PR8 - Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço
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Madeira is full of stunning hikes, and São Lourenço on the easternmost tip of the island is one of them. Even after spending a month on the island, not one day of exploring failed to take my breath away. This hike is one of my favorites and is accessible by public transportation which made getting to it so much easier. Due to its location, the climate is semi-arid and there is a lot of exposure to the northern winds. I had accidentally gotten sunburn and windburn my first time there because I couldn't feel the strong sun on my face due to the persistent wind making me feel chilly! In contrast to the majority of the island, this peninsula is bare with minimal vegetation, so rather than views of a lush mountainous landscape, you instead have coastal views of the vast blue Atlantic ocean from every point of the hike.
We arrived at 2pm and the weather was perfect for our entire hike with hardly a single cloud in the sky. Around 30 minutes after we were done, while waiting for the bus to go back to Funchal, the clouds began rolling in so we felt pretty lucky. The weather on Madeira often changes very quickly without warning. You'll turn a corner and it'll go from hot and sunny, to chilly and rainy! For example, it could be sunny in Funchal and cloudy/raining at the hike. Instead of counting on weather apps to be accurate, you should check the Madeira Island live cams to see what the weather currently is. For PR8, I recommend using the Caniçal live cam - this one is hosted by Caniçal whale museum and you can see the PR8 peninsula from it!
There are gorgeous cliffside views for the entire duration of the hike and you pass by two accessible beaches along the way. The first, called São Lourenço Beach, is backed by high cliffs and is located down some natural stairs just off the main hiking trail. This beach is the largest of the two, and we actually ended up going back to São Lourenço just to spend the day picnicing at this beach! At the second beach called Praia do Sardinha/Sardine Beach, which is smaller than the first, there are water activities such as boat tours, snorkeling and kayaking offered.
At the end of the trail before heading back (as it is a there-and-back hike*) there is an extra, optional hill to ascend that is a bit difficult to get up but is SO worth it for the views. The observation point is called Miradouro Ponta do Furado and is located up the hill behind the hikes cafe. If you don't have good traction on your sneakers be extra cautious while climbing to the top as it can get pretty steep and slippery. When we went, there were some half-broken wire ropes on either side of the trail here, but they were very sharp and I almost cut my finger trying to grab it - please be careful and opt to not touch them if they haven't yet fixed the ropes. You'll have 360 degree panoramic views of the whole hike (you can see all the way to the parking lot) along with gorgeous views of the two islets proceeding the peninsula - Islet Desembarcadouro and Islet Farol.
*It is a there-and-back hike but when you get to the end where the cafe/observation point is, you don't have to turn directly around and follow your footsteps back. You can continue forward on the main hiking trail as it will loop around and eventually connect back to the single trail where you will then retrace your steps to the start. Please see the map below to know what I mean!
How to get there from Funchal:
By public transportation: PR8 is so popular in part due to its easy access via bus from Funchal. You have to go to the SAM Bus Stop on Avenida do Mar and take the SAM bus 113 all the way to Baia D'Abra. Be aware that the SAM busses are white and have 'SAM' written on the side - there may be other number 113 busses stopping so be sure to not get on the wrong bus! This bus will drop you off directly at the start of the hike in the parking lot.
The ride takes around 1.5 hours and costs €3.35 per person each way.
The 113 bus will pick passengers up and go back to Funchal from the same drop-off location in the parking lot. The bus scheduel for the 113 can be found here.
By Car: Driving a car is the fastest route to get to PR8, taking 35-45 minutes and there is parking along the road that leads to the parkling lot (the lot is almost always full unless you get there extremely early).
Duration/Distance: The trail is 3km out and 3km back (totaling 6km). If you include the hike up to the observation point it adds about another 1km total. It takes around 2.5-3 hours to fully walk it. There is an entrance fee of €1 for visitors 13+ years that has to be paid on the SIMplifica website. It does not have to be paid in advance; you can pay when you get there.
Difficulty: This hike is of moderate difficulty, and can be a bit easier or harder depending on your fitness level and hiking experience! There is about 450m of total incline, but it is distributed throughout the hike and no parts of it are terribly steep. The steepest part is the optional trail up to the observation point. The path is pretty rugged and often fairly close to steep drop-offs, but the path is also often wide and always has guard rails so it's safe overall.
What to wear: Light layers - you can wear shorts (long pants if it's supposed to be a cold day, i.e. you visit during off-season) with a t-shirt and a light jacket!
What to bring: As I mentioned, sunscreen is very important here, even if you don't feel like you're getting burnt. If you plan on swimming at either of the beaches, be sure to have a bathing suit and a towel in your backpack (you should also bring water shoes as both beaches are pebbles rather than sand). Lastly, of course, bring at least 1L of water.
Bathrooms or food?: The beginning of the trail in the parking lot has two food trucks that are cash only and one porta-potty that costs €0.50 to use - bring some change if you plan to use it! After hiking the first 3km you will come across Cafetaria Sardine House Cafe & Snacks with scenic outdoor seating that sells snacks and drinks. It can be a pretty relaxing stop before returning to complete the other 3km back to the start, and if you make a purchase here you can use their restroom.
I hope this hiking guide is useful to you on your adventure. Enjoy hiking on Madeira!
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