PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes is one of the most iconic hikes in Madeira – and for good reason 🥾💦

This 9 km loop takes you through lush forest in the heart of the island, following narrow levadas past dandelion bushes, mossy cliffs, and two stunning waterfalls.

You’ll pass Risco Waterfall first (it’s 100 meters tall!), and then continue to Cascata das 25 Fontes, a beautiful waterfall surrounded by green ferns 🌿

Trail information:

• Official name: PR6 – Levada 25 Fontes e Risco

• Distance: 8.9 km return / 5.5 miles return

• Elevation: Roughly 688 m / 2257 ft. elevation gain

• Length: Roughly 4 hours return (including lunch and a dip in the waterfall)

• Difficulty: Moderate

• Fee: €4.5 per person (pay here)

How to get there:

• 🚗 Drive – 50 minutes from Funchal with parking near the trailhead

  • We recommend booking your car rental from Madeira Airport for the best price

• 🅿️ Parking – Park at the Parque de Estacionamento Levada 25 Fontes (upper lot)

• 🚌 Guided tour: You can also do this as a guided hike, which is what we did the first time we went. It was super nice having a driver and a guide to teach us more about the island.

  • This is the exact tour we did! (you'll also notice a little video on the activity that we created 😉)

For the hike, we usually pack lunch and eat along the trail – and if you're brave, bring a swimsuit for a cold but refreshing dip 🥶

There's also a café about 1km into the trail where you can buy a nice (slightly overpriced) cup of coffee and use the restroom.

We also recommend bringing:

• 🧴 Sunscreen

• 💧 Plenty of water

• 🥾 Waterproof hiking boots (if you have any)

• 📸 Camera

⚠️ There’s a €4.5 entry fee to do this hike, which you need to pay before you start the hike. You can do that here.

PS: Please don't feed the birds on this trail 🐦