The Pico de Arieo walk is not for the faint-hearted as you are above the clouds at an altitude of 6000 feet, but the scenery and views are unbelievable!
Madeira is all about walking — gentle strolls by the Levadas, scrambling along the coast — there's no place on Earth like it. The abundance of water in such a warm climate makes it a paradise where there's always something to look at and you're never far away from a shady spot to rest.
And the most scenic walk that reasonably fit non-mountaineers can take on is that between the highest peaks on the island — Arieo & Ruivo. This has the most dramatic views on the island and you're either walking above the clouds or enjoying staggering views across into the Nuns Valley or down to the sea around Funchal.
It's possible to drive right to the peak of Ariero and there's a car park and cafe there. If you make an early start and stick to the "easy" route, it's not too difficult to walk the route both ways in one day.
The peak at Ariero is almost always busy and and as you set off down the path, you might think it's a little crowded — don't worry — most people stroll down the the first viewpoint which takes about 15 minutes and then turn back. After that you'll see other people but not enough to disturb the calm.
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