PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes and the Risco waterfall
The PR6 follows a levada from Rabaçal, below the Paul da Serra plateau, to a lagoon fed by dozens of springs: 4.3 km each way, about 3 h, graded moderate. It needs a €4.50 slot on SIMplifica, no bus goes there, and the Risco waterfall is a short detour from the same start.
My quick take
The PR6 is busy because it deserves to be: waterfalls, laurel forest and an easy levada path, all from one car park. Get there before the tours, do Risco first while it is quiet, then carry on to 25 Fontes.
- Best for
- Waterfalls and an easy levada walk
- Time
- Half a day for Risco and 25 Fontes
- Booking
- €4.50 per trail on SIMplifica
- Bring
- Shoes with grip, a rain jacket, a torch
The PR6, step by step
From the car to the lagoon and back, in the order you walk it.
- Distance
- 4.3 km each way
- Time
- About 3 h
- Level
- Moderate
- Altitude
- 964 to 1,288 m
- Booking
- €4.50 on SIMplifica
From the road to Casa do Rabaçal
Leave the car by the ER105 and walk the road down to the forest house, or take the shuttle. Every walk here starts from the house.
The Risco turn-off
PR6 and PR6.1 leave together and run almost side by side. The Risco waterfall is a 1.5 km detour each way: do it first, while the path is quiet.
Along the levada
The path follows the water channel through laurel forest, dropping to 964 m, with views over the Ribeira da Janela valley. Wet and slippery in places.
The 25 Fontes lagoon
The lagoon that gives the walk its name, “25 springs”, fed by the water coming down from the Paul da Serra plateau. Rest here before the way back.
Back to the car
The IFCN sends walkers back by a separate path, the bypass; on 2 November 2026 Visit Madeira said the one-way section works both ways for now. Then the road climbs back up to the ER105, the hardest part of the day.
About the crowds. On Tripadvisor the walk scores 4.3 from 1,111 reviews, and most of the low scores are about the crowd at the lagoon. Walkers who started early liked it far more.
Route: Visit Madeira PR6 page and the IFCN: classified walking routes, updated 2 November 2026, checked 2 November 2026. Reviews counted for our hiking guides study.
Three walks from the same start
25 Fontes is the classic; Risco and Lagoa do Vento start from the same place, so you can join them up in one visit.
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Risco, if you want it short
1.5 km each way to a tall waterfall dropping into the valley. Graded easy, about 2 h there and back, and fine for children.
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25 Fontes, the classic
4.3 km each way along the levada to a lagoon fed by dozens of springs. Graded moderate, about 3 h. The one everyone comes for, so start early.
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Lagoa do Vento, for fewer people
1.8 km each way to a waterfall and pool, or the longer Levada do Alecrim (3.5 km) through heather tunnels. Both graded easy and much quieter.
How I would plan the day
The order that keeps you ahead of the crowds and the tour groups.
Book the slots the night before
One slot per trail and per person on SIMplifica, only an email needed. Doing Risco, 25 Fontes and Lagoa do Vento, the €9 one-day ticket costs less than three single slots. How to book a trail on SIMplifica.
Park by the road early
Leave the car by the ER105 and walk or take the shuttle down to Casa do Rabaçal, the forest house where the trails begin. By mid-morning the cars line the road.
Risco first, then 25 Fontes
Risco is a dead end, there and back. 25 Fontes follows the levada further to the lagoon; follow the signs on the day for the way back.
Lagoa do Vento with energy left
The quietest of the three, starting about 200 m from Casa do Rabaçal. Allow 1 h 30 there and back.
Trail figures: IFCN: classified walking routes, updated 2 November 2026 and Visit Madeira trail pages. Always check the IFCN trail status on the morning you walk.
Guided walk from Funchal
No car? Walk Rabaçal with a guide
No bus reaches Rabaçal. This walk picks you up in Funchal and starts on the plateau, so you only walk downhill to the waterfalls, and the van waits at the end. No car park, no climb back.
- Pickup in FunchalAt your hotel, then the drive up to the plateau.
- Down to the Risco waterfallFrom Paul da Serra into the valley, along the levada.
- On to 25 FontesThe lagoon under the cliff, fed by its springs.
- Back another wayThrough a tunnel that carries water south, then drop-off at your hotel.
Bring a torch for the tunnel and expect to get a little wet.
Check the listing to see whether the trail fee is included.
I haven’t taken this tour myself. I recommend it for what it solves and for what walkers say about it.
See dates and pricesAffiliate link: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we make money.
What walkers say
“This is one of the most popular levadas, so there were many people, but still, I found this hike a very nice experience. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. She shared information about fauna, flora, and levadas. Also, with a tour, it was possible that the hike started in one place and ended in another, which I also enjoyed.”
Marta, Scotland, on GetYourGuide
“it was a nice walk. everything was taken care of, and the guide provided all the information throughout the whole trip. highly recommend, if you are not scared of tunnels or getting wet”
Iryna, Belarus, on GetYourGuide
Getting to Rabaçal
The trails start in the Calheta hills, on the ER105 across the Paul da Serra plateau, about 1,300 m up.
GPS 32.755, -17.134 Open in Google Maps
- By car
Come up from the south coast
The ER105 is closed between Encumeada and Paul da Serra (Lombo do Mouro), so from Funchal do not go up through Encumeada: drive west along the coast and climb to the plateau from Ponta do Sol or Calheta. The mountain road is narrow and often in fog. More on driving in Madeira.
- The last stretch
Shuttle or walk down
Cars stay at the top. A small shuttle runs down to Casa do Rabaçal during the day, paid in cash; times and fares change, so ask at the stop. Walking the road down takes about half an hour, and the climb back is the hardest part of the day.
- Without a car
A guided walk or a taxi
No regular bus reaches the road at Rabaçal. The guided walk from Funchal brings the transport, or take a taxi for the day. Madeira without a car.
- On the way
Make a west day of it
Rabaçal pairs well with the beach at Calheta below, or with Fanal on the other side of the plateau.
Before you go
- Shoes with grip. The levada path is wet and slippery in places, even in summer.
- A rain jacket and a warm layer. It is much colder up here than on the coast.
- A torch or your phone light for the tunnels.
- Water and a snack. Carry cash for the shuttle.
- Stay on the path and keep the levada clean: this is the UNESCO laurel forest.
All 9 PR6 trails at Rabaçal
The three above are what most people walk. The rest link the valley to the plateau, the old levadas and the tunnels.
| Trail | Route | Distance | Time | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PR6 25 Fontes | Rabaçal → 25 Fontes | 4.3 km + 4.3 km back | 3 h | Moderate |
| PR6.1 Risco waterfall | Rabaçal → Risco | 1.5 km + 1.5 km back | 2 h | Easy |
| PR6.2 Levada do Alecrim | Rabaçal → Source of the levada | 3.5 km + 3.5 km back | 2 h 30 | Easy |
| PR6.3 Vereda da Lagoa do Vento | Rabaçal → Lagoa do Vento | 1.8 km + 1.8 km back | 1 h 30 | Easy |
| PR6.4 Levada Velha do Rabaçal | Pico Gordo → Casa do Rabaçal | 5 km | 2 h | Not graded |
| PR6.5 Vereda do Pico Fernandes | Paul da Serra → 25 Fontes | 3.8 km | 1 h 30 | Not graded |
| PR6.6 Vereda do Túnel do Cavalo | Caldeira picnic area → Casa do Rabaçal | 2.3 km | 45 min | Not graded |
| PR6.7 Vereda da Câmara de Carga do Rabaçal | Rabaçal → Túnel do Cavalo | 1.8 km | n/a | Not graded |
| PR6.8 Levada do Paul II, a path for everyone | Rabaçal → Estrada do Rochão | 1.2 km | 30 min | Not graded |
All need a SIMplifica slot. See them on the trails map.
Nearby
- Calheta The sandy beach below, for a swim after the walk.
- Fanal The old laurel trees in the fog, across the plateau.
- Jardim do Mar A quiet village by the sea for the end of the day.
Rabaçal is a day of our Madeira itineraries, with Calheta in the afternoon.
For a longer forest walk with rock tunnels, compare PR9 Caldeirão Verde before choosing your waterfall day.
Planning more than one hike?
Our other walk-by-walk guides, with the booking, the transport and the way back sorted.
- PR1Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo
The ridge between the highest peaks: the one-way rule, the dawn bus and the taxi down.
- PR8Ponta de São Lourenço
The bare eastern peninsula: parking, the bus, no shade, and where to swim after.
- PR9Caldeirão Verde
The long levada day near Santana: tunnels, the waterfall pool and the small car park.
The best hikes, ranked · What walkers say about this one · Every trail on the map
Questions about the PR6
How long is the PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes?
4.3 km each way from Rabaçal, about 8.6 km there and back, and about 3 h of walking. Add the Risco waterfall and the road down from the ER105 and back, and you walk more than 11.6 km in half a day.
Is the PR6 hard?
It is graded moderate. The levada path is wet and slippery in places, and the climb back up the road at the end tires most people. Children and walkers with little time can do the Risco waterfall alone (graded easy).
Do you need to book the PR6?
Yes. Each PR trail at Rabaçal needs its own slot on SIMplifica, €4.50 per person and free up to age 12 but still booked. Doing three or more trails on the same day, the €9 one-day ticket is cheaper.
Which is better, 25 Fontes or Risco?
Do both if you can: they share the start. Risco is the short one (1.5 km each way) and ends at a tall waterfall; 25 Fontes is longer (4.3 km each way) and ends at the lagoon. With little time or small children, choose Risco.
Can you get to Rabaçal without a car?
Not by bus: no regular bus reaches the road at Rabaçal. Take a guided walk with pickup, like the one on this page, or a taxi for the day. The guided walk we recommend.
Can you drive down to Casa do Rabaçal?
No. Private cars park by the ER105 and the road down to the forest house is for the shuttle, service vehicles and walkers. Walk down the road or take the shuttle, and carry cash for it.
Is 25 Fontes one way?
It has been. The IFCN describes a one-way loop: out along the levada and back by a separate path. On 2 November 2026 Visit Madeira said the one-way section works in both directions for now. Follow the signs on the day.
When is the PR6 least crowded?
Early in the morning, before the tour vans arrive. Reviewers who went early liked it far more than those who reached the lagoon at midday, and some walkers on r/Madeira start in the afternoon instead. In winter, keep enough daylight for the climb back.
How long do you need at Rabaçal?
Half a day for 25 Fontes and Risco together, with the walk or shuttle down and back. Add 1 h 30 for Lagoa do Vento.
Want the whole day planned?
Rabaçal, a swim at Calheta and dinner by the sea, with the drive times and the bookings worked out for your dates.