Non-resident visitors will pay €15 or €18 to access some of Madeira’s most popular walking routes from the 1st of April 2027, under a revised fee structure announced by the Regional Government.
The standard charge for classified walking trails managed by the Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation (IFCN) will rise by €3 to €7.50 per person. However, several popular routes will carry higher fees.
Residents of Madeira will remain exempt, as will children aged 12 and under, regardless of where they live. The changes also extend scuba diving fees to the archipelago’s marine protected areas.
According to the Regional Government, the additional revenue will support the conservation and maintenance of natural spaces, including trail cleaning, waste collection, infrastructure repairs and improvements to safety.
IFCN president Manuel Filipe said preserving Madeira’s natural resources required continuous work and investment to respond to growing demand. He said the revised charges would help fund this work while maintaining free access for residents.
New walking trail charges
The standard €7.50 charge will apply to routes without a specific tariff. Access to Vereda do Areeiro as far as the Pedra Rija viewpoint will also cost €7.50.
The following routes will cost €15 per person:
- Vereda do Pico Ruivo;
- Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço;
- Levada do Caldeirão Verde;
- Vereda dos Balcões.
A fee of €18 will apply to the Vereda do Areeiro arrangements covering routes associated with Pico Ruivo and Encumeada.
The same charge will apply to the Fanal Circuit, including PR13 Vereda do Fanal, once it is completed and brought into operation in 2027.
Access to the Rabaçal trail network will also cost €18. This covers approximately 40 kilometres of routes, including Levada das 25 Fontes, Levada do Risco, Levada do Alecrim, Vereda da Lagoa do Vento, Vereda da Palha Carga, Levada Velha do Rabaçal, Vereda do Pico Fernandes and Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo.
The Rabaçal fee will cover the network as a whole, allowing visitors to follow several routes within it without paying separately for each one.
The long-distance Madeira Crossing route will cost €75.
Combined-route passes will cost €20 for one day, €45 for three consecutive days and €105 for seven consecutive days.
Reduced rates for operators
Tourism operators with an agreement in place with the IFCN will continue to benefit from reduced rates.
For routes carrying a standard individual charge of €7.50, the operator rate will be €5 per person. Routes priced at €15 will cost €10 through participating operators, while those priced at €18 will cost €12.
Diving fees extended
Scuba diving at sites created by deliberately sinking vessels will cost €12.50 per person, per day, for each site.
The same charge will apply to scuba diving in Madeira’s marine protected areas, per person, per day and per booking.
Operators with an IFCN agreement will pay €8.50. Under the tariff for participating operators, the use of manned or unmanned submersibles in marine protected areas will cost €250 per dive.
Madeira residents and children aged 12 and under will remain exempt from the walking trail and scuba diving fees, under the terms of the ordinance.
Government seeks to spread visitor demand
The Regional Government says the revised charges are also intended to encourage visitors to explore less frequently used routes, easing pressure on the busiest locations.
It describes the user-pays principle as a way of linking the use of natural spaces and their environmental impact on conservation resources. Manuel Filipe said tourism should contribute to protecting the terrestrial and marine ecosystems on which Madeira’s appeal depends.
The Government says introducing the charges on the 1st of April 2027 will give tourism operators time to incorporate them into their planning and prices for the spring and summer season.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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