Levada dos Cedros (PR14) — from misty Fanal down through the laurel forest to Ribeira da Janela. Levada dos Cedros (PR14) is CLOSED on IFCN's official trail-warnings list. See all Madeira trails or PR1.
PR14 · Quick answers
Is it open today?
Official IFCN list: CLOSED
Do I need a ticket?
Yes: €4.50 per person on SIMplifica, online only, for a timed slot. Under-12s and residents are free but must be on the booking.
How long and how hard?
~7 km one way · ~2h30–3h · Easy–moderate · Fanal → Ribeira da Janela (Point-to-point)
How do I get there and back?
No bus in our timetables reaches this trailhead. Taxi: Táxis Porto Moniz+351 291 852 243 (official rank); fares are metered at the official tariff. It is one way: it ends at Ribeira da Janela, so plan how you get back.
Where do I park?
There is small roadside parking at the Fanal end, on the ER209, and a small lot at Curral Falso, also on the ER209, where the trail ends. ›
Vertigo or tunnels?
Exposure / vertigo: Moderate
Weather there now
Status: IFCN's official warnings list · weather: IPMA
Book it. PR14 on SIMplifica
The Levada dos Cedros is one of the quieter laurel-forest walks — a gentle descent, not a big-name honeypot — but it's still a paid, booking-only PR trail:
Book your €4.50 slot on SIMplifica in advance. Under-12s and residents are free but must still be on the booking. Check the live status above before you pay.
Sort your return first. This is a point-to-point walk (see below) — decide how you'll get back before you book the day.
Or go with an IFCN protocol operator — a lower trail fee (€3) plus transport, which handles both the long drive west and the one-way logistics.
PR14 is paid via SIMplifica on its own separate booking and not included in the multi-day passes. €4.50 per person; under-12s and residents free but counted on the reservation.
Getting there. Fanal & the Paul da Serra
The walk starts at Fanal, high on the Paul da Serra plateau in the west — the same place as the famous ancient til trees. It's a long drive from Funchal (about 1h15–1h30) across open moorland.
Park at Fanal, where the levada path drops into the forest. The plateau road (ER209) is exposed and often deep in cloud — drive slowly and don't rely on the view.
It's point-to-point and downhill, finishing near Ribeira da Janela where it meets the PR15. You won't come back to your car on foot without a long climb.
Getting back: two cars, a pre-booked taxi/pickup at the bottom, a guided walk with transfers, or continue on the PR15 down to Ribeira da Janela village for the coast road.
No shop, fuel or reliable signal on the Paul da Serra. Bring water, warm and waterproof layers, and a torch — Fanal is cold and wet far more often than the coast, even in summer.
Where to park for PR14?
There is small roadside parking at the Fanal end, on the ER209, and a small lot at Curral Falso, also on the ER209, where the trail ends.
What it's like
This is deep-forest walking at its best: an almost-level, then gently descending levada through the laurisilva — the UNESCO World Heritage laurel forest — dripping with moss and lichen, ferns crowding the path, birdsong the only sound.
Atmospheric and often misty — the cloud that frustrates viewpoint-hunters makes this forest magical.
Pairs naturally with Fanal (PR13), which starts from the same spot — do the short Fanal loop for the famous gnarled trees, then walk the Cedros down.
Quiet. Far fewer people than Rabaçal; if you want the forest to yourself, this is it.
What's the weather at Levada dos Cedros (PR14) now?
The status card above shows the latest measured reading from the IPMA Rabaçal station, the regional weather station nearest the trail: temperature, wind and whether it is likely in cloud. Expect the mountains cooler and cloudier than Funchal.
Official weather warnings for the Madeira mountains: IPMA.
Closed or full? Your options
If IFCN closes PR14 on your date, email helpdesk.ifcn@madeira.gov.pt within 10 working days with your tickets and invoice, and ask for a new date within a year or a refund. Rain or a change of plans doesn't count, and the SIMplifica contact centre can't change bookings.
It doesn't loop back. You finish near Ribeira da Janela, not at Fanal — fix the return before you set off, or you're facing a long uphill road walk.
Fanal is cloud country. It's often cold, wet and white-out foggy on the plateau while Funchal is sunny — pack for rain and bring a torch for the dim forest and any tunnels.
The path is slick. Moss, mud and roots make the descent slippery; grippy shoes and poles help, especially after rain.
Questions people ask
PR14: Is the Levada dos Cedros open today?
Levada dos Cedros (PR14) is CLOSED on IFCN's official trail-warnings list. Access is €4.50 through the SIMplifica portal; children under 12 and residents are free but must still be on the booking.
Do you need to book the Levada dos Cedros?
Yes. PR14 requires an advance booking and €4.50 payment through SIMplifica. Under-12s and residents are free but must be named on the booking. It is quieter than the Rabaçal trails but still a paid, booking-only PR route.
Where does the Levada dos Cedros start and finish?
It starts at Fanal, on the Paul da Serra plateau in the west, and descends through the laurel forest to Ribeira da Janela, where it meets the PR15. It is a point-to-point walk, so it does not finish where you parked — arrange a pickup, use two cars, or continue on the PR15 down to the village.
How long is the Levada dos Cedros hike?
About 7 km one way, roughly 2.5 to 3 hours, graded easy to moderate and mostly downhill through UNESCO laurel forest. The path can be muddy and slippery, and Fanal is often in cloud.
Nearby trails
Closest trailheads — each has its own live status.