Vereda do Fanal (PR 13)

Some of the til trees at Fanal were already standing when the island was discovered. They grow around a small volcanic crater, gnarled and moss-covered, and most people drive straight to them and stand among the trunks within minutes.

The full walk comes at them the long way, through the Laurissilva that UNESCO lists as World Heritage, past the cables at Sítio do Fio that once sent wood and shrubs from Fanal to the farms of Chão da Ribeira and Seixal.

The weather decides the rest. A clear day opens the natural viewpoints. Fog shuts them and leaves grey trunks with no far side to the wood, and that is a reason to come in itself.

At Assobiadores, on the ER 209 up on the Paúl da Serra plateau, the walk begins. The open high ground gives way to Laurissilva, and the forest stays with you from here on. The whole line keeps between 1,130 m and 1,420 m.

At Sítio do Fio, look for the cables. They were rigged to move wood and shrubs from Fanal to Chão da Ribeira and Seixal, for use in farming.

At Fanal the path comes out on the ER 209 again, at a small volcanic crater with natural viewpoints and woods of old til (Ocotea foetens). A guidepost and an information board mark this end. There is no loop from here: return by taxi or walk the same line back.

• One way. The trail ends at Fanal with no loop back to Assobiadores: a taxi closes the gap, and walking back doubles the distance.
• Crowds. Fanal draws most of the visitors, and it fills up later in the day.
• Weather. Sun and fog can share a single walk, so bring a layer and read the forecast if the views matter to you.
• Facilities. Free toilets and a water point are at the Fanal end; carry your own water for the walk.
• Closures. The official IFCN trail page shows whether each PR is open or closed: check it before setting out.

You arrive by car or taxi. Both ends of the walk sit on the ER 209. The official start at Assobiadores has five parking spaces; Fanal, where the walk ends, has far more, in a gravel car park. Fanal is also the way most people come in, and from there the til woods are minutes away on foot.

The walk finishes at a different point on the road, so settle the return before you set out. Leave the car at one end and take a taxi to the other, timed to your entry slot; walking back doubles the distance. The nearest stops to Fanal are about 3.5 km away in a straight line, further by road.

Best: early morning at Fanal, for the sunrise and before the crowds. For the full walk, an early slot, so that the walk and the way back both fit into daylight.

Avoid: later in the day if you want Fanal without a crowd, and wet days on the full walk.

Fanal fills as the day goes on and the sky decides the scenery: clear weather opens the views, fog closes them and changes the woods, and rain leaves the path slippery, so read the forecast before you book a slot.

Vereda do Fanal is a classified trail managed by IFCN, inside its booking and fee system. Every walker needs a booking made online on the SIMplifica portal, including those who pay nothing; IFCN offices take neither bookings nor payment.

The day is split into entry slots with capped places, and a slot locks once full. IFCN allows about 15 minutes either side of your slot, a little more if you are walking trails in sequence.

Exempt from the fee but still required to book: children aged 12 and under; Madeira residents showing resident card and citizen card; people with a disability of 60% or more, with documentary proof, plus one accompanying legal guardian.

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