Part of our complete guide: Madeira’s hiking trails: the PR routes explained
- Length
- 1.9 km
- Walking time
- 1:30 h
- Difficulty
- easy
- Altitude
- 35–530 m
- Start
- Prazeres
- End
- Jardim do Mar
- Fee
- €4.50 per person (as of 2026-08), booked via SIMplifica
PR 20 — The route
Open this route interactively on OpenStreetMap
What it is like
From Prazeres at around 530 m an old, broad connecting path zigzags down to the Largo da Igreja in Jardim do Mar. It is better built and less exposed than the royal path to Paúl do Mar, and open for most of its length — the west coast is in view nearly the whole way.
PR 20 — Elevation profile
As on its neighbour, the profile is a single long downward diagonal. If you walk both in a day, be aware that is twice around five hundred metres of descent.
The round trip with PR 19
The obvious combination: descend to Paúl do Mar on PR 19, follow the coast over to Jardim do Mar, and climb back to Prazeres on PR 20. That makes a good half to full day from a single starting point — and your car is in the right place at the end, which is rare enough on this island.
Note two things: two classified routes means two reservations, and the return leg is a genuine climb.
Jardim do Mar
A village on a rock shelf above the sea, car-free in its old core, with cobbled lanes and a promenade against the surf. It has a name among surfers; for walkers it is mainly a good place to sit before the way back.
Getting there
Prazeres is on the ER 101 in the west, about an hour from Funchal via the expressway. Park in the village.
A road also runs down to Jardim do Mar; taxis are the usual answer for anyone who does not want to climb back. Buses run, but rarely.
Booking
Fee and reservation required through SIMplifica, in 30-minute slots. Process under booking trails.
Common questions
Is “easy” really easy? The path is — wide, well built, no tunnels and no exposure. It is still five hundred metres of continuous descent.
Which direction? Downhill is the usual way. Uphill is honestly better for your knees and hot in summer.
PR 19 or PR 20? PR 20 is the friendlier path, PR 19 the more impressive one. If you only walk one and want to feel secure, take this one.
Can you swim at the bottom? There is a bathing spot on the promenade. This is open Atlantic and the surf deserves respect.
