From one Levada to another! That’s basically what it’s like hiking around Madeira. If you’re wondering what a Levada is, it’s basically a man-made irrigation system that brings water around the island. So when you hike from Levada do Furado to Levada da Portela you’ll be walking next to running water almost the whole way.
When you go on a Levada walk, you know that the hike will never be too challenging as the Levadas rarely surpass an incline of 2%. So you can be sure that you’re down for a chill – but never boring – walk! We learned about this on our first hike on the island, Levada de 25 Fontes, where the tour guide explained everything about Levadas on the island and how important they are to Madeira.
Thankfully, due to the abundance of these man-made irrigation systems, there’s an incredible amount of (well-maintained) hiking to do on the island. An example is this one from Levada do Furado which connects with Levada da Portela and finishes in the town of Portela.
Let’s dive in!
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What to expect when hiking the Levada do Furado to Portela hike
There are a few things you can expect when hiking these Levadas. This walk is great if you’re looking for a relatively easy hike to do near Funchal. Buses go directly from Funchal to Ribeiro Frio.
Ribeiro Frio is where the hike begins. It’s actually a beautiful nature park where a ton of different trails start from. So you’ll maybe end up back here a few times during your time in Madeira if you plan to do a lot of hiking.
It’s known for some awesome hikes such as the PR11 Vereda dos Balcões and not too far away you have the PR1 Pico Arieiro which is the most famous hike on the island.
The roads aren’t the most pleasant. They zig-zag up the mountains but once you’re up there you’ll realise that the drive was totally worth it.
Regarding the Levada do Furado to Portela hike, we wouldn’t say it’s the most breathtaking and stunning hike on the island but it is a different kind of Levada hike and worth doing if you’re looking for some time out in nature. If you’re looking for more of a breathtaking hike, the Vereda dos Balcões is significantly shorter and much more beautiful in our opinion.
On this hike, you’ll be entertained by a ton of waterfalls along the way, a beautiful Levada that snakes through the mountains right next to you, and also some incredible views when the trees clear up for some openings!
Practical information about hiking the Levada do Furado trail (PR10)
Official name: PR10 – Vereda do Furado
Distance: 11.1 km return / 6.9 miles return
Elevation: Roughly 565 m / 1853 ft. elevation gain
Type: One-way trail (can also be done as an out-and-back)
Length: 3-4 hours total (includes time for pictures and a lunch break)
Difficulty: 3/5
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Click here to see a map of the beginning of the Levada do Furado hike.
Here’s a picture of the beginning of the Levada do Furado hike:
Fun fact: the Levada do Furado is said to be one of the oldest Levadas on Madeira dating back to 1822 according to Visit Madeira.
Starting at Restaurant Ribeiro Frio
If you forgot food you don’t have to worry! There’s a restaurant with snacks literally at the beginning of the hike. If you decide to drive up here yourself, there’s a parking lot next to the restaurant and if you take the bus it will drop you off right next to the restaurant.
Inside the restaurant, you can find some little pastries and things to take with you on the hike or have a proper meal before you start the Levada trail.
There are a few trails that leave from the restaurant. Ribeiro Frio is covered in trails so make sure you go to the right trail that actually says PR10 – Levada do Furado. It’s right behind the restaurant and there’s a big sign as you can see in the image above, so you shouldn’t miss it.
Of course, there will be a Levada right from the beginning of the hike. This is Levada do Furado which you’ll follow for the first section of the hike.
Walking along waterfalls and river crossings along Levada do Furado
So hopefully it’s nice and sunny as you hike the Levada do Furado – especially on this section of the hike since there are quite a few waterfalls and small “river crossings” that can get a little scary when it’s rained a lot.
If it’s a sunny and clear day then no problem because you’ll easily be able to step on the rocks and cross the little streams. But if it’s been raining a lot there are 2 or 3 streams you have to cross that can get a little slippery close to the edge.
If you brought your hiking shoes with you to Madeira then we definitely recommend you wear them on this hike. Even on the sections of the hike that aren’t going directly under a waterfall or crossing the water, the trail can get really muddy and wet and you don’t want to destroy your new running shoes.
That’s why we always rock our waterproof hiking boots. We done quite a few levada hikes now where the hiking boots have really come in handy.
This section doesn’t really offer any crazy views of the famous lush green mountains Madeira is famous for since the nature next to the trail is quite overgrown. So it’s not that the views aren’t there it’s just that a lot of this hike is covered by trees and you’re mostly in the forest.
What Levada do Furado does offer is some beautiful small waterfalls literally right on the trail. There’s even a spot where you have to walk under the little waterfall to continue along the trail and one where you walk directly through it (at least on rainy days)!
There are a few hikes like this in Madeira (such as Levada do Rei) but it doesn’t take away from how cool it is walking under a waterfall.
Go through the cave and towards Levada Portela
Even though you’re in the trees you can still manage to find some pretty amazing openings. They are few and far between but on a clear day you can really see how high up in the mountains you are (and there are certain sections where we don’t recommend you to look down). You even have Pico do Suna right above you which is one of the highest peaks in the area.
As you continue to follow Levada do Furado, you’ll get to a point where you walk into what feels like a cave. Just continue through it and at the fork in the road, turn right and follow the main trail along the Levada.
You’ll continue to follow Levada do Furado and without you noticing, it will turn into Levada Portela. It’s not like the trail changes or anything. It’s just the way the Levadas connect they end up changing names. When they change that’ll mean you’ll be in the area close to Portela. Portela is the small town nearby and is where the bus picks you up when you’re done with the hike!
Hike along Levada Portela towards Portela
Eventually, you’ll get to the end of the Levada and you will end up at a brick building. From there you turn left and start your descent. You should see signs that point you in the direction of Portela.
After a little while, you should end up at the Forestry Station of Lamaceiros (Posto Florestal dos Lamaceiros). This is where you’ll see some picnic tables and some pretty flowers and palm trees. It’s an ideal rest stop but you don’t have much distance left of the hike so you can also just go ahead and finish up your hike so you have more time for coffee and food at the restaurant as you wait for your bus back to Funchal.
As you get to Portela it’ll be a little bit like the beginning of the hike. There’s a restaurant just a few minutes from the end of the trail and the bus stop is right next to the restaurant as well.
In hindsight, you could actually start the hike from Portela and finish in Ribeiro Frio. We decided to do the standard way from Ribeiro Frio to Portela as it worked out quite well with the bus schedule and also because this way you have more descent versus incline so it’s a bit easier.
Bonus: Check out some extra viewpoints
There are lots of other side trails from this main one that leads to lookouts so if you have some extra time (and Mapy.CZ on your phone to help with direction) you can try checking some of them out.
One lookout we’d recommend is near the end of the hike and it’s called “Miradouro Porto da Cruz” because you essentially get this amazing view overlooking the coastal city of Porto da Cruz. It’s a little extra detour but the view of the city is totally worth it.
If you don’t do it, don’t worry as there are other hikes like the Vereda do Larano which takes you along the eastern coast of Madeira to Porto da Cruz so you’ll have other opportunities to see the cool coastal city. Also, there is another viewpoint at the end of your hike called “Miraduoro da Portela” from where you can also see Porto da Cruz – just from a different angle.
Enjoy a coffee or some food in Portela
The only downside to taking public transport in Madeira is sometimes you have to wait a while for the bus. We say it on every hiking post for Madeira but this Sam Bus Guide will do wonders for you – especially since Google Maps doesn’t work very well with public transportation outside of Funchal. For this specific hike, the bus usually comes at 16:00 which should give you some time at one of the restaurants before going back to Funchal.
As you complete the Levada do Furado to Levada da Portela you can enjoy a nice coffee, tea, or yummy Portuguese food at Restaurante Portela a Vista at the end of the trail. This restaurant is also right next to the bus stop. So once you check the time timetable you can see how much time you have.
Sitting down and enjoying a hot drink or a cold beer is our favourite way to finish a hike. On a sunny day, you can even sit outside and enjoy the fresh air that you can only get up here in the Madeiran mountains.
What to bring on the PR10 Levada do Furado
First of all, don’t forget some money! Since there’s a restaurant at the beginning and also at the end of the hike you’ll probably be more than tempted to buy a Pastel de Nata or a coffee! Also, the buses only take cash so it’s good to always have a little bit of cash on hand.
Second of all, even though the Levada do Furado isn’t the most challenging hike it’s still good to bring some snacks and water with you. You’re not going to be exposed to the sun throughout the whole hike like on Ponta de São Lourenço or Pico Ruivo for example, but it’s still nice to be prepared so sunscreen never hurts to bring.
Packing list for Levada do Furado:
- Water! We always fill up our LifeStraw bottles before hikes and even during them when we can. A few liters should be enough for the trail and you can always grab something at one of the two cafes that are at the start and end of the Levadas if you need more.
- Sunscreen is always nice to have. You’re not fully exposed to the sun throughout the hike but it’s still nice to have on a sunny day.
- A power bank because you never know when you’re going to run out of battery especially in a foreign place. At the end of the day there’s a bus map at the end of the hike but it’s still nice to not have your phone run out of battery.
- Bring a snack or two and the rest you can get at the restaurants if you’re still hungry!
- Hiking shoes are always good to have but especially on this trail since you have to cross little streams a few times. Also the trails do get quite muddy so it’s nice to not get your running shoes all dirty.
You can check out this great list of hiking gear to get some more inspiration!
Before you hike Levada do Furado to Portela
Check the weather
This one is important, especially when hiking around this area! It can be sunny down in Funchal or Ponta do Sol but up in the mountains and especially near Ribeiro Frio, it can get quite rainy.
Madeira has a microclimate so the weather is always changing. Checking the weather is the best way to prepare for the hike ahead of you. You can check the weather near Ribeiro Frio here where the hike begins.
Going on a clear day is more ideal. But if you love waterfalls, rain, and don’t mind getting a little dirty then rainy days can be great as well! On a clear day you’ll be able to see through the viewpoints and on rainy days you’ll get bigger and more powerful waterfalls! A win-win in our books!
Wear hiking shoes
One of us was smart enough to wear our hiking shoes and the other one wasn’t as bright. Jo took her hikers so she didn’t have any problems with getting them dirty and wet. I on the other hand took my running shoes and they got completely filthy from all the water and mud. So be like Jo and wear your hiking shoes lol!
Check the bus schedule
If you’re planning to take public transport (which we recommend) it’s not a bad idea to get a rough idea of what bus you’ll take there and back. A few of the Sam buses go to Ribeiro Frio and Portela so it’s best to look at the timetables along with Google Maps (works from Funchal only).
Buses go directly from downtown Funchal and stop at the trailhead. They also stop at the finish in Portelo and drive back to downtown Funchal.
How to get to the Vereda do Furado hike
The hike itself sort of starts in the most random place but thankfully bus 56 from Funchal (and a few other buses) does go there so it really is easy to get to. You can also leave your car at the starting point if you decide to rent a car in Madeira. For this specific hike, it’s best to take public transport if you’re coming from Funchal though.
The Vereda do Furado hike is actually one of the easiest to get to by public transport from Funchal and also one of the closest to the city. So if you’re looking for a hike near Funchal to do where you don’t need to rent a car then this is perfect.
It is a one-way trail so it’s better to use public transport but if you do have a car then the best option would be to do it as an in-and-out trail which means almost double the distance (you can turn around at the brick building) but come back to the same starting point.
Taking the bus from Funchal to Levada do Furado
There are a few different ways in which you can get to the trailhead depending on what day of the week you go.
We went on a Saturday and took bus 56 at 10:00 am. from the cable car in Funchal. On the way back, we took bus 53 from Portelo to Machico at 16:00 (4:00 pm) and then in Macicho we had to wait for 10 minutes before taking bus 113 back to Funchal.
We only had to buy 1 ticket for the return though as we told the driver on the bus from Portelo that we were going all the way to Funchal. So once we got to Machico we showed the bus driver on the bus to Funchal our ticket and he let us on. The price was €4.
You can find the bus timetables for SAM buses here.
*Note that the schedule varies depending on the day of the week, so just make sure you’re looking at the right day.
As we mentioned before, there are also other buses that go to the trailhead. You can check Google Maps and see what comes up. To make sure, just ask the bus driver if he is going to “Ribeiro Frio” or “Leva do Furado” and they’ll know exactly where you’re going and can tell you if they drive there or not.
It takes just under an hour to get there and costs just under 4€ per person each way. Just to prepare you, the roads are quite windy and a little sketchy but the bus drivers on this island do this all the time and know what they’re doing! We can’t, however, promise you that you won’t get a little car sick if you have a weak stomach.
Getting to Levada do Furado by car
Here are the distances and time frames between Ponta do Sol and Funchal to the start of the hike.
From Funchal to the start of the Levada do Furado trail:
- 30-minute drive (16 kilometers)
- You can follow the directions from Funchal to Levada do Furado here.
From Ponta do Sol to the Levada do Furado trail:
- 55-minute drive (40 kilometers)
- You can follow the directions from Ponta do Sol to Levada do Furado here.
Renting a car in Madeira
If you have a car we’d recommend doing Levada de 25 Fontes instead since for that hike you really do need a car. But if you’re down for Levada Furado and have a car that’s great too. Driving in Madeira is a blast so if you do have a chance to drive around the island you should!
Make sure you do the hike as an in-and-out trail then instead so you can come back to Ribeiro Frio where your car is parked. Another option is doing half the hike, turning around and then hiking back to your rental car so you still hike the same distance. It’s really up to you!
If you do book a car it’s best to book it in advance and pick up the car at the Madeira airport if you’re keeping the car for a while since that is the cheaper option. You can see the prices for rental cars from the airport here.
An alternative is to go to 7M in downtown Funchal. We’ve rented multiple cars from them and we’ve always had a good experience.
One thing to remember is that prices do change all the time based on supply and demand so if you really know you’ll be driving a lot and exploring the island it’s best to book your car in advance.
How to get from Portela back to Funchal
Like we mentioned before, the bus from Portela stops in Machico and from there you switch on your way back to Funchal.
This public transport map for Madeira will become super useful over your time in Madeira. It has all the routes including timetables. So you can always screenshot these in case you run out of data or don’t have reception along your hike.
Best time to hike Levada do Furado
In our opinion, the best time to hike Levada do Furado is on a sunny clear day. On a sunny day, you’ll get a chance to enjoy the hike more without worrying about getting dirty, the viewpoints open up, and you still won’t be exposed to the hot sun the whole time.
If you’re up for a bit of a longer day of hiking you can always hike the PR11 Vereda dos Balcões before starting on this hike.
The nice thing about hiking up here in Ribeiro Frio is that the hikes never really gets overrun with tourists. Most people are either hiking the Levada de 25 Fontes, Pico Arieiro, or Ponta de São Lourenço (although some tour companies do offer guided walks on this trail) so it doesn’t really matter what time of the year you do it.
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Recap of hiking Levada do Furado
Hiking the Levada do Furado gives you a good taste of the Ribeiro Frio area. This nature reserve is awesome and there are lots of fun day hikes around this area. So if you enjoy this trail then you’ll definitely have to come back and check out some of the other trails in and around this part of the island.
If you love Levada trails that aren’t overly challenging but still offer awesome views then you’ll love this one. You add the few waterfalls, “river crossing”, the “cave”, and a few viewpoints and it makes for a fun day hike.
It really is more of a walking trail than a hike but you definitely still want to come prepared as it is fairly long, and you are in the middle of the forest (+ it can get quite muddy). Plan to spend at least 3-4 hours walking from the start to the end of the trail.
Enjoy walking next to the Levada and watching the current of the water flow from all of the waterfalls.
Have fun!
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