- PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes leads from Rabaçal to a small lake fed by springs and a waterfall: 4.3 km one way, approx. 3 h. You come back on a loop path, because there’s a one-way system on the levada.
- PR6.1 Levada do Risco is a shorter, easier trail to the Risco waterfall: 3 km one way, approx. 2 h, there and back the same way.
- Tickets: each trail costs €4.50 and needs a separate booking in SIMplifica with a chosen time slot. Morning slots for PR6 go several days in advance.
- Getting there: by car or on a tour only, approx. 41 km and approx. 50 min from Funchal. A council bus runs from the car park on the ER105 road to Casa do Rabaçal (approx. 2 km of tarmac).
- Take water, a jacket and good shoes. The weather on Paul da Serra changes fast, and the path is often wet and slippery.
Rabaçal is a valley on the edge of the Paul da Serra plateau, in the west of Madeira. Several levada trails start here, through laurel forest on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and two of them are among the most popular on the island: PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes, the Levada of the 25 Springs, and PR6.1 Levada do Risco. The first ends at a small lake that water pours into from dozens of springs and a waterfall; the second at the Risco waterfall, which drops straight down a dark rock face.
The photos in this guide were taken by my parents on the 25 Fontes and Risco trails in February 2025. I checked the prices, booking rules, bus times and how to get there in official sources in October 2026.
PR6 and PR6.1 in numbers
25 Fontes with a guide? Tours to the 25 Fontes levada and the Risco waterfall, many with hotel pickup. Compare offers and reviews on GetYourGuide.
Tickets and booking: book PR6 well ahead
Since 1 January 2026, IFCN trails have required a €4.50 fee for everyone over 12 and an online booking on the SIMplifica portal (IFCN FAQ). There’s no single “Rabaçal ticket”: PR6 and PR6.1 are two separate trails, each with its own booking and entry time. Slots are every 30 minutes, and you can be up to roughly 15 minutes late.
- Refunds: you only get your money back if IFCN officially closes the trail. Rain or a change of plans isn’t a reason for a refund.
- Late entry: the last PR6 slot in October was at 15:30–16:00. With a 3-hour walk, keep an eye on when it gets dark and on the last bus at 18:00.
- Checks: the forest police carry out spot checks. Not paying can get you fined, in practice €50 on the spot.
Read nextMadeira hiking trail ticketsBooking in SIMplifica step by step, with screenshots.
A car from the airport: compare car hire prices at Madeira Airport (FNC) on DiscoverCars.
What the 25 Fontes and Risco trails are like
Both trails start at the car park on the ER105 road (formerly ER110) on Paul da Serra. The first 2 km or so is a tarmac road down to Casa do Rabaçal, a former forester’s house that is now an IFCN reception centre. You can’t drive down there yourself, but you can take the council bus. At Casa do Rabaçal the trails split: the signpost says “25 Fontes 2.3 km” and “Risco 1.0 km”.
PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes
The path follows a levada built in 1835–1855, through heathland and laurel forest, with views over the Ribeira da Janela valley. There are a few sections with steps, and railings at the narrow spots above the drop. The trail ends at the 25 Fontes lake, where a waterfall tumbles in and water seeps out of the rock face from many springs. The narrowest stretch of the levada has a one-way system: you walk there along the levada and come back on a loop path called the “Bypass”, renovated in February 2026 (IFCN).
1: Stone steps on the trail, 2: View over the valley from the trail at Rabaçal, 3: The waterfall at 25 Fontes, 4: A tunnel by the levada. Photos: Anita Podrez and Andrzej Podrez 2025
PR6.1 Levada do Risco
This is the shorter, easier option and a good one for families. From Casa do Rabaçal to the viewpoint at the Risco waterfall it’s approx. 1–1.5 km along an almost flat path beside the levada. The water drops straight down the dark rock and draws a white line on it, hence the name (in Portuguese risco means a line or stroke, not risk). You come back the same way.
How to get to Rabaçal
How to get to Rabaçal (start of PR6 and PR6.1)
By car
approx. 41 km and approx. 50 min from Funchal via Calheta (estimate without traffic). The route over the Encumeada pass is out, because the ER105 from Encumeada up to Paul da Serra has been closed since January 2024. You park by the ER105 road, approx. 50 spaces, with an overflow car park a little further on.
Bus to Casa do Rabaçal
council bus from the ER105 car park, daily 10:00–18:00, €5 one way, €8 return. It’s worth having cash. On foot it’s approx. 2 km of tarmac, uphill on the way back.
By taxi
from Funchal approx. €62 one way during the day and approx. €74 at night and at weekends (calculated from the IMT tariff). SIGA buses don’t go up to Paul da Serra.
On a tour
the easiest option without a car: hotel pick-up and a guide, often with the trail booking included.
Data checked on 16 October 2026: IFCN, Calheta council (bus; prices from the council website, check on site), IMT RAM taxi tariff, OSRM route estimate.
- Parking: maps say it’s free, but the rules allow IFCN to charge €2 an hour (max. €5 a day) at its car parks, so check the signs on site.
- Mornings are busy: parking spaces and PR6 slots go fastest before midday. The regional government has announced a reorganisation of access and parking at the most popular trails, including Rabaçal.
Practical tips
- Clothing: on Paul da Serra, at around 1300 m, it’s often noticeably cooler than in Funchal, and the weather changes quickly. Take a waterproof jacket and something warm.
- Footwear: the path is stony, wet and slippery. Soles with a good grip help.
- Food and water: there’s a café and toilets at Casa do Rabaçal, but nothing further along the trail. Bring water and snacks.
- The reception centre at Casa do Rabaçal (exhibitions on the levadas and the laurel forest, souvenirs) is open 10:00–17:00; check on site whether it opens at weekends (IFCN).
- With a dog: IFCN doesn’t publish separate rules for dogs on these trails. On the narrow sections your dog must be on a short lead.
- Safety: don’t lean on the railings, and on narrow stretches let others pass safely without stepping onto the edge. In a downpour or strong wind, turn back the way you came. Emergency number: 112.
Check the trail status before you go. IFCN closes parts of PR6 fairly often, for example in spring 2025 after a landslide above the levada, in August 2024 because of a fire on Paul da Serra, or when there are weather warnings (IFCN notices).
Read nextFanal forestA fairy-tale laurel forest on Paul da Serra, a quarter of an hour or so by car from Rabaçal.
FAQ: 25 Fontes and Risco
How much does Levada das 25 Fontes cost?
Since 1 January 2026, €4.50 for everyone over 12. PR6.1 to the Risco waterfall is a separate trail and costs the same.
Do you need to book 25 Fontes?
Yes. Booking on the SIMplifica portal is compulsory, and you choose an entry time. Morning slots for PR6 sell out several days in advance.
How long does the 25 Fontes walk take?
PR6 is 4.3 km one way, and IFCN gives approx. 3 hours. PR6.1 to the Risco waterfall is 3 km and approx. 2 hours.
How do you get to Rabaçal without a car?
SIGA buses don’t go up to Paul da Serra. That leaves a taxi (approx. €62 from Funchal during the day) or a tour with transport.
Can you drive to Casa do Rabaçal?
No. You park by the ER105 road and walk the approx. 2 km to Casa do Rabaçal or take the council bus for €5 one way.
Where is the 800 m tunnel?
The Túnel do Cavalo, approx. 800 m long, is on the PR6.6 trail, not on PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes.
Read nextLevada walks in MadeiraThe most beautiful levadas, with a table of routes, and what a levada actually is.
Sources I used (10)
- IFCN – list of PR trails (updated 2 October 2026)
- IFCN – trail notices
- IFCN – FAQ on fees and booking
- Portaria n.º 48/2026 – IFCN fees
- IFCN – Centro de Receção do Rabaçal
- Visit Madeira – PR6
- Visit Madeira – PR6.1
- IFCN – the Laurissilva laurel forest
- Calheta council – “Transporte no Rabaçal” (bus ER105 – Casa do Rabaçal)
- IMT RAM taxi tariff
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