PR1.2: Is Pico Ruivo open today?

Book it. PR1.2 on SIMplifica

This is the short route to the summit, and a sunrise favourite, so slots go fast.

1. Book your €4.50 slot on SIMplifica in advance, in a 30-minute window. Under-12s are free but must be on the booking.
2. Sunrise slots go first. If you want the summit at dawn, book early and expect company; mid-morning is quieter.
3. Coming off PR1? If you cross from Pico do Areeiro on PR1, you finish above here — see getting back from PR1.

Getting there. Achada do Teixeira

The walk starts at the Achada do Teixeira car park, high above Santana on the north side — about an hour's drive from Funchal.

• Drive to the Achada do Teixeira car park (this is also where PR1 finishes). There's a shelter and a viewpoint; parking is limited at sunrise.
• From the car park, a built stone path climbs steadily to the Pico Ruivo mountain shelter (Casa de Abrigo), then a short final push to the 1,862 m summit — Madeira's highest point.
• It's the easiest way to the top: no exposed ridge, just a steady paved climb of roughly 200 m of ascent.

Where to park for PR1.2?

Park at the car park at Achada do Teixeira, at the end of the ER218 from Santana (PR1 finishes here too). It fills on busy mornings, when cars park along the road. Visit Madeira gives the road's opening hours as 07:00–21:00. We found no official fee.

Sources: Visit Madeira

What's the weather at Vereda do Pico Ruivo (PR1.2) now?

The status card above shows the latest measured reading from the IPMA Pico do Areeiro station, the regional weather station nearest the trail: temperature, wind and whether it is likely in cloud. Expect the mountains cooler and cloudier than Funchal.

Weather near the trail (IPMA Pico do Areeiro station, 09:10): 7 °C, wind 19 km/h.

Official weather warnings for the Madeira mountains: IPMA.

Closed or full? Your options

• If IFCN closes PR1.2 on your date, email helpdesk.ifcn@madeira.gov.pt within 10 working days with your tickets and invoice, and ask for a new date within a year or a refund. Rain or a change of plans doesn't count, and the SIMplifica contact centre can't change bookings.
• Open alternatives: check the live board — Caldeirão Verde (PR9) and Balcões (PR11) are usually available.

Three things people find out too late

• Summit weather ≠ Funchal weather. At 1,862 m it can be cold, windy and in cloud while the coast is sunny — you may be above a sea of clouds, or in one. Bring a warm layer and check the live status.
• It's a climb, not a stroll. The stone path gains height steadily to the shelter; easy underfoot but a proper uphill, especially at altitude.
• Nothing's open up there. The shelter is basic — no shop or reliable signal. Carry water, snacks and a headtorch for a dark start.

Questions people ask

PR1.2: Is Pico Ruivo open today?

Vereda do Pico Ruivo (PR1.2) is OPEN on IFCN's official trail-warnings list. Access is €4.50 through the SIMplifica portal; children under 12 are free but must be on the booking.

What is the easiest way to Pico Ruivo?

The Vereda do Pico Ruivo (PR1.2) from Achada do Teixeira — about 2.8 km each way on a built stone path — is the shortest and gentlest route to the summit, far easier than the long PR1 ridge from Pico do Areeiro.

Do you need to book Pico Ruivo?

Yes. PR1.2 requires an advance booking and €4.50 payment through SIMplifica, in a 30-minute entry slot. It is popular for sunrise, so book ahead in summer.

How long is the walk to Pico Ruivo from Achada do Teixeira?

About 2.8 km each way (5.6 km round trip), roughly 1 hour 30 minutes each way, graded moderate. It is a steady stone-paved climb to the shelter and the 1,862 m summit, then back the same way.