Levada do Rei (PR 18)

At one point on Levada do Rei the water comes down across the path and you simply walk under it. The rest of the way has no steep climbs and plenty to notice: vegetation closing overhead into tunnels, the smell of jasmine and eucalyptus, the farmland of São Jorge and Santana seen from the forest.

Ribeiro Bonito is the pay-off, an isolated pocket of dense Laurisilva where the trail ends among several waterfalls, one of them a gentle fall. The same water drives the São Jorge water mill. It has three centuries of history and is the only one of its kind still working, with a local miller grinding cereals from the region's terraced fields.

From the water treatment plant at Quebradas, in São Jorge, the path follows the levada into exotic forest, with the farmland of São Jorge and Santana in view. An information board and a PR 18 guidepost stand close to the car park.

Further along, the vegetation closes into tunnels. The path narrows in places and the ground runs wet, and at one point water comes down and you walk under it.

At Ribeiro Bonito the trail ends in dense Laurisilva, among several waterfalls. Turn round here and return along the same path to Quebradas. Keep time for the São Jorge water mill, which runs on this levada's water.

• Double the distance: Ribeiro Bonito is the turning point, and the walk back brings the day to 10.6 km.
• You will get wet: Water falls onto the path at one point, so pack a waterproof layer and keep your phone covered.
• Toilets: There are no toilets at the start of the trail, and none nearby.
• Trail status: IFCN posts the status of each trail on its official trails page. Check it before you set out.
• Dogs: Dogs are allowed.

The start is at the water treatment plant at Quebradas, in São Jorge, with a car park close to the PR 18 information board and guidepost. A second car park nearby is for customers only. There is room before 10 am, and the car park can be packed by the time you walk back.

The nearest public transport stop, Reta da Felpa-RIB Funda, is about 795 m away in a straight line, and the rest of the approach is on foot. The walk ends where it began, so no return transport is needed.

Best: an early start, above all in high season. The trail can get crowded, and a car park with room before 10 am can be packed by the time you walk back.

Avoid: days of heavy rain. The path is already wet and slippery around the waterfalls, and rain adds to both.

Levada do Rei is a classified walking trail under IFCN, and every walker must book an entry slot online through the SIMplifica portal, including those who walk free. Bookings and payment are not handled at IFCN premises. A slot blocks automatically once it reaches capacity; next-day and same-day bookings work while places remain. The tolerance around your slot is about 15 minutes. Booking several trails together makes the portal apply the cheapest rate on its own, and each trail still needs its own booking.

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

Rescheduling or a refund applies only when the authorities or IFCN have officially closed or restricted the trail on your booking date. Rain, a wrong date or a change of plan loses the amount paid.