V-BOCARISCO (Vereda da Boca do Risco) is a 3.2 km, medium, community route. Cost: free. Whether it is worth hiking right now depends on live conditions and today's official status, re-checked every 20 minutes in the live app.
Madeira
A forecast for the nearest town is not a forecast for this path. That is what the live score is for. How the island splits one forecast into many: microclimate guide.
Go or wait today?
You have already picked the walk. The pass answers the one question left, whether today is the morning worth the drive: it reads the live weather on the trail and gives you one honest answer, re-checked every 20 minutes.
Ten seconds, one tap, from €2.99 once. No subscription.
Download GPX: free offline map
Grab the full GPS track and waypoints for Vereda da Boca do Risco as a free GPX file, no signup. Load it into Garmin, Komoot, AllTrails, Gaia GPS or OsmAnd and follow the route offline, even where there is no phone signal.
ⓘ Source & safety
Track and waypoints from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Planning aid, not a safety guarantee. Check the official trail status and conditions before you go.Estimated hiking time
59min
About Vereda da Boca do Risco
Vereda da Boca do Risco is a coastal mountain path on Madeira's eastern end that follows cliffs high above the Atlantic, not a levada. It traces the old walking route that linked Machico to Porto da Cruz before road tunnels existed, ending at the Boca do Risco itself, a natural gap in the rock that opens onto a wide view of the wild north coast. The path is narrow and exposed in places, alternating between short patches of woodland and open clifftop, with a few small streams and seasonal waterfalls crossing the way.
Vereda da Boca do Risco (V-BOCARISCO) is a one way route of about 3.2 km in Madeira.
What you'll see
The route takes in historic features, exposed, drop-side sections, panoramic viewpoints, laurel forest (laurisilva) and coastal cliffs and ocean views.
Landmarks on the route include Boca do Risco.
The path runs between roughly 144 m and 365 m above sea level, so conditions can change with altitude.
Difficulty
Vereda da Boca do Risco rates as medium on our objective scale, based on 3.2 km, 207 m of ascent and some exposed sections.
This grade is an estimate from distance, ascent and exposure, not an official IFCN rating.
How long it takes
Allow about 1h one way, a point-to-point route.
The app's live 0-100 score also flags the latest safe start time for the day. See it in the app.
Getting there and back
Starts at Maroços (Machico). Ends at Porto da Cruz. This is a one-way route, so you finish where your car is not: plan a second car, a taxi from the far end, or the walk back before you set off. A car park is mapped for this route, though its size is not recorded. The car park is about 620 m from the start.
What to bring
2 drinking-water points are mapped along the route. Fill up where you can, but carry enough to finish without them.
Best time to walk it
Year-round, but avoid windy or wet days (exposed cliff edges, slippery sections)
Coastal walks are often at their best in soft late-afternoon light.
This route runs through a mix of sun and shade.
The sun and shade reading comes from the slope's aspect and steepness, so it describes terrain shading and not tree cover.
A live 0-100 score picks the best 30-minute window for the day. See today's window in the app.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vereda da Boca do Risco worth hiking today?
It depends on today's conditions, and that is exactly what Levadas answers. The app reads the current weather at Vereda da Boca do Risco, the safe-start window, how busy it is and the official IFCN status, then gives one honest go-or-wait score from 0 to 100, re-checked every 20 minutes. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance: an official IFCN closure always overrides the score, no matter how good the weather looks.
How long is Vereda da Boca do Risco?
Vereda da Boca do Risco is about 3.2 km (one way).
How difficult is Vereda da Boca do Risco?
Vereda da Boca do Risco rates as medium based on its distance, ascent and exposure (an objective estimate, not an official IFCN grade).
Is Vereda da Boca do Risco safe?
Vereda da Boca do Risco has some exposed sections, where the path runs close to a drop. None of that tells you about today, and this page does not try to. Conditions decide, which is why Levadas reads the current weather on Vereda da Boca do Risco, the safe-start window and the official IFCN status, then gives one go-or-wait score from 0 to 100. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance, and an official IFCN closure overrides the score however good the weather looks.
How long does Vereda da Boca do Risco take to walk?
Allow about 1h.
Can I download a GPX track for Vereda da Boca do Risco?
Yes. Tap Download GPX on this page: the first download on any device asks for an email so we can also send the free trail pack, then every later trail downloads instantly.
Is Vereda da Boca do Risco free to walk?
Yes. Vereda da Boca do Risco needs no reservation and has no fee. Only the regulated official PR trails require a paid SIMplifica booking; this one you simply walk.
Where does Vereda da Boca do Risco start and finish?
Vereda da Boca do Risco starts at Maroços (Machico) and finishes at Porto da Cruz.
What will I see on Vereda da Boca do Risco?
Highlights include historic features, exposed, drop-side sections, panoramic viewpoints, laurel forest (laurisilva) and coastal cliffs and ocean views.
When is the best time to hike Vereda da Boca do Risco?
Year-round, but avoid windy or wet days (exposed cliff edges, slippery sections)
How do I check live conditions for Vereda da Boca do Risco?
Levadas scores Vereda da Boca do Risco from 0 to 100 using live weather along the path and the official status, refreshed every 20 minutes. You also see how busy it is. Open the trail in the app to see the live score and the best time to go today.