Caminho Real do Paul do Mar is a municipal footpath on the west coast of Madeira, Portugal, and one of the island's official Madeira Islands Footpaths (PR19). It runs about two kilometres from the village of Prazeres, at 535 metres, down to the harbour at Paul do Mar, and takes up to 80 minutes downhill. The route is largely steps down the cliff face, with Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar in view, waterfalls off the rock and Madeira flora along the way. Before roads reached this coast, paths like this were the only way in and out of the villages.
Caminho Real do Paul do Mar (PR19)
Local name: PR19 Caminho Real do Paul do Mar
Before the roads came, this staircase down the cliff was how Paul do Mar was reached at all — and how its goods moved, cheaper and safer than a boat in a winter sea.
- Accessibility
- Not wheelchair accessible: no step-free entrance, and the route is stairs down a cliff face.
- Parking
- Free parking at the top: the Hotel Jardim Atlântico car park sits about 34 m from the trailhead and is signed for customers; free street parking nearby.
- Difficulty
- About 2 km, mostly steps, with some 500 m of height between Prazeres (535 m) and Paul do Mar harbour. Up to 80 minutes downhill; the climb back takes far longer.
- Transport
- Nearest bus stop: Quebrada, 762 m from the trailhead.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, seven days a week.
What makes it special
Steps, and then more steps. From Prazeres at 535 metres the path zigzags down the cliff face to the harbour at Paul do Mar, two kilometres of trail that give up around 500 metres of height. In places a rope runs along the edge; in others there is nothing between the walker and the drop. The view is what pays for it, opening as you descend: the harbour below, Jardim do Mar along the coast, waterfalls off the rock and Pride of Madeira (Echium nervosum) in the crevices. This was a working route long before it was a walk. Before roads reached the coast, the municipal paths were how Paul do Mar was reached at all, and how its goods moved — cheaper and safer than a boat in a winter sea.
Good to know
- Wet weather: the steps zigzag down the cliff face and turn treacherous when wet — one walker would not take them on in those conditions.
- Exposure: a safety rope runs along the edge in places; elsewhere there is nothing between the path and the drop.
- It climbs either way: two kilometres, around 500 metres of height. Most walkers go top-down from Prazeres; bottom-up is the hard direction.
- Water and toilets: a fountain, Fonte do Lombo da Rocha, is 256 m from the trailhead; the nearest toilets are 635 m away.
- Getting back: the hotel at the top serves drinks and arranged a taxi back down for one walker who had climbed up from Paul do Mar.
Getting there
Most walkers start at the top, in Prazeres. The car park is about 34 metres from the trailhead and an information board marks the start, so there is no real approach on foot before the descent begins. From there the route is steps, all the way down the cliff face to the harbour at Paul do Mar. Whichever end you start from, you finish some 500 metres above or below where you left the car, so settle the return before you set off — climb it back, or arrange a taxi.
Best time to visit
Best: a dry day with time in hand — the descent takes up to 80 minutes and the climb back takes far longer.
Avoid: wet weather. The route is steps down a cliff face, and wet steps here are treacherous.
In January the trail opens the Madeira Walking Festival as the event's first walk, and that is the one week of the year to expect company on the steps. Otherwise the path stays quiet enough to keep moving without stopping to let people past.
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Caminho Real do Paul do Mar (PR19) on the map
The path runs along unprotected edges: in places a rope guards the drop, in others there is nothing at all. The steps turn treacherous when wet, and the route is steep enough that walkers stop to rest in both directions. Do not attempt it if you are uneasy with heights.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does the walk take?
About two kilometres, and up to 80 minutes going down from Prazeres to Paul do Mar. Uphill is another matter: one walker took an hour and a half to climb it and half an hour to come back down.Which direction do most people walk it?
Top-down, starting at Prazeres at 535 metres and finishing at the harbour. Bottom-up is the harder climb, though the view changes in your favour as you rise. Either way you return the way you came, unless you arrange a lift.How hard is it?
Hard. The route is mostly steps and gives up around 500 metres of height in two kilometres. It is steep enough to need rest stops in either direction, and the descent is punishing on the knees.What is there to see along the way?
The villages of Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar come into view from the path, along with waterfalls on the rock face and Madeira flora such as Pride of Madeira (Echium nervosum) and Madeira mountain stock (Euphorbia piscatoria).What is the Madeira Walking Festival connection?
The trail is the first walking trail of the festival, which is held each January.