The high mountains without the walk: you park at 1,818 metres and a short paved path takes a small child to the top of the island.

The terrace and the café are effectively step-free, and the paved ramp up to the radar dome is a few minutes with steps at the end - that is the whole of the family walk here, and it is enough. Where it stops being a family walk is the moment the path turns into PR1 towards Ninho da Manta: stone steps between unfenced drops on both sides, on a long hard route with no business having young children on it. There are toilets and a café at the top, which no other Madeiran viewpoint manages.

Worth knowing: Be there for sunrise or by nine: the car park fills, cars queue down the ER202, and it is often ten degrees colder than the coast, so coats even in August.

Opening hours

The operator publishes no opening hours. Phone before you drive.

Prices

Free to drive up and stand at the viewpoint. Paid parking and electronic entry control at the summit have been announced by the regional government, but neither the start date nor the tariff is published. PR1 from the same car park is 10.50 € a head over 12, booked on SIMplifica.

Season

Above the cloud most mornings and inside it most afternoons. In winter it is below freezing and the road closes for ice.

Getting there

Prices and opening times change without notice, and on this island they change often. Everything here carries the date it was checked in our research notes; if a place has moved or closed, tell us and we will fix it.