Fanal vs Other Madeira Forests: Caldeirão Verde, Levada do Rei, Ribeiro Frio

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Choose Fanal if you want Madeira’s most atmospheric forest scenery with almost no walking: you can drive right to the ancient til trees, and the open, foggy landscape is unlike anywhere else on the island. Choose Caldeirão Verde (from Queimadas) for a full-day levada hike to a tall waterfall, Levada do Rei for a gentler half-day walk through dense laurel forest, Ribeiro Frio’s Balcões for the easiest short walk with a big view, or Levada das 25 Fontes at Rabaçal for waterfalls close to Fanal. All of the hiking options are official PR trails that cost €4.50 per person in 2026, booked in time slots on SIMplifica; strolling at Fanal itself has been free.

Here is how they compare, and how to decide which to fit into your trip.

At a glance: Fanal vs Madeira’s other forest highlights

Place	Area	Main walk	Distance / time	Difficulty	Why go
Fanal	Northwest plateau	Stroll among til trees (or PR13)	Under 1 km, 30–60 min (PR13: 10.8 km one way, 4 h)	Easy (PR13 moderate)	Ancient trees, fog, open meadow
Caldeirão Verde (PR9)	Queimadas, Santana	Levada to a waterfall cauldron	8.7 km one way, about 6.5 h return	Moderate	Deep laurel forest, tunnels, tall waterfall
Levada do Rei (PR18)	São Jorge, north coast	Levada to Ribeiro Bonito	5.3 km one way, about 3.5 h return	Moderate	Quiet, green, ends at a working water mill
Balcões (PR11)	Ribeiro Frio	Short levada to a viewpoint	1.5 km one way, about 1.5 h return	Easy	Big valley view for little effort
Levada do Furado (PR10)	Ribeiro Frio to Portela	Long, old levada	11 km, about 5 h	Moderate	One of the island’s oldest public levadas
25 Fontes (PR6)	Rabaçal, Paul da Serra	Levada to waterfall pool	About 11 km return, 3–4 h	Moderate	Waterfalls, close to Fanal

Distances and times for PR routes are from the official Madeira tourism listings. All six walking routes above are classified trails with a fee of €4.50 per person over 12 when booked independently, or €3 through a tour operator with an IFCN protocol.

What makes Fanal different

Most of Madeira’s Laurisilva grows on steep, dark valley sides. You experience it from a narrow levada path, with dense green on one side and a drop on the other. Fanal is the opposite: an open, grassy upland at about 1,150 m where old til trees stand apart, their twisted trunks covered in moss. Cows graze between them. When cloud drifts up from the north coast, the trees fade in and out of the mist.

That makes Fanal the best choice if:

• you want forest scenery without a long hike,
• you are travelling with young children or people with limited mobility (the ground is uneven but not steep),
• photography is a priority, especially in fog,
• you are already doing a west-island day with Porto Moniz and Seixal.

It is less suited to people who want the classic levada experience of walking beside a water channel through dense forest. For that, the trails below are better. Our complete Fanal Forest guide covers the 2026 rules and practical details.

Caldeirão Verde from Queimadas (PR9)

The PR9 is many walkers’ favourite levada. It starts at the Queimadas Forest Park above Santana, with its thatched houses and picnic area, and follows a levada through dense laurel forest to the Caldeirão Verde, a green cauldron where a tall waterfall drops into a pool.

• Length: 8.7 km one way (17.4 km return), about 6.5 hours.
• Highlights: four tunnels cut through the rock, sheer drops, and the waterfall at the end.
• Practicalities: €4.50 trail fee; parking at Queimadas was listed at €2 per hour. Bring a head torch for the tunnels and expect wet, narrow sections.

Fanal vs Caldeirão Verde: Caldeirão Verde is a full day’s hike with a real sense of achievement. Fanal is a short, easy visit with more unusual scenery. If you have only one day for nature and like hiking, choose Caldeirão Verde; if you prefer a gentle day out with photography, choose Fanal.

Levada do Rei (PR18)

Levada do Rei starts above São Jorge on the north coast and follows a levada through farmland, exotic forest and then native Laurisilva to Ribeiro Bonito, a quiet valley head. The official route ends with a visit to the São Jorge water mill, described as the only one of its kind still operating.

• Length: 5.3 km one way (10.6 km return), about 3.5 hours.
• Altitude: a nearly level path between about 535 and 573 m.
• Feel: enclosed and green, with fewer people than the PR9.

Fanal vs Levada do Rei: Levada do Rei is the better choice for a calm half-day walk through dense laurel forest. Fanal is better for open landscapes and fog. They are on opposite sides of the island, so pair Levada do Rei with Santana and Fanal with Porto Moniz.

Ribeiro Frio: Balcões (PR11) and Levada do Furado (PR10)

Ribeiro Frio is a small forest settlement on the road between Funchal and the northeast, with a trout farm and a couple of restaurants. Two trails start nearby:

• PR11 Vereda dos Balcões: 1.5 km one way, about 1.5 hours return, easy. The path ends at the Balcões viewpoint, looking across the forested valleys toward the central peaks.
• PR10 Levada do Furado: 11 km, about 5 hours, moderate, one way from Ribeiro Frio to Portela, following one of the island’s oldest public levadas through Laurisilva.

Fanal vs Ribeiro Frio: For a short, easy taste of the laurel forest, Balcões is the closest equivalent to Fanal in effort, but the experience is a view over the forest rather than being among ancient trees. Ribeiro Frio is closer to Funchal and fits a northeast day with Santana and Pico do Arieiro.

Rabaçal and Levada das 25 Fontes (PR6)

Rabaçal sits on the Paul da Serra plateau, not far from Fanal, so it is the easiest forest walk to combine with it. The PR6 descends into a deep, wooded valley to the 25 Fontes (“25 springs”) pool, where many small falls stream down a mossy cliff.

• Length: about 11 km return, 3–4 hours.
• Access: a parking area on the ER110 that fills early, and a shuttle down to the Rabaçal forestry house (listed at €5 one way or €8 return in early 2026).
• Crowds: one of the busiest walks on the island; go early.

Fanal vs 25 Fontes: Do both on the same day if you are driving: Rabaçal in the morning, Fanal in the afternoon or the other way round if you want morning fog at Fanal.

Which forest should you choose?

If you want…	Choose
Ancient trees and fog with almost no walking	Fanal
A classic full-day levada hike with tunnels and a waterfall	Caldeirão Verde (PR9)
A quiet half-day levada through dense forest	Levada do Rei (PR18)
The shortest easy walk with a big view	Balcões (PR11)
Waterfalls you can combine with Fanal	25 Fontes (PR6)
A forest visit on a tour, without hiking	Fanal on a west Madeira day tour

Visiting Fanal on a tour

Fanal is the easiest of these to see on an organised tour, because nearly every west-Madeira day trip stops there. Budget options include From Funchal: West Madeira and Laurel Forest Day Trip (from about $39, 4.7 from 2,558 reviews, Oct 2026). Jeep tours such as Madeira: Full-Day 4×4 Tour – Fanal, Seixal & Natural Pools (from about $63, 4.9 from 377 reviews, Oct 2026) add unpaved tracks. If you want to walk in the forest, the Fanal Secret Hike – Private Experience (7 km, max 4) was listed from about $101 per person (5.0 from 8 reviews, Oct 2026).

See our full comparison of the best Fanal Forest tours, and for longer walks at Fanal itself, our Fanal Forest hikes guide.

Browse Fanal Forest tours

Can you do several in one trip?

Yes. With a week on Madeira, a balanced plan might be:

1. West day: Fanal early, Porto Moniz and Seixal, optionally 25 Fontes at Rabaçal.
2. Northeast day: Caldeirão Verde from Queimadas, or Levada do Rei with lunch in São Jorge or Santana.
3. Short half-day: Balcões at Ribeiro Frio, combined with a mountain viewpoint.

Remember that each PR trail needs its own time-slot booking on SIMplifica in 2026. Weather differs a lot between the north and south coasts, so keep the order flexible. Our fog timing guide helps you pick the best day for Fanal, and what to see near Fanal Forest lists stops in the northwest.

Frequently asked questions

Is Fanal better than Caldeirão Verde?

They suit different people. Fanal is an easy, short visit to open ancient-tree scenery, often in fog. Caldeirão Verde is a long, moderate levada hike through dense forest and tunnels to a waterfall. Hikers usually prefer Caldeirão Verde; photographers and casual visitors usually prefer Fanal.

Which Madeira forest walk is the easiest?

Walking among the trees at Fanal is the easiest, with no set trail. Among official PR trails, the Vereda dos Balcões at Ribeiro Frio is the shortest and easiest at about 1.5 km each way.

Do I have to pay to walk Madeira's forest trails?

Yes, on official classified PR trails. In 2026 the fee is €4.50 per person over 12 booked independently on SIMplifica, or €3 through a protocol tour operator. Children 12 and under are free but must register.

Can I combine Fanal with 25 Fontes?

Yes. Both are on or near the Paul da Serra plateau, so a self-drive day can include Rabaçal and the PR6 plus a visit to Fanal.

Is Fanal part of the UNESCO laurel forest?

Fanal lies within Madeira’s Laurisilva, the laurel forest listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is a protected area of Madeira Natural Park.