Madeira introduces charges for tourist routes
From 28 October 2024, the regional government of the Portuguese island of Madeira is introducing entry fees for some popular tourist routes. The price is across the board for all routes and is 3 eur.
The authorities are taking this step in response to the often enormous number of visitors to tourist routes.
In addition to charging a fee to enter the routes, daily limits on the maximum number of visitors are also set.
Book a hotel in Madeira in advance
Which hiking trails have a fee?
From 1 January 2025, all official routes marked with the letters "PR" and a number are chargeable.
This applies to the vast majority of trails along water channels called "levadas" and most mountain trails.
We describe the most interesting hiking trails and other places in our guide to Madeira:
Admission prices and how to pay
There is an entrance fee for each itinerary of 3 eur.
If you use more than one trail, you must purchase a separate entrance fee for each trail.
The fee can only be paid online on the official website simplifica.madeira.gov.pt.
There will be no ticket offices or staff on the trails, so you cannot pay on the spot.
Daily capacity limits
In addition to the fee, all trails will also have a daily maximum number of visitors.
Currently there is a limit of 2,000 visitors per day on all routes.
Once the limit is exceeded, it will not be possible to visit the trail in question.
How far in advance to book?
With regard to the daily limits, we recommend booking on the official website simplifica.madeira.gov.pt several days in advance.
In the winter season (roughly from October to March), it is not a problem to book for the same day.
However, in the summer on the most popular routes the daily limit can be sold out more than a week in advance.
Exceptions to payment
Children under 12 and Madeira Island residents do not have to pay or book entry.
Any questions left?
If you have any questions or comments about the article...
3 comments
We came back from Madeira and didn't pay a penny anywhere. If you don't go from the official parking lot and park somewhere on the side, you won't even see a sign. The exceptions where someone was standing during lunch were the PR8 Ponta de São Lourenço parking lot and then the parking lot at Pico Ruvio, where a person stood until about 3:00pm and was no longer there when we returned down. Whoever went from somewhere else missed him. I can't imagine, especially in high season, that anyone would check. So think of it more as a voluntary, recommended contribution to local development.
Slowly it is beginning to remind me of that legendary ladder of Kotor, to the window of the fortress there.
How is it enforced? Is there some guide?
The reason is written in the article. It is true that some trails are incredibly crowded with tourists.
I didn't ask about the reason, but about the guard (mea culpa - guard, not guide) and enforcement.
And the translator cleaned it up nicely.
I paid on PR 1, 8, 9....