Vereda da Ponta de Sao Lourenco (PR8)

Hike in Machico (Madeira)

Ponta De São Lourenço, Madeira, Portugal — CC-BY-SA / Vereda da Ponta de Sao Lourenco

The PR8 Vereda da Ponta de Sao Lourenco offers a captivating hike to the eastern end of Madeira, providing a unique perspective on the peninsulas. Distinguished from other levada walks on the island, Sao Lourenco boasts a distinct and more “barren” vegetation due to its exposure to strong winds, resulting in lower vegetation cover.

Distance: 3 km (6 km round trip)
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 2:30 hours
Start/End: Baía d’Abra / Casa do Sardinha
Max. altitude/ Min. Altitude: 126 m / 23 m

How to get to Vereda da Ponta de Sao Lourenco

Getting to Vereda da Ponta de Sao Lourenco by Car: The easiest way to get to Ponta de São Lourenço is to drive from Funchal. It’s about a 50 minute drive from Funchal in the direction of the airport (and goes past the airport). The PR8 trail starts in a large parking lot in the Madeira Natural Park.

Getting to Vereda da Ponta de Sao Lourenco by Bus: You can take a bus from Funchal to São Lourenço point. Bus SAM 113 takes you from Edificio 2000 near the mall ‘La Vie’ in Funchal to Baia D’Abra, the final stop. Round trip bus fare for one person is about $6 euros and the driver has change when you pay him. The bus ride from Funchal to São Lourenço takes about an hour and 20 minutes.

If you wanted a guide for this hike, there is a good value tour including pick-up and drop-off: Sao Lourenco Guided Hiking Tour.

PR 8 – Vereda Da Ponta De São Lourenço — © visitmadeira.com

The PR8 trail itself maintains a relatively flat terrain as it circumnavigates the tip of the peninsula. On the route, hikers are treated to the spectacle of the dramatic coastal landscape and the presence of a black sand beach, characteristic of the volcanic nature of this region.

The official trail concludes before the ascent of steep stairs leading to the final viewpoint, conveniently accompanied by a nearby café and washroom. Despite the formal endpoint, those who have ventured this far are often compelled to ascend the challenging stairs for the rewarding postcard view.

While the majority of the hike remains flat and straightforward, excluding the final stairs, the true challenges lie in the unrelenting sun (with no shade along the trail) and the forceful winds that, though not perilous due to the trail’s width, can be rather irksome and push hikers off course. Nevertheless, the PR8 Vereda da Ponta de Sao Lourenco promises a memorable and picturesque adventure for those willing to embrace its unique terrain and climatic conditions.

The Vereda da Ponta de Sao Lourenco (PR8) appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Machico (Madeira)!

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