Bicycling Pico do Arieiro

RB Road bike recommended / MTB Mountain bike recommended / GB Gravel bike recommended

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	Overview UPDATE v32 / January 2026

Peaks of all European countries
	Overview

New in 2026
	Pico de las Nieves	1,945m	RB
	Pico do Arieiro	1,802m	RR
	Cima Pedro Gonzales	490m	RB
	Gibraltar Rock	426m	RR

European Alps
	Theodulpass	3,332m	MTB
	Hohtälli	3,286m	MTB
	Col du Jandri	3,150m	MTB
	Hohsaas	3,142m	MTB
	Madritschjoch	3,123m	MTB
	Rothorn	3,103m	MTB
	Gornergrat	3,089m	MTB
	Gaislachkogel	3,040m	MTB
	Ortlerhaus	3,025m	MTB
	Wurmkogel	3,023m	MTB
	Colle Sommeiller	3,009m	MTB
	Festkogel	2,898m	MTB
	Eisjöchl	2,895m	MTB
	Stubai Glacier	2,889m	MTB
	Ötztal Glacier	2,822m	RB
	Cime de la Bonette	2,802m	RB
	Col de l'Iseran	2,770m	RB
	Viderjoch	2,763m	MTB
	Stilfser Joch	2,758m	RB
	Kaunertal Glacier	2,750m	RB
	Colle dell'Agnello	2,744m	RB
	Col du Chaberton	2,674m	MTB
	Gaviapass	2,652m	RB
	Col du Galibier	2,645m	RB
	Colle del Nivolet	2,612m	RB
	Großglockner	2,571m	RB
	Timmelsjoch North	2,509m	RB
	Timmelsjoch South	2,509m	RB
	Umbrailpass	2,503m	RB
	Nufenenpass	2,478m	RB
	Great St. Bernard	2,473m	RB
	Furkapass	2,436m	RB
	Hochwurtenspeicher	2,422m	RB
	Großsee	2,414m	RB
	Oscheniksee	2,394m	RB
	Col d'Izoard	2,360m	RB
	Albulapass	2,315m	RB
	Uina Gorge	2,309m	MTB
	Julierpass	2,284m	RB
	Kronplatz	2,275m	MTB
	Sellajoch	2,240m	RB
	Passo Pordoi	2,239m	RB
	Passo Giau	2,236m	RB
	Sustenpass	2,224m	RB
	Little St. Bernard	2,188m	RB
	Grimselpass	2,164m	RB
	Ofenpass	2,149m	RB
	Grödner Joch	2,137m	RB
	Pfälzerhütte	2,108m	MTB
	Passo Falzarego	2,105m	RB
	Jaufenpass	2,094m	RB
	Gotthardpass	2,091m	RB
	Col de la Croix de Fer	2,067m	RB
	Mangart	2,055m	RB
	Oberalppass	2,046m	RB
	Manghenpass	2,042m	RB
	Nockalmroad	2,042m	RB
	Osterfelderkopf	2,032m	MTB
	Silvretta / Bieler Höhe	2,032m	RB
	Kühtaisattel	2,017m	RB
	Zillertal Höhenstr.	2,015m	RB
	Col de la Madeleine	2,000m	RB
	Col de Sarenne	1,999m	RB
	Kitzbüheler Horn	1,996m	RB
	Nebelhorn	1,932m	MTB
	Malta-Hochalm	1,924m	RB
	Col du Glandon	1,924m	RB
	Lukmanierpass	1,914m	RB
	Mont Ventoux	1,912m	RB
	Alpe d'Huez	1,896m	RB
	Hahntennjoch	1,894m	RB
	Passo Campolongo	1,875m	RB
	Mortirolopass	1,852m	RB
	Furkelpass	1,789m	RB
	Monte Zoncolan	1,750m	RB
	Alpe Schlappold	1,740m	MTB
	Villach Alpine Road	1,732m	RB
	Eagle's Nest	1,716m	MTB
	Les Deux Alpes	1,650m	RB
	Col du Mollard	1,638m	RB
	Gerlospass	1,621m	RB
	Vršič	1,611m	RB
	Col du Telegraph	1,570m	RB
	Roßfeld-Höhenring	1,540m	RB
	Reschenpass	1,507m	RB
	Riedbergpass	1,420m	RB
	Norbertshöhe	1,410m	RB
	Brennerpass	1,370m	RB
	Passwang Antenna	1,166m	RB
	Passo Predil	1,156m	RB

Andalusia
	Mulhacen	3,482m	MTB
	Pico del Veleta North	3,394m	RB
	Pico del Veleta South	3,394m	MTB
	O Sel Ling	1,462m	MTB
	Gibraltar Rock NEW	426m	RR

Canary Islands & Madeira
	Roque Muchachos	2,426m	RB
	Tabonal Negro (Teide)	2,362m	RB
	Pico de las Nieves NEW	1,945m	RB
	Pico do Arieiro NEW	1,802m	RR
	C. Pedro Gonzales NEW	490m	RB

Pyrenees
	Port d'Envalira	2,408m	RB
	Ordino Arcalis	2,232m	RB
	Col du Tourmalet	2,115m	RB
	Col d'Aubisque	1,709m	RB
	Col de Peyresourde	1,569m	RB
	Col d'Aspin	1,489m	RB
	Col du Soulor	1,450m	RB

Mallorca
	Puig Major	1,433m	RB
	Sa Calobra	718m	RB
	Coll d'Honor	550m	RB
	San Salvador	510m	RB
	Coll de Sóller	497m	RB
	Port de Valdemossa	323m	RB
	Cap de Formentor	225m	RB

Giant Mountains & Ore Mountains
	Sniezka	1,602m	MTB
	Modré Sedlo	1,500m	GB
	Vrbatova Bouda	1,400m	RB
	Klinovec	1,244m	RB
	Fichtelberg	1,215m	RB
	Spindlerpass	1,200m	RB

Balkans
	Štulac Sedlo	1,957m	GB
	Durmitor Sedlo	1,908m	GB
	Kopaonik	1,805m	RB
	Sveti Jure	1,762m	RB
	Qafa Thores	1,681m	RB
	Visočica Sedlo	1,625m	GB
	Galičica Sattel	1,564m	RB
	Prevalac	1,560m	GB
	Qafa Bordolecit	1,355m	RB
	Krstac	958m	RB

Scandinavia
	Juvasshytta	1,851m	RB
	Dalsnibba	1,459m	RB
	Flatruet	975m	MTB
	Trollstigen	866m	RB
	Ørnevegen	623m	RB
	Muotkatakka	565m	RB
	Halfdan	504m	RB
	Kleifaheidi	413m	RB
	Møllehøj	171m	MTB

Baltics
	Suur Munamägi	318m	RB
	Gaizinkalns	312m	GB
	Aukštojas	294m	GB

Benelux
	Botrange	694m	RB
	Kneiff	560m	RB
	Vaalserberg	323m	RB

Great Britain & Ireland
	Great Dun Fell	848m	RB
	Mount Leinster	793m	RB
	Lowther Hill	724m	RB
	Cairnwell Pass	670m	RB
	Bwlch y Groes	550m	RB
	Bwlch Pen-y-Feidiog	530m	RB
	Sally Gap	501m	RB
	Spelga Dam	404m	RB

European micro states
	Port d'Envalira	2,408m	RB
	Pfälzerhütte	2.108m	MTB
	Monte Titano	652m	RB
	Dingli Cliffs	245m	MTB
	Chemin Révoires	164m	RB
	Vatican Hill	77m	GB

Carpathians
	Transalpina	2,145m	RB
	Transfagarasan	2,042m	RB
	Sliezsky Dom	1,670m	RB

Cornesti Hills (Moldova)
	Balanesti Hill	429m	MTB

Voras Mountains (Greece)
	Voras Ski Center	2.074m	RB

Yildiz Mountains (Turkey)
	Mahya Dagi	1,031m	RB

Serra da Estrela (Portugal)
	Pico Torre	1,993m	RB

Trodoos Mountains (Cyprus)
	Olympos	1,950m	RB

Matra Mountains (Hungary)
	Kekestetö	1,014m	RB

Rila Mountains (Bulgaria)
	Kalin reservoir	2,550m	MTB

Germany
	Osterfelderkopf	2,032m	MTB
	Nebelhorn	1,932m	MTB
	Alpe Schlappold	1,740m	MTB
	Eagle's Nest	1,716m	MTB
	Roßfeld-Höhenring	1,540m	RB
	Riedbergpass	1,420m	RB
	Feldberg	1,493m	MTB
	Fichtelberg	1,215m	RB
	Brocken	1,142m	RB
	Salwert	11m	MTB

Great Caucasus (Georgia)
	Abano Pass	2,865m	MTB
	Gergeti Trinity	2,170m	MTB

Andes
	Uturuncu	5,768m	MTB
	Chacaltaya	5,300m	MTB
	Salar de Uyuni	3,650m	MTB
	Yungas Death Road	3,200m	MTB

Himalayas
	Khardung La	5,602m	MTB
	Taglang La	5,358m	MTB
	Potokonkga La	4,900m	MTB
	Namshang La	4,800m	MTB
	Lamayuru Monastery	3,714m	MTB

Rocky Mountains
	Mount Evans	4,307m	RB

Sierra del Escambray (Cuba)
	Topes de Collantes	755m	GB

Hawaii
	Mauna Kea	4,200m	MTB

Ethiopian Highlands
	Tulluu Dimtuu	4,377m	MTB

Alborz-Range (Iran)
	Dizinpass	3,257m	RB
	Emamzadeh Davod	2,929m	MTB

Marathon (European Alps)
	Ötztal Cycle Marathon	5,209Hm	RB
	La Marmotte	5,180Hm	RB
	Maratona Dolomites	4,190Hm	RB
	Dreiländergiro	3,546Hm	RB
	Alpenbrevet	3,643Hm	RB
	Alpen-Challenge	2,499Hm	RB

Pico do Arieiro 1,802m
Madeira's highest mountain road

Alongside the three giants of the Canary Islands (Tabonal Negro on Tenerife, Roque Muchachos on La Palma and Pico de las Nieves on Gran Canaria), Pico do Arieiro is one of the 'Big 4' of Macaronesia. Although the Arieiro is the lowest of these four giants, it is the steepest. What all four have in common is that they can be conquered by road bike, starting from the coast and climbing to the summit of the respective volcano.

Start: Funchal 48m
Altitude gain: 1,802m
Distance: 24km
March 2026

The profile shows an elevation gain of just under 1,300 metres between kilometres 4 and 15, representing a gradient of over 10%.

The route starts in the centre of the island's capital, Funchal.

Even within the town, the climb immediately rises with double-digit gradients. It's tough going after the cold start.

You soon get a lovely view down over the city.

After a few kilometres, you reach the northern district of Monte, which is already at an altitude of around 700 metres.

There is actually a cable car up here. However, it was closed during my visit, so the tourists are hauled up here in coaches.

Beyond Monte, it unfortunately turns rainy and cold, but there's little traffic and some nice hairpin bends.

The intermediate destination is the Paso do Poiso. From there, the route branches off up to the radar station on the summit, our destination for today.

There are only a few flat sections in between. The path is incredibly steep.

We reach the hostel on the Poiso Pass, at an altitude of 1,412 metres, in constant rain.

Unfortunately, up here today there’s rarely much of a view to the right or left.

After an exhausting climb, you reach the radar dome (unrecognisable today in the haze) on the summit of Pico do Arieiro. To the left, the final few metres lead up to a car park. To the right, you reach the entrance gate to the radar station.

Next to the entrance gate is also the official pass sign.