PR 6 – Levada das 25 Fontes
The Most Famous Levada in Madeira
Distancia
11 km (Total)
Duración
3,5h - 4h
Dificultad
Moderado
Estado
✅ ABIERTO
La mejor época para visitarlo
💡 Consejo profesional: The path is very narrow. Between 11:00 and 13:00, it becomes a “traffic jam” of hikers. Start at 8:30 AM to enjoy the lagoon in peace.
⚠️ Grado de dificultad técnica
Why Hike Levada das 25 Fontes?
En PR 6 – Levada das 25 Fontes is the postcard image of Madeira. It takes you deep into the Rabaçal Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The goal is a magical lagoon fed by 25 natural springs (fontes) cascading down a mossy wall into a crystal-clear blue pool. The walk itself passes through tunnels of heather and blueberry bushes (Uveira).
Mapa del sendero
From Rabaçal Forestry House to the 25 Fontes Lagoon.
Guía paso a paso
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1
Parking & Shuttle (Start)
Park at the top (ER 105). We strongly recommend taking the Shuttle Bus down to the Forestry House to save your knees for the actual hike.
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2
Casa Forestal (The Hub)
From the cafe, follow signs for PR 6. You will descend a long, steep stone staircase into the valley floor.
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3
Paseo Levada
Once you hit the water channel, the path flattens out. It is narrow! You must stop to let oncoming hikers pass.
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4
25 Fontes Lagoon (Finish)
The trail ends at a small rock amphitheater. 25 springs weep from the walls into a beautiful pool. Swimming is very cold but refreshing!
📸 Los mejores lugares para hacer fotos
The main event. Use a long exposure (on phone or camera) to turn the trickling waterfalls into silky smooth streams.
Near the start of the levada, there is a small stone bridge over the Ribeira da Janela river. Great jungle vibes.
Parts of the path are completely covered by tree canopy, creating a natural tunnel of light and shadow.
Instalaciones y servicios
Cómo llegar
Head to **Paúl da Serra** plateau. Look for the large parking lot marked “Rabaçal” on road ER 105.
🛑 Parking Chaos
Arrive before 9:30 AM. After this, cars park along the road for kilometers. Be careful walking on the road to the shuttle stop.
La perspectiva del conductor
🚘 Meseta de conducción
Straight roads, but watch for cows!
Nuestra recomendación de alquiler: Driving to Rabaçal is easy on the engine but hard on parking. A **Compact Car** is highly recommended to squeeze into tight roadside spots when the main lot is full. This is Madeira Island has compacts perfect for this.
Equipo esencial
- Cash (Coins/Notes): The shuttle bus and toilets rarely work with cards.
- Chubasquero: Rabaçal is a “cloud trap.” It rains here even when the sun shines in Calheta.
- Zapatos con agarre: The rocks near the waterfall are permanently wet and slippery.
🍹 Después de la excursión: ¿dónde comer?
Café del Paraje Natural de Rabaçal
Located at the trailhead (Forestry House). It is the perfect place to wait for the shuttle bus back up. Their Cheesecake y Soup of the Day are surprisingly good for a remote location.
