How To Hike The Gorgeous Vereda do Larano Coastal Hike On Madeira – The Quick Route

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Webcams In Madeira

Make it a habit to review the weather outlook, as it can shift unexpectedly. It’s also wise to check the live webcams before finalizing your plans. A brief look could prevent you from starting a hike or driving to a scenic overlook, only to find fog, rain, or limited visibility waiting for you. That would be no fun!

Visit our post to get our full epic 9 day itinerary on Madeira if you are looking for more epic hikes and fun things to do on the island!

Vereda do Larano Coastal Hike

If you are looking for epic coastline views, this is the hike for you! The Vereda do Larano coastal hike clings to rugged cliffs high above the Atlantic, where waves crash against dark volcanic rock far below.

To one side, steep green slopes rise sharply. On the other side, the ocean stretches endlessly below. I don’t know about you, but we can’t get enough of the hiking trails on Madeira!

If you choose to hike the full trail to Boca do Risco, it’s 7.5 miles out and back. You can do as little or as much as you want, but we suggest hiking at least 2 miles in (4 miles total) for epic views of the coast. That is exactly what we did!

Parking

So this is important. Start your hike at the parking area near Porto da Cruz. As noted above, you will need to park along a narrow, steep road called Caminho do Cabo de Larano.

Please do not block the driveways of the residents who live here. At the end of the road, you’ll see a dead-end sign, so please do not drive past this. The road to this location is pretty steep and winding.

🥾 Looking for another hike nearby? We’ve got you covered. Check out the Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço – PR8 Trail.

Parking Area to Teleférico do Larano

Phew! You made it and got your tiny rental car parked. Let’s hike! Having spent the morning on PR8, we only did 2-miles out and 2 miles back, which was the perfect amount for us. If you choose this route, you can expect a 500-foot elevation gain, which isn’t too bad.

Okay, okay, the first part of this hike is not anything spectacular, but it’s Madeira, and it’s amazing, right? From the parking area, start walking up the road. There are some residences along the way, so please be respectful.

After hiking about 0.2 miles, be sure to turn around for a great view 👆🏽 of the valley and mountains behind you. The trail gains steady elevation here as you make your way to the Teleférico do Larano (cable car) after hiking for another 0.2 miles.

The Teleférico do Larano is not a public cable car. It was originally built to provide access to the small coastal Fajã do Larano area. Down below, there are gardens, and the cable car is helpful for local farmers to move between their land and the village.

🏠 Looking for your own private retreat on Madeira? Check out your options on VRBO!

Teleférico do Larano to Epic Views

Continue hiking past the teleférico and stay to the left along the coastline. At this point, the trail will continue to gain and lose elevation as you go in and out of the forest and up and down some small ravines.

After hiking for 1.6 more miles, you will reach some of the best views on the trail! At this point, it was getting late in the day for us, and we had a date with the beach in Ponta do Sol, so we decided to turn back at this point.

That being said, if you want to hike all the way to the viewpoint at Boca do Risco, it’s another 1.75 miles. To hike the route we took, it’s 4 miles in total. A hike to Boca do Risco will net you 7.5 miles.

If you set out to hike this trail, you have to hike at least 2 miles in. I mean, look at those views! We can only dream of what this looks like on a sunny day. 😎

Guided Vereda do Larano Coastal Hike

If you are looking to complete this hike with a guide, check out the option here from GetYourGuide! Let someone else do the planning with optional pickup.

Where to Stay

You can’t go wrong staying anywhere in Madeira. We recommend picking one location on the island and using that as your home base. It only takes a little over an hour to get pretty much anywhere on the island.

We picked Ponta do Sol as our home base, and we really loved our rental house! Ponta do Sol is a warm, scenic, and small coastal town. Some choose to stay in Funchal, which has tons of amenities. Check out Tripadvisor to compare locations and prices.

Here are a few great places to stay in Ponta do Sol:

• A VRBO! If you are looking for your own place to stay on Madeira, check out the great rental options in Ponta do Sol or across the entire island of Madeira!
• 1905 Zino’s Palace – a beautifully restored pink palace in Ponta do Sol, offering an intimate boutique stay in a historic 19th-century building. With elegant rooms, ocean views, and a peaceful pool area, it blends Madeiran heritage with relaxed, modern comfort. Complete with a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a bar.
• Enotel Sunset Bay – a relaxed 4-star hotel in Ponta do Sol, right by the Atlantic with stunning sunset views and easy access to a pebble beach. The property offers a heated pool, sauna, and restaurant serving local cuisine.

Final Thoughts

After a morning hike on Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço, we wanted to explore more of the coast of Madeira, and the Vereda do Larano coastal hike was perfect. It was still cloudy on the northern side of the island, but we still had some great views with no rain.

Did you know it’s often cloudy on the northern section of the island and sunny on the south side? Like clockwork during our trip!

If you don’t want to hike both the Vereda do Larano coastal trail and PR8 on one day, pick just one. We would probably recommend Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço (PR8) out of the two. That being said, if you want a route less traveled, the Vereda do Larano coastal hike is for you.

After our hike, we headed back to sunny Ponta do Sol and spent some time exploring the picturesque town and beach, complete with a delicious meal nearby with peaceful ocean views.

🛌🏽 Looking for a place to stay with an epic view and pool, too? Don’t forget to check out VRBO or Tripadvisor to book your stay!