PR11 Levada dos Balcões is a short walking trail at Ribeiro Frio, in Santana on the north side of Madeira. The path follows a levada water channel through laurel forest, stays flat and wide from start to finish, and ends at a round balcony looking across the valley to the central peaks. A café and shop stand partway along, and the PR10 Levada do Furado trail begins from the same point. The trail is open at all hours, and the view depends entirely on the cloud.
PR11 Levada dos Balcões
The trail ends at the round balcony its name promises, hung over the valley with Madeira's central peaks lined up in front of it.
- Accessibility
- Neither the car park nor the entrance is set up for wheelchairs, though the path itself stays level and wide throughout.
- Parking
- Free car park at the trailhead; it fills up, and after the early morning drivers park up the road and walk down.
- Difficulty
- Level the whole way on a wide, well-maintained path; about an hour there and back. Muddy in patches, though trainers cope.
- Transport
- Bus stop RIB Frio-Viveiro Trutas, at the trailhead in Ribeiro Frio.
- Hours
- Open around the clock, every day.
What makes it special
The path is cut alongside the levada channel and runs level the whole way, under laurel forest dense enough to feel like jungle. Then it opens out. At the end stands a round balcony, and from its rail the central peaks line up across the valley below. Chaffinches work the handrails and come within arm's reach of anyone standing still. Come at sunrise and the balcony is quiet. Later in the day the trail is a busy one, and it is the weather rather than the crowd that decides what you see from the end.
Good to know
- Parking: the car park at the trailhead fills up. Around 8.30 there is still room; later, park up the road and walk down.
- Cloud: on an overcast day the balcony looks out at white. North Madeira weather changes fast — time the walk for a clear sky.
- Underfoot: the path is muddy in patches. Trainers cope, but leave anything dressy in the car.
- Toilets: there are toilets by the trailhead, and they charge.
- Dogs are allowed on the trail.
Getting there
Cars come up to Ribeiro Frio and stop at the trailhead itself, and buses pull in at RIB Frio-Viveiro Trutas a few paces away. From there the walk out to the balcony is level, and level again on the way back. The PR10 Levada do Furado trail starts from the same point, so read the sign before you set off — the two paths leave almost side by side.
Best time to visit
Best: clear weather above all, and early in the day.
Avoid: overcast conditions, when the view is the only thing you came for.
The balcony faces the central peaks, and cloud on the north side of the island closes them off completely — on a grey day you walk through the laurels and reach a wall of white. Arriving early also settles the parking, which is straightforward around 8.30 and awkward afterwards.
Sun & daylight
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Frequently asked questions
How long does the walk take?
About an hour there and back at an easy pace. The path is level in both directions, so the return leg takes the same time as the way out.Is it suitable for children?
Yes — the walk is easy enough for children, flat and wide from end to end.What happens if the weather closes in?
The view from the balcony goes. The trail through the laurel forest still works in cloud, but the peaks and the valley at the end will not be there.Is there anywhere to eat along the way?
A small café and shop stand partway along the path, serving coffee and snacks.Can dogs come along?
Yes, dogs are allowed on the trail.