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Tell me about the PR 2 Vereda do Pico do Castelo hike in Madeira
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The user is asking about the PR 2 Vereda do Pico do Castelo hike in Madeira. Let me look this up using the find_hikes tool.The search returned 0 results. Let me try a broader search - maybe the trail name needs to be simpler, or I should search for "Pico do Castelo" specifically, which is on Porto Santo island.I have the trail details for PR 2 Vereda do Pico do Castelo. Let me compile the information: - PR 2 - Vereda do Pico do Castelo - Region: Porto Santo - Route: Moledo – Pico do Castelo - Distance: 3.2 km / 4.6 km (the two distances likely refer to shorter vs longer variants) - Difficulty: Easy (official) - though AllTrails rates it "hard" - Duration: 2:15 hours (official) - Start point: Moledo - End point: Canhão Viewpoint - Max altitude: 435 m - Min altitude: 225 m - Access fee: €4.50 for visitors > 12 years, free for ≤ 12 years (via SIMplifica portal) - AllTrails: 4.6★ from 43 reviews, 105 photos, rated "hard" by community, loop route, estimated 3.5–4 hr - Managing entity: IFCN The note says not to state open/closed status since this is evergreen, and to tell readers to check current status on openmadeira.org. Let me write a comprehensive answer about this trail. It's on Porto Santo island, not Madeira islanditself.
How this was derived · 3 steps
TrailsMap & photos
Vereda do Pico do Castelo6 photos
Vereda do Pico do CasteloVereda do Pico do CasteloVereda do Pico do CasteloVereda do Pico do CasteloVereda do Pico do CasteloVereda do Pico do Castelo
Photos: walkmeguide.com ↗
Official PR trail (IFCN) Community route (AllTrails — not official)
Photos: walkmeguide.com · green = official IFCN PR trail · amber = community route (AllTrails)
PR 2 — Vereda do Pico do Castelo 🏝️

This trail is on Porto Santo island — Madeira's sister island — and climbs to one of its highest peaks, offering sweeping views across the entire island and beyond.

PR codePR 2
Official difficultyEasy
Distance3.2 km / 4.6 km
Duration~2 h 15 min
Start → EndMoledo → Canhão Viewpoint
Altitude range225 m – 435 m
Managed byIFCN
The route

The trail starts at Moledo and winds up through Porto Santo's arid, golden landscape to Pico do Castelo (438 m), finishing at the Canhão Viewpoint. Along the way you'll pass ruins of old fortifications — the hill takes its name ("Castle Peak") from a small fortress that once guarded the island against pirate raids. The vegetation is sparse and dry, very different from lush Madeira — think volcanic rock, low scrub, and wide-open skies.

Access fee 💶

Visiting this area requires payment via the SIMplifica portal:

  • €4.50 — visitors over 12 years
  • Free — visitors 12 years and under
Hiker reviews

⭐ 4.6 / 5 from 43 reviews on AllTrails — hikers highlight the views and the historic site. The community rates it as a hard loop taking roughly 3.5–4 hours, which is notably more demanding than the official "Easy" rating — probably because the longer loop variant is quite rugged. The shorter point-to-point (3.2 km) matches the official "Easy" grading.

Getting there

▶ Directions to the trailhead ↗

Before setting out, check the current trail status on OpenMadeira — conditions can change.

Would you like me to check the weather & IPMA warnings for Porto Santo on the day you plan to hike, or look into how to get to Porto Santo (ferry schedule)?

OpenMadeira can make mistakes — check the sources.