Pico Ariero - Funchal

The Pico Ariero is, with 1818 meter, the highest point of the island to be reached by bike. After a steep beginning, the climb flattens with two more nasty kilometers after the road to Santo de Serra. From there, you seem to enter a tropical rainforest in the parc of Santo da Serra.

The Pico Ariero is situated in Portugal . Starting from Funchal, the Pico Ariero ascent is 19.6 km long. Over this distance, you climb 1813 heightmeters. The average percentage thus is 9.3 %.

Are you planning to climb the Pico Ariero? Here, you find all the information to train to climb the Pico Ariero successfully.

Look for other sides to climb the Pico Ariero.

Story by Michael Ripsher from London, United Kingdom, submitted on 19/07/2010

Started in Funchal and headed up via Monte. Unbelievably steep and congested but once you get past Monte, the road becomes tree lined, the traffic dies and the views are stunning (its still steep) from there you turn left up through the botnanical gardens and head up through the cloud and it becomes a truly wonderous climb. Close to the top there are three cattle grids which you will have to walk over otherwise risk ruining your rims, not such an issue going up, but remember to look out for them coming down, lightening fast descent! 1hr 50 getting up, 30mins coming down. Very memorable, but very difficult.

My personal climb rating:

Story by Tony Salter from Oxford, United Kingdom, submitted on 09/04/2009

Climbed this in August 2009. The climb to around cloud level at 1000m is tough. There are a couple routes out of Funchal to Pico Ariero, through Monte or towards Camacha, then left along E203. I took that route as though it might be easier; was 10-15% upto 1000m(!), but then your pretty much home & dry. Totally fantastic views; 30min descent with rims on fire!

My personal climb rating:

Story by joao from lisbon, Portugal, submitted on 09/09/2008

i di this climb in 2007 and it was horrendous at inicial km but in nexts klmtrs it was a liltle bit easy I am 15 and took this climb in 1:59:37

My personal climb rating:

Story by Andrew Nichols from , , submitted on 24/08/2006

I did this ascent in 2003, starting from Funchal. The climb out of the town is horrendous and in the heat I suffered all the way to the edge of the Parc. A Dutch tourist at the summit asked me how long it had taken: "Thats terrible", he said when I told him. Hardest sustained climb Ive ever done on a bike.

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