Levadinho · Madeira trail answers

Is PR1 open today?

Vereda do Areeiro — Pico do Areeiro → Pico Ruivo. Checked every morning against official IFCN status.

PARTIAL

Official note: Footpath accessible only between Pico do Areeiro and Pedra Rija Belvedere (km 1,2).

Access is restricted — read the official note above before planning.

Summit weather now: clear skies, 22°C at ~1,800 m — expect it far colder and cloudier than Funchal.

Last checked: 2026-07-06 18:23 (Madeira time) Source: IFCN / Visit Madeira

Sold out? PR1 slots gone on SIMplifica

PR1 has capacity limits and 30-minute entry slots. Morning windows go first. In order of what actually works:

  1. Try weekday, mid-morning slots. Everyone fights for sunrise. 09:00–10:30 midweek is often available days after dawn slots are gone — and you skip the parking chaos.
  2. Re-check the portal the evening before. Cancellations get released back. Rescheduled bookings free up slots with no notice.
  3. Book through an IFCN protocol operator. Licensed guides hold their own allocation and handle the permit for you (their trail fee is discounted to €7 on PR1). Costs more overall, solves transport too.
  4. Do the summit anyway — from the other side. PR1.2 from Achada do Teixeira reaches Pico Ruivo (1,862 m, the island's highest point) in about 45–60 min each way. Standard €4.50 fee, its own booking, usually far more availability.
PR1 is paid via SIMplifica and not included in the 1/3/7-day multi-day passes. The fee depends on which section is open: €4.50 for the Pico do Areeiro–Pedra Rija section, or €10.50 for the full one-way traverse to Pico Ruivo when open. Under-12s free; parking €4.00/hour. Check the live status above for today.

Closed? Your booking isn't lost

If IFCN officially closes the trail (weather, rockfall, works), you're entitled to change — but there's a procedure:

  1. Contact the SIMplifica call centre before your scheduled date. Not IFCN — they don't manage the portal.
  2. You can move to a different date or time on the same trail freely.
  3. You can switch to a different trail only if yours was officially closed by the authorities. A change of plans on your side doesn't qualify.

Open alternatives that don't feel like a consolation prize:

Three things people find out too late