One week in Madeira by car: the itinerary and the 2026 rules

One week is enough for Madeira — as long as you know two new rules for 2026. Since 1 January 2026, the official walking trails (PR) must be booked and paid in advance, with 30-minute start slots. And the famous trail from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo has reopened after two years — but it is one-way beyond Pedra Rija. With a car, that leads to a simple plan: one base, one day per part of the island, and a single booking to make before you fly.

What changed in 2026

Many Madeira itineraries online were written before 2026. Two things in them are no longer true — and both affect the very days most travellers look forward to.

First change: hiking now needs a booking. Since 1 January 2026, the island’s classified trails require a reservation. The rule applies to every visitor, alone, in a group or with a guide. You book on the regional SIMplifica portal. Each trail works with 30-minute start slots, and you must set off within yours. You pay when you book.

Second change: the island’s finest trail is back — but in one direction only. PR1, from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo, had been closed since the August 2024 wildfire. It reopened in April 2026 and has been open every day since 26 June. Up to the Pedra Rija viewpoint, you can walk both ways. Beyond it, the trail is one-way towards Pico Ruivo.

⚠️ For a trip by car, this is the key point. If you walk the full route, you no longer come back to the car you parked at Pico do Arieiro. You go down from Pico Ruivo to Achada do Teixeira, on the north side. So plan your return before you set off: a taxi, a second car, or a guided walk with transfer.

One base, not four

Madeira is small: about 57 kilometres from east to west. From Funchal, every part of the island is a day trip. Changing hotels, on the other hand, costs half a day each time: checking out, loading the car, waiting for the next room.

Our advice: one place to stay for all seven nights, in Funchal or on the south coast. The south is usually sunnier than the north. And that is where the VR1 expressway runs: 44 kilometres from Ribeira Brava to Caniçal, with many tunnels — and no tolls. You do not need a toll device in Madeira. The mainland is another story, explained in our guide to car hire and tolls in Portugal.

📌 About the car itself: pick it up at the airport and keep it all week. Away from the VR1, roads are steep, narrow and winding. A small car with enough power is better than a big one. If you are not used to hill starts, choose an automatic.

💶 One more cost: Funchal charges a tourist tax of €2 per person per night, for up to seven nights. On 1 October 2026 the city council voted to raise it to €4. It is not yet in force; the stated aim is January.

The itinerary, day by day

All drives start from Funchal. Figures are approximate and one-way. On Madeira’s mountain roads, timing depends a lot on traffic and weather.

Day 2, the east. Ponta de São Lourenço is the opposite of green Madeira: dry, bare, red and ochre, with cliffs on both sides. It is a classified trail too, so it needs a booking. Start early: there is almost no shade.

Day 3, the peaks. This is the only day to fix before your trip, because PR1 slots are in demand. Allow €10.50 per person for the full route. Check the mountain weather the evening before: the peaks are often above the clouds, and sometimes inside them.

Day 4, the north-east. Santana is known for its small triangular houses with thatched roofs. Achada do Teixeira, where PR1 ends, lies just above the village. If you walked the full route the day before, you already know the road.

Day 5, the west. Cabo Girão is less than half an hour west of Funchal. From there, you climb to the Paul da Serra plateau and on to the Fanal forest. The old laurel trees are often in fog — that is the famous picture, not a bad day.

Day 6, the north-west. Porto Moniz has natural pools between lava rocks. The large pool is a managed complex with an entrance fee. On the way back, the coast road through Seixal is worth it. This is the longest driving day of the week.

Day 7, the spare day. Madeira’s weather changes fast, and the north is often wet while the south is sunny. This day is free to make up for an outing spoiled by rain. If the weather has been good, simply go back to the place you liked best.

Hikes: pay per trail or buy a pass?

The new fees raise a simple question. Here is the maths for a typical week with four hikes, for example São Lourenço, PR1 and two levadas.

The answer is clear: for a normal week, pay per trail. The 7-day pass only pays off from about twelve trails. The €9 day rate only helps if you walk two trails on the same day.

📌 Madeira residents do not pay and do not need to book. For everyone else, walking without a valid booking can lead to a fine.

In short

One week is enough for Madeira. Stay seven nights in one place, in Funchal or on the south coast, and head to a different part of the island each day. The expressway is free, and you need no toll device.

Before you fly, there is only one thing to do: book your PR1 slot and plan how you will get back from Pico Ruivo. Everything else can be decided on the spot, according to the weather. And if you want to add the mainland, here is our one-week Portugal itinerary from Lisbon to Porto.

Top-rated activities in Portugal, bookable online: