Best of Madeira's Sunny West

Walk through Rabaçal's laurisilva to a lagoon fed by 25 springs. One of the most popular routes — go early.

Short walk through the otherworldly Fanal laurel forest — best in fog. Often photographed for its ancient til trees.

Volcanic-rock pools naturally filled by the Atlantic on Madeira's north-west tip. The signature swimming spot of the island.

Man-made golden-sand beach inside a sheltered marina. Calm water — good for families.

Long, wild levada through dense laurisilva on the north-west plateau. Multiple tunnels — headlamp required.

Two-levada loop above Ponta do Sol linking Levada Nova and Levada do Moinho — banana terraces, two waterfalls you can walk under, and a short head-torch tunnel. Mostly flat concrete edge-path with steep drops; easy underfoot but exposed.

Short waterfall walk above Ponta do Sol following the Levada Nova past several cascades — including the iconic shower-through-the-waterfall section.

Pebble beach in the sunniest town in Madeira, with a long seafront promenade and cafés.

Round-stone beach known internationally as a big-wave surf break.

Long pebble beach below dramatic cliffs, popular with surfers.

UNESCO laurisilva plateau famous for its ancient til trees, otherworldly when fog rolls in.

Short, easy walk from Rabaçal to the Risco waterfall through laurel forest. Often combined with PR6 25 Fontes.

Atmospheric levada from Fanal to Curral Falso through ancient laurel forest, often shrouded in mist.

Loop link-up combining PR14 Levada dos Cedros and PR13 Vereda do Fanal — a full circuit through the ancient Fanal laurel forest, often wrapped in mist.

Pebble beach in the centre of Ribeira Brava with a long seafront promenade and cafés.

Wild west-coast viewpoint over a 300 m waterfall that drops straight into the ocean.

Lighthouse on the western tip of Madeira, perched on a 312 m cliff with classic sunset views.

Wide, easy levada across the Paul da Serra plateau — open moorland with endemic flowers and panoramic skies.

Quiet branch off the 25 Fontes route descending steeply to a hidden waterfall and lagoon — slippery, not signposted.

Loop from Rabaçal along the rosemary-lined Levada do Alecrim with a steep descent to the Lagoa do Vento waterfall and lagoon — quieter alternative to the 25 Fontes crowds.

Tunnel-heavy levada along the wild Ribeira da Janela valley — five long tunnels, requires a headlamp and waterproofs.

Short, very steep descent (or cable-car) to a tiny farming fajã on Madeira's western tip, 450 m below the cliff.

Long, quiet pebble beach in a banana-growing village west of Ponta do Sol.

Hidden pebble cove below the cliffs of Campanário — reached by a steep, narrow trail. Almost no one comes here.

Coastal saltwater lagoon between Ponta do Sol and Madalena do Mar — protected bird habitat with a wooden walkway.

Cliff-top lookout above Ribeira Brava with a sweeping view of the south coast all the way to Cabo Girão.

Unclassified clifftop walk along Madeira's western tip from Boa Morte viewpoint down to the Farol da Ponta do Pargo lighthouse. Big skies, terraced pasture, no IFCN ticket required.