Hiking on the Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint in Madeira, Portugal

Note to my fellow wanderers: This guide was written from my first-hand experiences. I try my best not to over-glamorize any location I travel to because I want HappyWander’s content to be as authentic as possible. My goal is to provide you real information so that you can have the best possible adventures wandering the world. Enjoy!

If you’re looking for a short hike with some great views and a secret beach along the northern side of Madeira, this hike is for you. In this guide, I cover everything you need to know about hiking Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint, including my overall review score and top recommendations. Ready for a wonderful Madeira hike? Take a walk with me in this comprehensive hiking guide along the beautiful northern Madeira coast.

Overview of Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint in Madeira, Portugal

So what’s the deal with The Caminho Real? The Caminho Real to São Cristóvão Viewpoint is a picturesque trail in northern Madeira, Portugal, offering a perfect mix of history, nature, and breathtaking ocean views. Part of the island’s historic Caminho Real routes, which were once used for transportation and trade, this path takes hikers through stunning coastal landscapes, lush greenery, and even a secret beach.

This moderate hike is ideal for nature lovers and photography enthusiasts looking to capture Madeira’s stunning scenery. Whether you’re admiring the waves crashing against the cliffs or enjoying a peaceful moment at the viewpoint, this trail is a must-visit for those exploring the island.

Key Highlights of This Hike

Key highlights to see on the Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint hike in Madeira:

1. Historic Caminho Real Path: Walk along one of Madeira’s ancient royal roads, once used for transportation and trade.
2. Beautiful Views: Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of Madeira’s rugged coastline and the Atlantic Ocean.
3. Secret Beach: Discover a secluded paradise at the bottom of this hike—a secret beach tucked away along Madeira’s rugged coastline.

Here is a trail map of this hike:

This is a map (via alltrails.com) of the route I did. Here is a 3D map of the terrain you’ll be hiking on:

Where to Park

Where to park is always a big question that goes through my mind on any hike. For this one, you’ll have limited options. When I went in early December, this hike was pretty empty. I’d highly suggest starting and parking on the East side of the trail in front of Restaurante O Arco. You’ll find around 10 parking spots here immediately in front of the trail start next to the restaurant.

Here is the address for where I parked: Estrada regional 101 N 177, 9230-017 Arco de São Jorge, Portugal

Distance Traveled

According to my Alltrails.com GPS tracker, I traveled 2.6 miles on this hike. I feel like this was pretty accurate, it’s a short hike.

Direction to Hike

I’d highly recommend starting on the East side of the hike as there was more available parking. On the West Side, there was parking but it had signs that worried me, so I drive to the other side (East side).

How Long Does it Take to Hike?

I parked at around 12:00 PM and returned to my car at 2:30 PM. I’d recommend at least 2 hours set aside for this hike and more time if you plan on traveling down to the secret beach.

Elevation Change

According to Alltrails.com, I hiked 1223 feet in elevation. It felt about right. When I think back about this hike,

Elevation Map for Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint in Madiera, Portugal (via alltrails.com)

Difficulty

If you exercise regularly, you’ll get a cardio workout on this one. However, I wouldn’t say it’s VERY difficult, just moderately so with some good elevation for such a short hike. You’ll be going up and down several times due to the center of the hike being at sea level (if you go down to the beach).

Overall, I’d give this hike an 6.5 / 10 in difficulty.

Permits

There are no permits required for this hike.

Cost

This is a free hike, which is the best kind! There are no parking fees, and no hike entry fees. Yippee!

When to Go

I hiked this one in early December, and the weather was on the cooler side, and very light rain. I think this hike is fine to hike any time of the year. The weather was on the cooler side due to the sun not being out most of the time and the hike being on the northern side of the island.

Recommended Gear

Having the right gear can make or break your hiking experience. In Portugal, preparing accordingly will help you maximize your adventure. I’ll highlight the gear that I brought hiking Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint in December, as well as additional gear that might benefit you:

• The Proper Clothing: In December, it really depends on the weather. I wore shorts and a sleeveless exercise shirt. It’s never bad idea to wear long exercise pants with exercise shorts underneath and a short sleeve exercise shirt underneath if you want to layer clothing so you can take off if needed. I typically roll up a waterproof/windproof jacket and keep it in my pack, but I definitely wore it on this one. I also recommend wearing some thick socks so you don’t get blisters. (If it’s cold, wool are great. if it’s not cold, get something breathable). I also usually bring along a sun hat, which also doubles as a rain hat.
• Hiking backpack with straps: If you don’t have a backpack with straps, I recommend you get one. They aren’t too expensive on Amazon. Your shoulders and back will thank you later.
• Portable charger: If you take a lot of photos / videos like me, you’ll want to bring a portable charger for your phone. I also use the alltrails.com app to navigate so having enough battery is important.
• Water bladder: If you want to save on weight and also help your backpack be more balanced than carrying a big bottle of water in your bag, a water bladder is important. I personally use a 3L water bladder.
• Hiking Shoes: I recommend waterproof hiking shoes. The terrain is not super tennis shoe friendly.
• Snacks: Who doesn’t like snacks? While hiking, even on a short hike like this, some organic gummy bears did the trick for me.
• Bug spray: While I didn’t encounter mosquitos on this hike, it’s never a bad idea to be prepared. I can imagine in the summer you’d find some bugs out on the trail.
• First aid kit: It’s a good idea to bring Band-Aids, a bandage, and some cut cleaning items. I have needed band-aids in the past from slipping on rocks, but I did not on this hike.
• Sunscreen: I did not use sunscreen as it was super cloudy and foggy. If it’s sunny, I’d recommend sunscreen as it seems pretty exposed.
• Flashlight: If you go anytime near sunrise or sunset, I’d recommend having a flashlight.

Nice to Have Gear:

Here are a few items that would make your hiking experience even better:

• Shoe impact insoles: These can help as you traverse hard rocks along the way.
• Phone tripod: If you go alone or with a group and want great pictures, a phone tripod is key. I use one on every hike I go on.
• DJI Osmo Action Camera: This is my go-to recording device for every hike I go on.
• Hiking Poles: These can help take pressure off your body while you hike.

The Play By Play: My Route Hiking Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint

So what’s it like hiking Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint? Read my hiking guide play by play below:

Parking

I started out this hike fully planning to park on the West side, but after driving to that side and looking around, I felt uncomfortable parking there. The restaurant there had signs that indicated no parking was allowed, so I got into my car and headed towards the other side of the hike, right where Restaurante O Arco is. I was relieved to find that there were 4 or 5 free spots with no signs. If these spots are full, it looked like you could park along the road a little further down as well.

Starting on the Caminho Real

Immediately after passing the restaurant, the hike starts on the Caminho Real.

As you can see from the above video, this portion of the hike has a stone path with green grass intertwined between the stones. I am guessing this is a remnant from the ancient royal roads, which is quite a fascinating piece of history:

Madeira’s ancient royal roads, known as Caminhos Reais, were historic pathways built during the island’s early colonization to connect villages, facilitate trade, and provide access to remote areas. These stone-paved roads, many dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, played a crucial role in Madeira’s development before modern roads were introduced.

On the first portion of this hike, it’s relatively easy flat and easy to hike. You’ll see behind you some beautiful views of the coast, which will change once you reach the peak of the road and start seeing the other side of the coast. What a lovely hike along the ancient royal roads this is!

Reaching São Cristovão Viewpoint Along the Caminho Real

There’s a point when you start descending down and open up a new view of the coast. I believe that to be the São Cristovão Viewpoint:

This great view of the coastline extends almost all the way down. It’s a beauty:

Descending Down Caminho Real

The next portion of the hike starts taking you down long zig zag paths:

You’ll have to go down quite a bit of elevation in a short distance as you make your way down towards sea level:

The views up here are amazing as you hike down towards the sea.

Side Path to the Beach

At the portion of the hike before there bridge where you seemingly bottom out, there will be a split in the path to keep going straight or to take a right. You’ll want to take this right path to head towards the secret beach. From what I saw, most people stopped on this ledge (as I did initially) to take photos, then they turned around. From this side path will be a plateau above the water. If you look over the edge, you’ll spot the secret beach down below:

Follow the path and pass the stone structure on your right side.

Keep going on the solid rock path until you uncover the secret beach:

Secret Beach

I couldn’t even find a name for this secret beach on Google, so I will call it “Anthony’s Beach.” This was a little sketchy to get down to, as the stairs were carved into the rock and were quite a bit up from the stones below it on the beach.

The beach itself is covered in medium and large stones. I would caution walking on these stones, especially if they are green. These are incredibly slippery.

I was heading further along the beach but a wave crashed a little too close to where I was, so I turned back. Be careful that you make sure the tide is not coming in too close, it’s easy to misjudge.

I spent about 20 minutes down here, enjoying my quiet secret beach. These secret areas are my favorite areas to discover, like this secret spot at Wailua Falls in Hawaii.

Clothing is optional on secret beach (but seriously, don’t get in trouble):

The Bridge

Once you emerge back on the main Caminho Real path, there is a bridge that crosses the river to the other parking area, with a climb up.

I skipped climbing up this winding road, but if you want the extra exercise, go for it!

Climbing Back Up

Now that you’ve reached the bridge, it’s time to climb back up towards the Eastern side where you will park. This is by far the hilliest portion of the hike, you’ll be getting your exercise in here.

About My Experience Hiking Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint

Overall, hiking Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint in Madeira, Portugal was a great experience. In this section, I’ll highlight the best things about hiking Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint, as well as a few of the not so good parts.

Favorite Parts

Here are a few of my favorite parts of hiking Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint:

Coastal Views

You get some great coastal views on this hike, and not the same views for the entire hike either. On Caminho Real, you’ll run into a peak within half a mile from the starting point, and the views on both sides of the peak are very different.

Secret Beach

I was pleasantly surprised to find a secret beach at the bottom of this hike with no one on it. When I researched this hike, I didn’t see anything about this secret beach. How cool!

It’s Less Known

The Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint hike is a hidden gem, not many tourists find this one. I enjoy finding hikes that get very little hype, and this certainly falls into that category.

Least Favorite Parts

Here is my least favorite part of this hike:

Not Maintained Well

There are areas of this hike where railings are broken or missing, among other issues. While I felt completely safe, it wouldn’t take too much to implement some inexpensive metal rope railings.

Overall Score

I particularly liked this hike. In my view, it checks quite a few of the boxes that make a hike great: More natural, less people, great views, hidden beaches, and more. If you’re looking to escape the more touristy spots in favor for hidden gems, this is a great hiking option.

Overall, I give this trail an 8.6 / 10.

Tips for Hiking Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint After the Fact

Here are some tips for hiking Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint that I learned after the fact that can help you have the very best adventure:

• Start on the East side of the trail, parking is available with no signs.
• Be SUPER careful if you go to the hidden beach on the green stones, they are crazy slippery.
• Also be careful on the beach to make sure the tide is out far enough.

Final Thoughts on Hiking Caminho Real to São Cristovão Viewpoint in Madeira, Portugal

Hiking the Caminho Real to São Cristóvão Viewpoint is an unforgettable experience that perfectly captures Madeira’s breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and coastal beauty. While less than 3 miles, this hike packs a punch along the coast and offers an opportunity to take great photos and explore a secret beach. I particularly liked this hike as it was quite different from some of the other hikes on the northern side of the island, and I think you will too.

Happy wandering to you!