Caminho Real do Paul do Mar (PR 19)

You set off with Paul do Mar far below you, and over the next 1.8 km you lose more than 500 m to reach it. Most of that is steps zigzagging down the cliff face between farm terraces: effectively a staircase to the sea. Waterfalls come into view on the way, and Pride of Madeira and Euphorbia piscatoria grow on the slopes.

This was the working road to the village. Before roads were built, people came up and down here with heavy loads on their backs, because the boat cost too much for many and could not run when the sea was rough.

At the bottom, Paul do Mar still lives by its fishing, and the bars along the shore are where locals and visitors end up. Get a coffee and a pastry there before you think about the steps again.

In Prazeres, at around 550 m, look for the guidepost for Paul do Mar and the trail map board. The Lombo da Rocha viewpoint comes right at the start, with both Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar in sight below.

On the cliff face the path becomes a steep zigzag of small paved steps, running down between agricultural terraces. Some edges have a safety rope. Others have nothing between you and the drop.

At the foot of the steps you come out in Paul do Mar, at 16 m, and the trail ends at the harbour. It is a one-way line, so the walk back is up the same steps. Walking it the other way round also works: climb first from Paul do Mar, then come down.

• The distance misleads. More than 500 m of height goes in under 2 km: hard on the knees going down, a long haul coming back up.
• Plan the return. The trail is one way. Walking back up takes about an hour and a half; rest and eat in Paul do Mar first.
• At the Prazeres end. Water at Fonte do Lombo da Rocha, about 260 m away in a straight line; toilets about 635 m away.
• Check the status. IFCN's official trails page shows whether PR 19 is open or closed. Look before you book and again on the day.

The walk starts in Prazeres, high above the coast. If you come by car, the Hotel Jardim Atlântico car parks, about 40 m away, are for customers only, so do not plan on leaving the car there.

By public transport, the nearest named stop is Quebrada, about 760 m away in a straight line, and the walk on the ground is longer than that.

The trail ends more than 500 m lower, in Paul do Mar. A car left in Prazeres means climbing back up the steps, about an hour and a half on foot. If you do not want that climb, plan your way out of Paul do Mar before you set off.

Best: a dry day, booked close to the date once the forecast is clear, with the climb back in the cooler hours.

Avoid: rain and the hours just after it, and the climb at midday.

Wet steps turn treacherous, rain does not earn a refund, and the open cliff face gives little shade when the sun is high.

PR 19 is a classified walking trail managed by IFCN. Everyone must register and book an entry slot online on the SIMplifica portal, including those who walk free; nothing is sold or booked at IFCN premises. A slot closes automatically when it reaches capacity. The tolerance around your slot is about 15 minutes, a little more if you are walking trails in sequence.

Exempt from the fee: children aged 12 or under, residents of the Autonomous Region of Madeira with a resident card and citizen card, and people with a disability of 60% or more, plus one accompanying legal guardian, with documentary proof.

Rescheduling or a refund comes only when the authorities or IFCN have officially closed or restricted the trail on your booking date. Rain, a change of plan or a wrong date loses the money. If you book several trails, the system applies the cheapest combined rate at the end, but each trail still needs its own reservation.