PR 10 – Levada do Furado
The Balcony of the Laurissilva
Distance
11 km (One Way)
Duration
5h
Difficulty
Moderate
Status
⛔ CLOSED
🕐 Best Time to Visit
💡 Pro Tip: Ribeiro Frio is very popular with tour buses stopping to see the trout farm. Start hiking before 10:00 AM to get ahead of the crowds.
⚠️ Technical Difficulty Rating
Why Hike Levada do Furado?
PR 10 is one of the oldest levadas in Madeira. It connects the deep interior valley of Ribeiro Frio to the coastal lookout of Portela.
It is famous for its “balcony” sections where the water channel is carved directly into vertical cliffs, offering dizzying views down into the wild Laurissilva forest valley. It passes through natural rock arches and tunnels.
Trail Map
From Ribeiro Frio (Trout Farm) to Portela Viewpoint.
Step-by-Step Guide
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1
Ribeiro Frio (Start)
Start near the trout farm. The path begins flat and easy, following the wide levada through the trees.
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2
The Balconies
The forest opens up. The path hugs the cliff edge with a railing. You look straight down into the Ribeira da Metade valley.
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3
The Furado (Tunnels)
You pass through rock arches and small hand-carved tunnels. The water often spills over the path here.
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4
Lamaceiros & Portela
The trail widens at the Lamaceiros forestry station (picnic area) before descending a fire track to the final view at Portela.
📸 Best Photo Spots
About 4km in, the vegetation clears for a perfect view of the deep green valley walls. Great for depth and scale.
Capture the levada flowing through the natural rock archways covered in moss and ferns.
At the very end of the hike, the view over Penha de Águia and Porto da Cruz is legendary.
Facilities & Amenities
How to Get There
This is a Linear Trail. You start at Ribeiro Frio and end at Portela (11km away).
🚕 Logistics Tip
Do not bring two cars (1 hour drive between start/end). Park at the end (Portela) and take a taxi to the start (Ribeiro Frio). Then hike back to your car.
The Driver’s Perspective
🚘 Mountain Road ER103
Winding but beautiful.
Our Rental Recommendation: The road to Ribeiro Frio involves a lot of climbing and overtaking buses on narrow roads. An automatic transmission makes the drive much more relaxing. This is Madeira Island has reliable automatics.
Essential Gear
- Hiking Boots: The path is often muddy and slippery near the waterfalls.
- Headlamp: Needed for the short tunnels.
- Warm Layers: You are at 900m altitude in a damp forest. It gets cold.
🍹 After the Hike: Where to Eat?
Restaurante Portela à Vista
Located exactly at the end of the trail in Portela. They serve the famous Tomato Soup and Espetada. The view down to Porto da Cruz is the perfect reward.
