💭 Thinking
How this was derived · 3 steps
- Vereda das Funduras 3.9 Directions
- Vereda da Ponta de S. Lourenço 4.7 Directions
Community route (mapped on AllTrails) — not part of Madeira's official PR trail network managed by IFCN, the regional government's forests and nature-conservation authority, so it has no official open/closed status and no maintenance/signage guarantee. Check access and conditions locally before going.
| Difficulty | Hard |
| Length | 4.2 km (loop) |
| Estimated time | 2.5 – 3 hours |
| Area | Madeira Natural Park |
| Community rating | ★ 4.4 from 171 hiker reviews on AllTrails ↗ |
| Trailhead elevation | ~273 m (Pico do Facho viewpoint) |
The loop starts at the Miradouro do Pico do Facho picnic area, north of Machico, which gives sweeping views over the Machico valley, the central peaks of the island, the Desertas Islands, and Ponta de São Lourenço.
Pico do Facho itself has historical significance — in the past, large bonfires (facho = beacon/torch) were lit here to alert the population to the approach of enemy ships.
From the summit, the trail descends through paths leading down toward Machico beach and the Forte de Nossa Senhora do Amparo, a small triangular fort whose seaward angle faces the ocean, with a Baroque pediment over its landward gatehouse. The route then loops back along the Machico stream and seafront.
- By car: Directions to the trailhead ↗
- The nearest official PR trailhead is PR 5 – Vereda das Funduras (Portela → Maroços), about 11 minutes' drive away.
| Trail | Distance from Machico | Difficulty | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| PR 5 – Vereda das Funduras | ~7 km / 11 min drive | Moderate | 8.7 km |
| PR 8 – Vereda da Ponta de S. Lourenço | ~11 km / 15 min drive | Moderate | 4 km (+ 4 km return) |
Since this is a community route with no IFCN open/closed status, it's wise to check conditions locally. Want me to check the mountain weather forecast and IPMA warnings for the day you're planning to go?





