PR10 Levada do Furado - Ribeiro Frio - Portela — Attraction in Santana

A beautiful 11km long Madeiran hiking trail following Levadas through forests, tunnels and on the very edge of the mountain range.

The hike can be started from either side of the trail: either here, or from the Miradouro da Portela scenic point south of Porto da Cruz, which I would strongly recommend, because there are significantly less tourists than on the Ribeiro Frio's side.

The trail itself is not too difficult, but there are challenges: The back and forth trip is around 22kms long and some parts of it lead on the ledge with levadas cut into the mountain side and no protective railing - not for a faint of heart as one bad step can mean falling hundreds of meters down the cliff. It can also be quite challenging to pass people coming against you.

But other than that, this is one of the trails that have everything - pieces of history, beautiful views, old forests, old buildings, caves, breath-taking views of the North coast.

Plus, there is a secret tip: If you are starting from the side of Ribeiro Frio village, you can make it into a roughly 5km loop. Just start walking the levada and then look for a right turn up another connecting levada about 2-3 kms in. The connecting trail will take you high up and then circle back to the town (all circuit has about 5-6kms) from the south, showing you a different side of the area with remote glades and mountain bushes.

Highly recommend, beautiful part of Madeira. I only wish there were...

The PR10 Levada do Furado walk is a great introduction to hiking in Madeira. Spanning an easy and flat 3km, this walk is accessible to all fitness levels, making it perfect for families, casual walkers, or anyone seeking a peaceful escape into Madeira’s lush greenery.

The highlight of the walk is undoubtedly the stunning panoramic view at the end—a reward well worth the short trek. Along the way, the levada trail is well-maintained, ensuring a safe and enjoyable journey through beautiful surroundings. You'll pass through wooded areas and hear the flowing water off the levada alongside you.

Midway through the trail, there’s a coffee shop where you can pause, enjoy a drink, and soak in the tranquil atmosphere before continuing.

Do note that new charges of €3.00 per person now apply for entry to some popular levada walks, including this one. While some may find this surprising, the fee contributes to the upkeep of these unique trails. Overall, PR10 is an easy, scenic walk that offers a perfect blend of natural beauty and relaxation. Highly recommended for anyone...

Beautiful walk for approximately 3,5h with many amazing sceneries. This levada offers very rich nature and stunning views - you will see many smaller waterfalls on rivers along the way and will also enjoy walking in a few tunnels and seeing monumental stones. The majority of the walk (apart from the ending part which is quite steep but offers a very different and beautiful nature full of colorful flower) is comfortable to walk as it's almost flat, so the only discomfort might be created by some very narrow parts next to steep hill slides and passing other people. As it's quite long levada (11 km) it's usually only walked in one direction from Ribeiro Frio to Portela and I would recommend you to do the same as it would be difficult to walk the journey in the opposite direction as it's so narrow. The only logistics problem we had was that we had to leave our car in R. Frio and take a taxi back (it cost 29 euros). There is also a bus stop in Portela but the buses don't drive back to the start of Levada but to Machico, Funchal and some other...