42.5
PDI
13.3 mi
DISTANCE
5,847 ft
GAINED
8.3 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Pico Arieiro (Easier Route) is a 13.3-mile, 5,847-foot climb from downtown Funchal to Rotunda do Arieiro, just below the summit of Madeira's third-highest peak at 1,818 meters. It shares its finish with PJAMM's separate, shorter "Pico Arieiro" listing, but gets here by a longer, gentler road that avoids that route's brutal opening ramps - averaging 8.34% instead of 9.83%, without ever losing much real difficulty along the way.
The route climbs out of central Funchal on Rua 31 de Janeiro and Rua do Comboio, up through the hillside neighborhoods and the town of Monte, then joins the ER103 to Poiso before turning onto the ER202 for the final push to the summit area. The lower kilometers are urban and residential; above Monte the road settles into forest and increasingly open mountain terrain, with sweeping views back down over Funchal and the Atlantic on clear days.
Pico Arieiro is widely considered the hardest bike climb in Portugal, and this "easier" line doesn't change that reputation so much as make it slightly more manageable - it's still a long, sustained, high-altitude effort with an average grade over 8% for more than 21 kilometers. Preview the full ascent pitch-by-pitch with the Profile tool before you commit to it.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. Unlike the shorter, crux-loaded "Pico Arieiro" route, this easier line is a remarkably steady grind rather than a climb with one brutal section. The steepest quarter mile averages 12.66%, and the running average barely eases from there - the first mile is 12.08%, the 2.5-mile mark is 11.35%, and even at 5 miles the average is still 10.78%. It isn't until the back half of the climb, through Poiso and onto the ER202, that the pace relaxes toward the overall 8.34% average. There's no single crux pitch to brace for - the difficulty here comes from sustained, unrelenting mid-teens grades over more than 21 kilometers.
Roadway: The climb is fully paved throughout on well-maintained regional roads (Rua 31 de Janeiro, Rua do Comboio, ER103 and ER202), with a narrow two-lane, center-striped profile through Funchal's denser neighborhoods that opens up once you clear Monte. The final stretch above Poiso on the ER202 has occasionally seen short-term closures after winter storms - a March 2026 storm briefly shut this road along with about 20 others on the island - so check current road status before a winter or early-spring ride.
Traffic: Traffic is moderate for the first few kilometers through central and hillside Funchal, dropping off noticeably once you're past Monte. The ER103 to Poiso carries some day-tripper and tour traffic headed to the popular Poiso rest stop, and the final ER202 stretch to the summit area sees light but steady sightseeing traffic, since Pico Arieiro is one of Madeira's most-visited viewpoints.
Parking: There are a couple of parking garages near the climb start in central Funchal (Rua 5 de Outubro area). At the top, Pico Arieiro has a free public parking area at the summit itself, making this a practical point-to-point ride if you can arrange a pickup or shuttle back down.
Budget at least 2-3 hours for the climb - it's long and consistently steep rather than explosively hard, but there's no real recovery section to bank time on. A compact crank with a 34x30 or easier low gear is strongly recommended given the sustained low-teens grades through the first half.
Temperatures drop fast with altitude - Pico Arieiro sits at 1,818 meters and is frequently above the cloud layer, so pack a wind jacket and arm warmers even on a warm Funchal morning. Poiso, roughly two-thirds of the way up, has a restaurant and is the last reliable place to refill water before the summit.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Funchal is Madeira's capital and main tourist base, so lodging, bike shops and rental options are all easy to find right at the foot of this climb. Poiso is a popular stop for both cyclists and drivers en route to Pico Arieiro, with a well-known restaurant (Abrigo do Poiso) worth a break at on the way up. Pico Arieiro itself is one of Madeira's most-visited viewpoints and a trailhead for the PR1 hiking route to Pico Ruivo, so expect company at the top even on a bike.
The road is rideable year-round, though the summit area sees occasional wind, cloud and winter-storm closures - check current conditions before heading up in poor weather.
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Andrew
Great ride with amazing scenery throughout the entire ride.
