Take the Scenic Route and Discover Pico do Areeiro in Madeira

# Pico do Areeiro: Madeira's Cloud-Piercing Summit

Want to drive above the clouds? Head to Pico do Areeiro in Madeira, Portugal, where you'll climb to a breathtaking 1,804m (5,918ft)—making it one of the country's highest accessible peaks.

The journey starts from the paved ER103 at Paso do Poiso and spans just 6.6 km (4.10 miles) to the summit of this third-highest peak on the island. Fair warning: it's genuinely steep, with sections hitting an 11% gradient and an overall climb of 421 meters at an average of 6.37%. But here's the good news—the entire road is fully paved, and it's open year-round.

What makes this drive special isn't just the elevation. You're surrounded by dramatic, jagged peaks that look like they've been carved from the sky itself. Expect fog to roll in frequently (it's kind of a given up here), and prepare for that magical moment when you break through the clouds into brilliant sunshine.

Once you reach the top, you'll find everything you need: a bustling car park, a restaurant with views to match, souvenir shops, and a radar station that's been keeping watch since 2011. The real draw? This is one of Madeira's most popular peaks, and for good reason. The hiking trails are legendary—especially the trek northward to Pico Ruivo, which attracts around 1,000 hikers daily.

Don't miss the quirky "Poço da Neve," an igloo-shaped stone structure built by an English family ages ago for storing ice and snow. On clear days, you can even spot Porto Santo, the neighboring island, sitting 30 nautical miles away on the horizon.