Mountain biking in Madeira: a local guide

Madeira is one of the most demanding islands in Europe for cycling. The terrain peaks at 1,818 metres, the climbs are sustained, and the descents are long, technical, and often wet. The island is a fixture on the global enduro circuit but it is genuinely difficult terrain for casual visitors.

E-bike is the realistic option

If you are on holiday and you want to do a few rides, e-bike. The climbs here are real, sustained, and unavoidable. A non-electric bike can turn a holiday into a sufferfest within an hour. E-bike rentals run 50-80 EUR per day depending on model and operator, and the better operators include hotel pickup, helmet, and a route GPX.

Trans Madeira

The Trans Madeira is a 5-day enduro stage race, held in September, capped at around 200 riders. Registration opens in March and sells out in 48 hours. The course covers approximately 7,000 metres of descending across the island. If you are not already racing enduro at a high level, this is not the right introduction to mountain biking on Madeira.

Madeira Bike Park

Madeira Bike Park near Calheta runs lift-served downhill in summer. Day pass plus rental is around 65-85 EUR. This is the easiest way to sample the descents without needing to climb them yourself. The park has trails graded blue through black; the blacks are steep and rocky and you should be confident on similar trails elsewhere before riding them here.

Where to go next

For operator comparisons, route GPX downloads, and the Trans Madeira registration window calendar, see the Madeira bike tours hub at madeirabiketours.org. The site has a dedicated MTB Madeira section with route grading, a Trans Madeira race route page with stage profiles, and an E-bike tours Madeira list for casual visitors.

By Filipe Pereira, Madeira local travel guide. Last verified 2026-05-04.