From funchal it is about a 30-minute drive up the Pico do Arieiro, Madeira’s
third highest mountain at 1,810 m (5,938 ft). The route leads through steep
hillsides cloaked in fragrant eucalyptus and bay laurel. At around 900 m (2,950
ft), you will often meet the cloudline and pass for a few minutes through
swirling mists and possibly rain, before emerging into a sunlit landscape of
volcanic rocks. At the top, the spectacular view is of clouds in the valleys and
dramatic mountain ridges with knife-edge peaks. Just visible on a clear day is
Pico Ruivo, connected to
Pico do Arieiro by a 10-km (6-mile) path. On especially clear days you may be
able to see the neighbouring island of Porto Santo, some 48 km (30 miles) north
of Madeira.