Top 10 Madeira (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides)

cattle graze the lush grass.
People from the surrounding
villages come here in summer to
pick wild bilberries and
blackberries, which they turn into
delicious conserves. Many of
them also depend on the
plateau’s forest of wind turbines
to supply them with electricity. d
Map D3 • Rodoeste bus 139
) Rabaçal
Washed by centuries of rain
running from the flat, monotonous
surface of the Paúl da
Serra, Rabaçal is a magical green
cleft in the moorland. A brisk
2-km (1-mile) walk down a winding
tarmac path takes you
through stands of heather and
broom to a forest house with
picnic tables. Rabaçal marks the
start of two popular walks (both
signposted). One follows the
Levada do Risco to the Risco
Waterfall (30 minutes there and
back); the other follows the next
terrace down to 25 Fontes (“25
Springs”), a cauldron-like pool
fed by numerous cascades (1
hour 40 minutes there and back).
d Map C3 • Rodoeste bus 139
Risco Falls, Rabaçal
A Day in Western
Madeira
Morning
First stop on this long but
rewarding trip is Ribeira
Brava, 25 minutes from
Funchal by the south coast
highway. If you arrive
before the Ethnography
Museum opens (see p39),
enjoy a coffee on the seafront
or call in at the church.
Driving north, follow signs
to Serra de Água. For
spectacular mountain
views, avoid the new tunnel
route to São Vicente.
Descending to São Vicente,
spare some time for a
short but fascinating tour
of the lava caves on the
east bank of the river.
Take the old corniche road
(“Antiga 101”) to Porto
Moniz. The rock pools of
the lower town are a great
place to relieve tension
after the drive. Follow a
dip with lunch in any of the
nearby fish restaurants.
Afternoon
Drive back along the road
to São Vicente for 2 km
(1 mile), then turn right to
Ribeira da Janela. Beyond
the village, the road climbs
through a wild landscape
of native Madeiran forest.
Continue as far as the Paúl
da Serra plateau. Taking
the next two right turns,
make for the car park above
Rabaçal. Allow two hours
to explore this woodland
world of birdsong, running
water, fern-hung rocks and
ancient tree heaths.
To return to Funchal, take
the Encumeada Pass, turn
left to Vargem, then left
again to join the long tunnel
that joins the south coast
highway at Ribeira Brava.
Around Western Maderia 83