Fanal, the old trees in the fog

Fanal is a clearing in the laurel forest at 1,135 m, on the plateau above Seixal and Ribeira da Janela. Its til trees are centuries old, and some were growing before the island was discovered. They stand apart in open grass with their branches spread low, and you walk on the grass between them.

Fog drifts across the plateau often. On a foggy day the trunks come and go as you walk, and on a clear one you see the whole grove at once. The forest belongs to the Laurisilva of Madeira, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999, and Fanal is a rest-and-quiet reserve of the Madeira Natural Park, so keep voices low and take your rubbish with you.

Two classified trails meet here. The PR13, Vereda do Fanal, comes 10.8 km one way from Assobiadores on the plateau, about 4 hours on foot. The PR14, Levada dos Cedros, carries on 7.2 km down to Curral Falso.

• Bring a warm layer in any month. The plateau is colder than the coast and the weather changes fast. IFCN's trail panel warns that fog can make walkers lose their way, so stay on the paths.
• No ticket for the trees. Walking among the trees from the road is free and needs no booking. Only the trails need a SIMplifica slot for each walker, €4.50 a person.
• A limit on numbers. In November 2025 IFCN announced a limit of 3,000 visitors a day.
• Parking. On busy days the car park by the road fills and cars line the verge. With us you don't park: your driver drops you by the trees and waits.
• Getting there. Fanal is on the ER209, the road up from Ribeira da Janela or across the plateau. The ER105 from Encumeada is closed (since January 2024), so come from the west side.

Our west Madeira day stops at Fanal in the afternoon, after Porto Moniz, for about 30 minutes among the trees. If you'd rather walk to it, the hiking transfer for the PR13 drops you at Assobiadores and collects you at Fanal, so no car waits at the wrong end.