PR8. Vereda da ponta de São Laurenço

In the east of Madeira lies the beautiful Ponta de São Laurenço. You can read everything you need to know about this cool hike here!

Cool hike on Madeira: PR8. Vereda da ponta de São Laurenço

Madeira's easternmost point: peninsula Ponta de São Laurenço

The PR8. Vereda da ponta de São Laurenço takes you to the easternmost point of the island: the Ponta de São Laurenço peninsula. The hike is 3.5 KM long and takes you past several viewpoints that become more beautiful as the hike progresses.


The view of the peninsula makes the perfect place to watch the sun rise. This meant setting the alarm at 05:00 and getting the flashlight out of the bag for the hike. Once we arrived at 07:15 I was the first one at the viewpoint. About 2 other early birds arrived not much later, but that was all that remained for the first half hour. Delightful!


Any other benefits of such an early morning hike? I was able to enjoy the sunrise along the way and had the perfect light about 30 minutes after arriving at the viewpoint. Then I still had time (before it got too sunny) to go to the left side of the rock formation and take the photo below!

An overview: PR8. Vereda da ponta de São Laurenço

Total distance: 7KM

Time: 3-4 hours

Classification: Average (vereda) with a steeper final part 

Altitude: +/- 470 meters

Good to know

  • You can navigate to the parking lot of ponta de São Laurenço. 
  • Be on time to get ahead of the crowds.
  • The wind can be strong as there is virtually no shelter on this hike.
  • As with the other hikes, wearing hiking boots is recommended for extra grip.
  • At the beginning of the hike and near the end you can go to a restroom for €1.00.

What does the PR8 hike to Madeira's easternmost point look like?

The hike starts from the parking lot and takes you through a bare basalt landscape towards several viewpoints before you arrive at the restaurant Casa do Sardinha. You can choose to walk via Cais de Sardinha (a small beach) to the restaurant. However, this is the slightly hilly way.   

 

Once you arrive at the restaurant, you can choose to eat something (preferably) after you've visited the final point of the hike. From the restaurant you can already see the end point (viewpoint Ponta do Forado) of the hike, but before you get there the steepest part awaits. The view from the viewpoint is more than worth it, so with that in mind you'll be at the top in no time!

 

Depending on the stops you make to take photos at the various viewpoints, it will take you about 1 - 1.5 hours to get to Ponta do Forado. 

Be on time!

The PR8 vereda de ponta de São Laurenço is one of the most popular hikes in Madeira. Don't be shocked by a large amount of hikers if you start later in the morning. On the way back (around 09:00) I met plenty of hikers who looked surprised that I was already working on the way back by then. Once we arrived at the parking lot around 10:30 there were already tourist buses and little room left for cars. 

 

So, if you really don't want to get up that early you can always choose to spend the night near Ponta do Forado. Near Casa do Sardinha I saw some campers in a tent. Unlike at the Pico do Ruivo hike, I didn't (accidentally) wake the campers here with my flashlight. Anyways: have fun with the PR8 Vereda do ponta de São Laurenço hike! 

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