Viewpoints · 1818 m above the sea
Pico do Arieiro
Drive to 1818 m and look down on the weather
See it on the 3D islandOpens in your browser, on a phone or a computer.
The place
The third-highest peak on the island and the only one you can reach by car, which makes it the cheapest sunrise in the Atlantic. On the right morning the cloud layer sits below the summit and the ridge line floats above a flat white sea.
When to come
An hour before sunrise. Cloud usually builds from mid-morning, and by noon the view can be a white wall.
Worth knowing
- Car park is small and fills well before sunrise
- Around 10 °C colder than Funchal, and windy — bring a real jacket
- Road ER202 can close in ice or storm; check before driving up
- Café at the summit, but do not count on opening hours