25 Fontes and Risco: the Rabaçal levadas

What it is

Rabaçal is a valley on the Paul da Serra plateau, covered in forest and crossed by levadas. Two very popular trails start here: 25 Fontes, which ends at a lagoon where several trickles of water fall, and Risco, which ends at a viewpoint over a waterfall.

Both start on the ER105 regional road and head down to the Casa do Rabaçal, where they split. Down to the house it’s 2 km of tarmac road, served by the Calheta Council bus.

Before you go: booking and rules

• Booked time slot and fee. Each trail needs its own entry time slot on SIMplifica. The fee is €4.50 per trail; with two or more on the same day, the €9 day fee applies.
• One way on the PR6. You go out along the Levada das 25 Fontes and come back on the alternative path, which reopened after works. There’s a one-way stretch between kilometres 3.3 and 4.1. The PR6.1 is there and back on the same path and doesn’t continue beyond the waterfall.
• Narrow stretches. The IFCN information board warns that the PR6 can bring on vertigo and asks walkers not to lean on the railings. As these are very popular trails, give way on the narrow sections.

What it costs

How to get there

The regional road between Encumeada and Paul da Serra (ER105) is closed. Calheta Council recommends the southern route: the VR1 to Ribeira Brava, the VE3 towards Ponta do Sol and Calheta, the ER222 at Arco da Calheta and, at Loreto, the turning for Rabaçal.

Google Maps gives 47 minutes from Funchal to the start of the trail. There’s parking by the regional road, where the council recommends starting.

Alternatively: the car park at the Caldeira leisure area, on Estrada Dr. Roberto Monteiro, linked to the Casa do Rabaçal by the PR6.6, which is 2.3 km long.

What to bring

• Suitable clothing and footwear with good soles
• A light waterproof
• Use the toilets at the Casa do Rabaçal: there are none along the trail

What if the weather changes?

With heavy rain on the plateau or a bad weather warning, the trails may close and the ground gets slippery. Swap it for a levada on the south coast or change the day; if the IFCN closes the trail, the fee is moved to a new date or refunded.

Frequently asked questions

Can you do 25 Fontes and Risco on the same day?

Yes: both start in the same place and split at the Casa do Rabaçal. You need a time slot for each, and the day fee is €9.

How long does it take?

The IFCN information board gives 3 hrs for the PR6 and 2 hrs for the PR6.1. Calheta Council gives 3 hrs 30 to 4 hrs and 2 hrs 30 to 3 hrs, there and back. Together they take half a day or more.

How do you get there with the Encumeada road closed?

From the south, via Calheta and Loreto, as Calheta Council advises. Check the Regional Roads Directorate’s list of roads before you set off.

Is it difficult?

Visit Madeira rates the PR6 as moderate and the PR6.1 as easy; Calheta Council rates both as easy. The way back is uphill and there are narrow stretches that can bring on vertigo.

Is there anywhere to eat?

There’s a café and a rest house at the Casa do Rabaçal, according to the IFCN information board.

Sources and review date

The facts on this page were checked against the official sources below on 11 October 2026. Rules, opening times and roads change: always check the latest status of the route before you set off.

• Official PR6 and PR6.1 information board (IFCN)
• IFCN: recommended walking trails (status updated on 02/10/2026)
• IFCN: walking trail notices
• IFCN: frequently asked questions about trail fees
• Portaria 48/2026 (trail fees)
• Calheta Council: PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes
• Calheta Council: PR6.1 Levada do Risco
• Visit Madeira: PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes
• Visit Madeira: closed or restricted roads (DRE, 09/10/2026)