This area of Madeira's native forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is perfectly preserved and developed. It's a setting of great natural exuberance, which accompanies and defines the entire experience of hiking along Vereda do Fanal.

Located between the Porto Moniz and Ribeira da Janela mountains, Fanal is a vast forested area that invites you to peacefully enjoy the best nature has to offer. This idyllic space is one of the most emblematic places in the municipality of Porto Moniz, home to a landscape heritage of remarkable beauty.

There are sections where the trail is open, offering hikers the opportunity to appreciate the grandeur and grandeur of the landscape. Other sections of the trail are closed, covered by the magnificent, verdant vegetation of the Laurissilva forest, enchanting visitors with its freshness and abundance. Along the trail, there are several viewpoints, revealing a stunning array of landscapes, particularly the views over the Ribeira da Janela valley and Chão da Ribeira. A medium-difficulty trail, the Vereda do Fanal trail ends in the Fanal area, where you'll find a small volcanic caldera classified as a Rest and Silence Reserve by the Madeira Natural Park. It's the ideal place to relax and unwind, while enjoying the views from the natural viewpoints and the unique surroundings of the centuries-old tis (Ocotea foetens) forests, some of which predate the island's discovery.

In Fanal, the centerpiece is undoubtedly the grove of centuries-old tis (Ocotea foetens)—these specimens date back even before the archipelago's discovery. They are part of the indigenous Laurissilva forest, which here expresses itself in a state of conservation that is impressive for its vibrancy.

Between viewpoints, a leisure area with a public barbecue area, and a winter lake formed from an ancient crater, there are many natural corners of the Fanal Forest in Madeira where you can marvel, have fun, hike, or simply relax (this area is, in fact, classified as a Rest and Silence Reserve by the Madeira Natural Park).

During the Fanal walking trails, among the limited number of bird species that can be observed in Madeira's fauna, mostly endemic, there are some that deserve special notice. This is the case of the Madeira pigeon (Columba trocaz), the firecrest (Regulus madeirenses) or the chaffinch (Fringilla coleeis madeirensis), animals that represent the Laurissilva Forest. In the Mountain Massif, Zino's petrel (Pterodroma madeira) stands out as a severely threatened species. In turn, the range of seabirds that nest on this island territory is also quite extensive.

Madeira's geographical location, subtropical climate and rugged orography allow for the existence of a great diversity of habitats and, consequently, of great richness. In the Laurissilva forest, an ex-libris of Madeira's flora, there are large trees, such as the Til (Ocotea foetens) or the laurel (Laurus novocanariensis), but also an abundance of shrubs, ferns, mosses, lichens and other small plants. In the Mountain Massif, vegetation is characterised by the presence of plants such as the Madeira violet (Viola paradoxa) or the Madeira grey heather (Erica madeirenses), which contribute to the essential capture of water through hidden rainfall.

Here you'll also find trails that offer the opportunity to admire this vast and rich forest cover. Several trails and levadas can be found at Fanal, such as PR13 (Vereda do Fanal) or PR14 (Levada dos Cedros). Come and be amazed by the richness of Fanal.

Hike Information:

Distance: 10.8 km

Difficulty: Medium

Duration: 4 h

Start/Finish: E.R. 209 Assobiadores / E.R. 209 Fanal

Maximum/minimum altitude: 1420 m / 1130 m

Information about an alternative to the route Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo

The levadas and trails of Madeira Island are one of the region’s major attractions, with lush landscapes and unique experiences in contact with nature. To ensure the preservation of these spaces and the safety of visitors, the Regional Government of Madeira implemented, as of October 2024, a fee for access to some hiking trails.