Vereda da Ribeira da Janela (PR 15): 2.7 km down to the village
A short, steady descent on an old working path: 2.7 km from the forest road down to the terraces above Ribeira da Janela. The board allows 1 h 30. It runs one way and downhill, and that's the part to plan for.
- Status
- OpenOpen. IFCN table dated 2 October 2026 · checked by islandmadeira.com 13 October 2026 at 16:54, Madeira time.Fetch the current trail status from the IFCN page; one live request per 30 minutes for the whole site, otherwise the last check is shown.
- Length
- 2.7 kmIFCN table, Curral Falso to Ribeira da Janela.
- Time on the board
- 1 h 30As printed on the panel at the start. The IFCN table lists the return separately where a route is walked both ways.
- Highest and lowest point
- 820 m and 400 m
- Start and finish
- Curral Falso (ER209) to Ribeira da JanelaFrom the route board at the start.
- Fee
- €4.50 per person, booked onlineBooking on the SIMplifica portal, fees as of 2 June 2026. Free for children aged 12 or under, for Madeira residents with their resident card and citizen card, and for anyone with a disability of 60% or more together with one legal guardian walking with them, on proof of the disability. All of them still need a booking.
- At the start
- information board at Curral Falso
- Coordinates
- Start 32.82606, -17.15789
Finish 32.84412, -17.15502From the IFCN route board, decimal degrees - Weather now
- 23.7 °C at Porto Moniz
11.0 °C at Pico do Areeiro, 1,799 mThe two IPMA stations we show for this route, one near the coast and the island’s mountain station, observed 13 October 2026 at 15:00, Madeira time
Warnings come from IPMA by zone, not by trail. A yellow warning for fog, wind or thunderstorms is a reason to check the route status and the sky before you set off, and the forest service closes paths on its own schedule. Station readings.
What the path is
It links the forest above with the village below, between 820 m and 400 m, and it follows the remains of a path people used every day.
They carried wood down from the forest on it. The same route took them over to the south coast, to Calheta and Ponta do Sol. They went with barrels or goatskins of wine on their backs, to sell or to trade.
At the bottom you walk into terraces that are still worked. Sweet potatoes, potatoes, beans, maize, and the vineyards the village is known for, held up by stone walls built by hand.
The walk itself
It starts on the ER209 at Curral Falso and finishes by the village of Ribeira da Janela. The board allows 1 h 30 for the 2.7 km.
The board gives 820 m as the highest point and 400 m as the lowest. That is easy on the lungs and hard on the knees, and poles help more here than on a levada.
It runs one way. Most people arrange a lift at the bottom, and the board at the start lists a Porto Moniz taxi number.
Making a longer day of it
Curral Falso is a junction. The Levada dos Cedros arrives there from Fanal, 7.2 km through the laurel forest, and the Vereda do Fanal crosses the plateau for 10.8 km before it.
Walk the Cedros and drop down PR 15 and you finish by the village instead of back at a car park. The status of each route today is in the list below.
Fee and booking
€4.50 per person, booked online on the SIMplifica portal. Two or more routes in the same day cost €9.00, three days €22.50, seven days €52.50, and PR 1 is never included.
Children aged 12 or under and residents of Madeira walk free, and a booking is still required. Each route needs its own, so a day with the Cedros in it needs two.
Getting there
Curral Falso sits on the ER209, the road between the north coast and Paul da Serra. It is the same road that serves the Fanal forest.
The board lists an information board at the start and another at the finish. A leisure area is marked along the way, near Ribeira da Janela.
Routes next door
Levada dos Cedros PR 14
open7.2 km, Fanal to Curral Falso
Vereda do Fanal PR 13
open10.8 km, Paul da Serra to Fanal
Levada do Moinho PR 7
closed10.5 km, Ribeira da Cruz to Lamaceiros
Status from the IFCN table, re-read at every build and again in your browser.
Questions before you go
How long is the Vereda da Ribeira da Janela?
2.7 km one way, and the board allows 1 h 30. Its highest point is 820 m and its lowest 400 m, so the walking is mostly downhill.
Is PR 15 open?
The status panel at the top of this page carries the current reading from the forest service table, with the date of the table. Check it before you drive.
How do I get back from Ribeira da Janela?
Arrange it before you start. The path is one way and downhill, so it means a lift, a taxi or the climb back to Curral Falso. The board at the start lists a Porto Moniz taxi number.
How much does PR 15 cost?
€4.50 per person, booked online on SIMplifica. Children aged 12 or under and Madeira residents with their resident card and citizen card go free, and still need a booking.
Can I combine it with another walk?
Yes. The Levada dos Cedros comes down to Curral Falso from Fanal, 7.2 km, and the Vereda do Fanal crosses the plateau for 10.8 km. A day with two routes costs €9.00 and needs a booking for each.
What is at the finish?
The village of Ribeira da Janela, its terraces and an information board. That is what the board marks; anything else you find there is a bonus.
Sources
- IFCN, table of classified routes: status and length. IFCN table dated · checked by islandmadeira.com ; re-read every few hours.
- IFCN, route board PR 15 at the start of the route: distance, time, heights, description and cautions, read 20 September 2026.
- IFCN, fees and bookings FAQ, updated 2 June 2026, read 14 September 2026.
- The fees in law: Portaria 801/2025 and Portaria 48/2026, read 24 September 2026.
Who checked this
Roman Antonov, editor. The status comes from the forest service table, the figures from the board at the start of the route and the fee rules from the IFCN FAQ, each with its date above. If something on the ground has changed, tell me.
Tour links go to Viator, where we may earn a commission at no cost to you. It does not change which walks are listed. How we earn.