Madeira closes Areeiro-Pico Ruivo trail for six days for footbridge works

Madeira's Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation is temporarily closing the trail between Pico do Areeiro and Pico Ruivo on 14-17 and 21-22 September to install a footbridge in an intervened area. The closure affects only the stretch between Miradouro da Pedra Rija and Pico Ruivo; the section from Pico do Areeiro to the Pedra Rija viewpoint stays open for round trips. No bookings are available for the affected dates. Outside this period the popular trail continues operating one-way, from Areeiro to Pico Ruivo, under safety measures introduced after a rockfall, and prior registration via the SIMplifica portal remains compulsory.

This appeared in the Pulse of 14 September 2026 — Read that edition →