Fanal forest. 🌳 A fairy-tale forest on Paul da Serra (Madeira)

Is Fanal forest without mist like Paris without the Eiffel Tower? Not necessarily. I arrived on the Paul da Serra plateau on 10 February 2026, at around 11 o’clock. I was expecting thick mist and that mysterious, slightly fairy-tale atmosphere you know from Instagram. Instead: a cloudless sky, full sun and crystal-clear views of the mountains and the ocean. Disappointed? Quite the opposite.

Mist makes for striking photos, but clear weather lets you really see what’s special about Fanal: century-old til and vinhático trees with twisted shapes, a green plateau stretching to the horizon, and cows grazing peacefully among the trees.

When is there mist in Fanal forest?

The mist in Fanal is really a cloud. In Madeira the trade wind usually blows from the north-east. Moist air rises up the northern slopes, cools and condenses. According to research by the University of Madeira, the cloud belt usually sits between approx. 600–800 and 1600 m (Prada et al., 2009). Fanal is at approx. 1100–1150 m, right in the middle of it. If you’re looking for a misty forest in Madeira, this is the easiest one to reach: the old trees grow a few minutes’ walk from the car park.

That’s why mist is common here, but not a daily thing. At nearby Bica da Cana (1580 m, approx. 10 km to the east), past measurements recorded around 235 days of fog a year. When the clouds sit lower than Fanal, you’re above them: the sun shines in the forest, and you can see a sea of clouds over the Ribeira da Janela valley.

What time of day is the mist?

In archived Open-Meteo model forecasts for Fanal from 2022–2025, mist appeared most often between 6:00 and 10:00. A second, smaller peak came in the evening after 18:00. Mist was rarest at midday.

In which month?

Mist can happen all year round. In the same data, the most misty days were in May and June and in September and October, and the fewest in November, January and February. So there’s no rule that winter is mistier.

Photos in mist and in sunshine

The most atmospheric shots come from mist just after sunrise, when the light breaks through the branches. In October the sun rises here at around 8:15 and sets at around 19:30, in June at around 7:00 and 21:20, and in December at around 8:05 and 18:05 (Madeira time). On a sunny day the light is better early in the morning and late in the afternoon. There are also fewer people then than in the middle of the day, when the tours arrive. Don’t climb the trees or go beyond the fences for photos. Bring a lens cloth, because the mist settles on the glass.

How to get to Fanal

The easiest option is a hire car. From Funchal it takes about an hour: the shortest way is via Ponta do Sol and Canhas on the ER209 (approx. 48.5 km). The ER105 over the Encumeada pass has been closed since January 2024.

I went on a jeep tour from Funchal with a stop in Ponta do Sol – a tour I definitely recommend.

The road isn’t particularly difficult: there are climbs, but nothing extreme. In some places it’s narrow, but nothing that should scare an average driver with experience of mountain roads. There are two free car parks by the forest (as of October 2026), but on busy days cars also park on the verge. IFCN already charges for parking at Pico do Arieiro and Queimadas, and the authorities have announced new car parks and entry controls for Fanal, so check the sign at the entrance.

At around 11 o’clock there were still a few free spaces, although there were quite a lot of people, mostly on jeep tours or people who had come by car.

I’ve compared jeep tours to the west and east of the island, with prices, in my guide to tours and excursions in Madeira.

No public buses go to Fanal. The closest you can get is on SIGA route 340 (formerly 139) from Funchal to Ribeira da Janela, and from there it’s still 7–12 km uphill on the ER209 (depending on the stop), so you’d need a taxi. It’s easier to join a jeep tour or book a transfer.

Read nextLevada das 25 Fontes and Risco (PR6)It’s only approx. 13 km from the Rabaçal car park to Fanal. Trails, tickets and getting there.

1

2

3

1: A group of old til trees on a hill, with visitors walking in the distance. The paths let you wander freely around the main part of the forest; some of the trees are several hundred years old, 2: The Paul da Serra plateau with scattered til trees against a mountain range. A typical landscape for this part of Madeira: open space, old trees, a mountain panorama, 3: The Parque Florestal Fanal information board by the car park, with a map of the area, the paths and safety rules. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama February 2026

Read nextCar hire in Madeira. 🚗 Steep roads without the stressPrices, airport pick-up, deposit and insurance, mountain roads and parking, checked in October 2026.

What to see in Fanal

Old til and vinhático trees

This is the main attraction here. Til trees (Ocotea foetens) and vinhático (Persea indica) look very distinctive: low, wide-spreading crowns, twisted trunks, and branches covered in moss and lichen. Some of them are several hundred years old: they’ve been growing here since before Madeira was colonised.

The oldest and most monumental specimens are protected by fences, which stop visitors trampling the roots. Even though you can’t go right up to the trunk, the fences don’t get in the way of taking photos or admiring the scale of these natural monuments. Since November 2025 IFCN has been fencing off whole groups of til trees (more than 1.2 km of fencing). It’s about the roots, but also about the young trees, which the cows eat.

On a sunny day you can see every detail: the texture of the bark, the green lichens, the way the light breaks through between the branches. In mist the effect is more dramatic (as in most of the photos you see online), but without mist the trees don’t lose any of their charm. Quite the opposite: you can see their form, scale and age better.

1

2

3

4

1: A slope of the Paul da Serra plateau with til trees and yellow shrubs. The ocean and blue sky behind: on a cloudless day you can see Madeira’s north coast and the sea from Fanal, 2: A monumental fenced til tree, one of the most famous in Fanal. Some of the oldest trees are fenced off because of their age and natural value, 3: A single til tree with its characteristic horizontal branch and lichen on the bark. On a sunny day you can see every detail: the texture of the bark, the green lichens, the way it branches, 4: Twisted til trees scattered across the green plateau against the mountains of central Madeira. The trees’ characteristic shape: low, wide-spreading crowns shaped by the wind. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama February 2026

Free-roaming cows

Cows graze freely all over the Paul da Serra plateau: between the trees, in the meadows, sometimes literally on the paths. They’re fairly indifferent to people. I sat quietly on the grass and watched them respectfully from close by; one of the cows came within a few metres of me (as you can see in the photos). No aggression, no fear, just a little curiosity.

It’s a typical sight on Paul da Serra, where cattle farming is part of local tradition.

1

2

3

4

1: A cow grazing on a steep slope covered with moss and low vegetation, 2: A cow against the wide plateau with til trees and the mountains of central Madeira. Cattle farming is a Paul da Serra tradition: the animals graze freely across the whole area (February 2026), 3: A cow grazing freely on the Fanal plateau, with visitors walking in the background. The animals are completely used to people and are an integral part of the Paul da Serra landscape (February 2026), 4: A panorama of the Paul da Serra plateau with a grazing cow in the foreground. A view of the mountains of central Madeira and scattered til trees: on a cloudless day the plateau has spectacular views (February 2026). Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama

Views from the Paul da Serra plateau

Fanal has wide panoramas over Madeira’s central mountains and the north coast. On a cloudless day, like the one I had, you can see the ocean, the Ribeira da Janela and Chão da Ribeira valleys, and the mountain range behind. Mist hides all of this, so a clear day has some very real advantages.

Paths and trails

You can walk across the meadow between the trees, as I did, but only on the worn paths and outside the fences. Less than an hour was enough for a leisurely walk around the main part of the forest and taking photos.

Both open trails are linear: they end somewhere other than where they start. So plan to come back the same way, use a second car or take a taxi. On PR14, IFCN warns of vertigo risk and slippery ground. PR13 and PR14 cost €4.50 for everyone over 12 and require a booking with a time slot on the SIMplifica portal, including for children and Madeira residents (IFCN FAQ). Walking in the forest by the car park is free. I explain how to book in my guide to Madeira hiking trail tickets, and you’ll find the current state of the trails on the trail status page.

I didn’t walk any of the official trails; I kept to a short stroll around the car park. If your goal is to see the most famous trees and get a feel for the place, that’s plenty.

1

2

3

1: A path across the plateau with views of dramatic rock formations and the ocean. On a cloudless day Fanal feels completely different from in the mist: the panoramic views make up for the lack of mystical atmosphere.
Photo: Ewelina Podrez-Siama – February 2026, 2: A worn path across a meadow in Fanal: on the plateau you only walk on paths like this. Photo: Anita and Andrzej Podrez – February 2025, 3: A path between the til trees in Fanal. Photo: Anita and Andrzej Podrez – February 2025

Fanal without mist: is it worth it?

Most photos online show thick mist, trees emerging from the grey and an almost gothic atmosphere, like the photo below. What I got: the first half of February, 11 o’clock, a cloudless sky. Was I disappointed? Not one bit.

Mist gives your photos atmosphere, but without it you can really see the forest: the detail of the lichen on the bark, the way the branches spread out, the panorama of mountains and ocean. Instead of an “Instagram photo”, I had time to simply be there: to sit, watch the cows and listen to the silence. And silence on Paul da Serra is rare, because the wind usually howls across the plateau.

1

2

3

1: Fanal forest in the sunshine, February 2026, 2: A cow in a meadow in Fanal, 3: A slope above the ocean. Photos: Ewelina Podrez-Siama 2026

Would I recommend Fanal even without a guarantee of mist? Absolutely! If you like nature, old trees and peace and quiet, this place is worth it whatever the weather. If you’re only going for striking, misty shots, check the forecast and plan to go early in the morning.

Read nextPorto Moniz. 🌊 Pools in solidified lavaThe lava pools: 2026 prices and opening hours, getting there by car and bus, and the area from Seixal to Fanal forest.

Rules and safety in Fanal

• Fences: since November 2025 IFCN has been fencing off the most valuable groups of til trees (more than 1.2 km of fencing) to protect the roots and young trees from trampling and cattle. Don’t duck under the fences or climb the trees, not even for a photo.
• Paths: stick to the worn and marked paths. Trampling the meadow exposes the roots of the old trees. IFCN has announced a single designated visitor route and photo spots.
• Limit: IFCN has set the forest’s capacity at 3000 people a day. In October 2026 there’s still no booking or fee for entering the forest, but that may change.
• Cows: they belong to farmers from Ribeira da Janela and Seixal and have grazed here for centuries (IFCN in JM Madeira). Don’t feed the animals and keep your distance, especially from a cow with a calf.
• Drones: flying over the laurel forest below approx. 300 m requires IFCN permission, and aerial photography requires permission from the Autoridade Aeronáutica Nacional. Don’t fly without them.
• Quiet: Fanal is a quiet and rest zone of Madeira Natural Park. No loud music, no fires except on the barbecues in the picnic area, and take your rubbish with you.
• Camping: overnight stays only at the Fanal campsite, with a licence from the SIMplifica portal (€5 per tent per night).

In the mist

• On the PR13 trail board, IFCN warns that mist often rolls through here and it’s easy to lose your bearings in it. Don’t leave the path (IFCN board).
• Don’t stray far from the car park and a path you know. A recorded GPS track or an offline map on your phone helps.
• The slopes above the Ribeira da Janela valley are steep, and drops can be hidden by vegetation. In 2026 there were several serious falls in the Fanal area, including one of approx. 40 m in April and one of approx. 10 m in October.
• Take a waterproof jacket and something warm. At this altitude it’s cooler than in Funchal, and the mist soaks your clothes quickly.
• Emergency number: 112. Madeira Civil Protection: +351 291 700 112, Prociv Madeira app.

Who is Fanal forest for?

• Must-see: for nature lovers, photographers, and anyone looking for quiet and space away from the usual attractions.
• Nice to have: if your schedule is very tight and you prefer guaranteed spectacular views (like Pico do Arieiro) or showstopper levadas (25 Fontes), Fanal can wait.
• Especially for: photographers (mist + old trees = unique shots), fans of slow travel and gentle forest walks without demanding climbs.

To sum up

Don’t treat Fanal as a box to tick on a list of attractions. Come with an open mind: no guarantee of mist and no “Instagram” expectations. This isn’t Ponta de São Lourenço, where the view is always the same and always spectacular. It’s a place that shows a different face every time, depending on the weather, the time of day and your mood.

If you only have one chance, try the morning, for the mist. But if you stay flexible and take whatever you find, this magical forest won’t disappoint you.

FAQ: Fanal forest