PR 8 · Madeira
Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço
The bare red-and-ochre peninsula at the eastern tip, with the Atlantic on both sides and not a tree in sight.
- Distance 4 km
- Walking time 2 h 30
- Highest point 126 m
- Difficulty Moderate
- Route There and back
Official figures. Walking times are moving times: they assume you never stop.
The route
The walk
Everything green stops at the Caniçal tunnel. After it the island turns red, ochre and black, and drops into the sea on both sides.
This peninsula is the oldest bit of Madeira above water and the driest. Nothing grows above knee height, so there is no shade anywhere on the route, none at all. The wind comes straight off the Atlantic with nothing in the way, and a few times a year it is strong enough that they shut the trail.
The path goes up and down along the spine. North side rough, south side calm, often at the same time, which never stops being strange to look at.
At the far end there is a house with a garden and a small café, Casa do Sardinha. That is the only building and the only water on the whole route, so do not count on it being open.
Two and a half hours there and back. Go early or go late.
No shade at all, and the strongest wind on the island. It closes the trail several times a year. Steep unfenced drops at the narrow points.
Before you go
Where to park
Free car park at Baía d'Abra, at the end of the ER 109 past Caniçal. Full by mid-morning in season, and the overflow parks along the road in.
Getting back
Back the way you came, to the same car park.
By bus
Line 702 (formerly 113) from Funchal (Avenida do Mar) runs out to Baía d'Abra and takes around an hour and a half. Check the timetable both ways before relying on it — the last one back is earlier than you would like.
What to bring
A hat and much more water than 4 km sounds like. One small café at the far end, and nothing before it.
When to go
Two and a half hours there and back. Early or late. Midday here in summer is rough, and the light is better at both ends anyway.
Toilets, water and food
At Casa do Sardinha, near the far end: toilets for a small charge, drinking water and a café that opens mid-morning. Nothing whatsoever before that, so if you start at eight you carry everything.
In the app
Everything for the day you walk PR 8
- You, on the line The whole trail on the map with your position on it, from the car park to the end.
- No signal needed Kept on your phone for the valleys and tunnels where the network goes.
- Today's free slots Every half hour of the day, live from SIMplifica, and booking in a tap.
- A timer for the walk Private, it counts from the trailhead and stops by itself at the end.
- To do, and done Mark the walks you want to do and the ones you have walked.
- Open or closed, every morning The IFCN status on every trail, read again each day.
Questions people ask
Is PR 8 open today?
Yes. The IFCN lists PR 8 (Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço) as open.
Do I need a licence for PR 8?
Yes. Every visitor over twelve books an entry slot on SIMplifica, the regional government's portal, before walking, and pays €4.50. Madeira residents, children aged twelve and under and people with a disability of 60% or more do not pay, but still register.
How long does PR 8 take?
The official walking time is 2 h 30 for 4 km. It is a moving time that assumes you never stop, so allow more for photographs, food and rests.
Where do I park for PR 8?
Free car park at Baía d'Abra, at the end of the ER 109 past Caniçal. Full by mid-morning in season, and the overflow parks along the road in.
How do I get back after PR 8?
Back the way you came, to the same car park.
Can I get to PR 8 by bus?
Line 702 (formerly 113) from Funchal (Avenida do Mar) runs out to Baía d'Abra and takes around an hour and a half. Check the timetable both ways before relying on it — the last one back is earlier than you would like.
Checked against
- Visit Madeira, official trail sheet PR 8 (4 km, 2:30, moderate, 23–126 m)
- IFCN / SIMplifica (licence and fee)
- Bus 113 and the Casa do Sardinha facilities cross-checked across several 2026 trail guides; fares and opening times change, so neither is quoted precisely
Status as the IFCN publishes it. This page was last rebuilt on 15 October at 07:00, Madeira time. Trails close without warning after storms: check again on the morning you walk.
Guides that mention this trail
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