In a nutshell
- Ponta de São Lourenço is one of the most popular day trips on Madeira – and a real must for anyone who loves hiking.
- Untouched nature, dramatic cliffs, and stunning views make this trail one of the best places to visit in Madeira Island.
- In this article, we’ll share all our tips for the Ponta de São Lourenço hike, how to get there, and what to expect based on our own experience.
What Is the Ponta de São Lourenço?
The Ponta de São Lourenço is a peninsula of volcanic origin. It is located in the east of Madeira, near the village of Caniçal and is only accessible via the PR8 hiking trail.
The PR8 is one of the most popular hikes in Madeira and you shouldn’t miss it on your Madeira vacation.
The Ponta de São Lourenço Hike At a Glance
- Name: PR8 (Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço)
- Length: 7.4 kilometers (there and back)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 2-3 hours
- Elevation gain: Approx. 400
- Start/end point: Baia d’Abra parking lot
Hiking map of the PR8 on Madeira
For better orientation, we have marked the PR8 hiking trail on a map.
Our experiences on the São Lourenço hike
We hiked the PR8 during our road trip around Madeira, and we really liked the Ponta de São Lourenço. The views alone made it worth it – absolutely breathtaking.
The trail stretches 3.7 kilometers each way from the parking lot, gently going up and down along the way. It is never really steep, and the climbs are rather short. You have great views from everywhere – so the effort is worth it!
Around 3.3 kilometers in, you’ll come across a small café – Casa do Sardinha. You can take a break there and have something to drink and eat.
After the café, the trail climbs steeply uphill to the Miradouro Ponta do Furado. If this is too strenuous for you, you can skip the last part and walk straight back.
Is the Ponta de São Lourenço hike hard?
No. The Ponta de São Lourenço hike is easy to do, even if you don’t usually hike much. The paths are sure-footed and there are handrails to hold on to in most places.
Note: The wires on the railings are torn in some places. Make sure you look at the railing before you hold on, otherwise you could cut your skin.
However, the hike is still strenuous. If you hike it from start to finish, you’ll cover about 400 meters of elevation gain.
What time is the best time to start the Ponta de São Lourenço hike?
You should start hiking as early as possible. There’s barely any shade on the PR8, and the later it gets, the stronger the sun.
In addition, it gets more crowded at Ponta de São Lourenço from hour to hour – which isn’t just annoying for hiking, but also makes parking tricky.
We recommend starting at around 8 am.
Is there a lot going on on the PR8?
Yes, the Ponta de São Lourenço hike is a very popular activity in Madeira.
But when we set off in the morning, there weren’t that many hikers on the trail, which was really nice.
However, on the way back, at around 11 a.m., there were already a lot of people coming towards us.
Overall, however, we didn’t find the PR8 as crowded as the Pico Ruivo hike.
What to pack for the Ponta de São Lourenço hike?
Be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks. Apart from the café at the end of the hike, there are no refreshments along the way. Sunscreen is also very important.
As far as clothing is concerned, we recommend you wear hiking boots and sportswear. Although the paths are well-maintained, you will still be walking over rocks and roots a lot.
How much time should I plan for the PR8 hike?
It’s best to plan half a day in total for the Ponta de São Lourenço.
How to Get to Ponta de São Lourenço
The best way to get to Ponta de São Lourenço is by car or bus.
Arrival by car
The easiest way is to book a rental car in Madeira and drive to the start of the hike.
You can park right at the Baía d’Abra lot. If the parking lot is full, simply park at the side of the road behind the other cars. Parking is free of charge.
Arrival by bus
You can also get to Ponta de São Lourenço easily by bus. Line 113 from the provider SAM runs from Funchal to the Baía d’Abra parking lot.
The buses run approximately every hour – sometimes much less frequently. You can find the current bus timetables by entering “Bus Funchal Baía d’Abra” into Google.
The current pdf of the bus provider SAM will then be displayed.
What to See Around Ponta de São Lourenço
There are other cool highlights very close to the peninsula where you can stop on the way back.
#1 Prainha
Prainha is a black sand beach, only about 2 kilometers from the start of the hike. For us, it is one of the most beautiful beaches in Madeira and is well worth a swim and a photo stop.
#2 Miradouro da Ponta do Rosto
From the Miraoduro da Ponta do Rosto, you have a great view of the Ponta de São Lourenço and you can take great photos. You can easily reach it by car.
#3 Restaurante O Recante
Restaurante O Recante is one of our absolute favorite restaurants in Madeira and is perfect for lunch after hiking. It’s in the village of Caniçal – pretty much on the way back from the hike.
Also read our tips for eating out in Madeira
Those were our tips for hiking Ponta de São Lourenço
Have you also walked the Ponta de São Lourenço hike in Madeira? What experiences did you have? Feel free to share them in the comments.