Five hundred to fourteen hundred metres
A wide altitude range means different vegetation and climate within the reserve itself.
Not a substitute. The famous levada walks such as 25 Fontes pass through mature dense laurisilva in the north and west of the island, and that is the landscape people come for. This reserve is closer to recovering ground with good views, and its value is proximity to Funchal rather than forest density.
Layers and walking shoes with good grip. The difference between coast and altitude is large: Funchal can be sunny and warm while the reserve is misty, cold and damp. Take a waterproof even in summer.
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A large mountain reserve on the slopes above Funchal, running from about five hundred metres to over fourteen hundred metres in altitude and covering a wide area of municipal land. Its purpose is to restore Madeira's original vegetation โ the laurisilva forest that covers the north of the island and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list โ in an area that had degraded. So the landscape here is not mature dense forest but ground in recovery, and that is part of its story. It holds a network of walking trails at different difficulties, views over Funchal and the ocean from above, and a visitor centre. The altitude means weather entirely unlike the coast: colder and mistier, and liable to change fast. One important point: fires have damaged parts of the reserve in various years, and some trails may be closed or the landscape thinner than you expect. Check trail conditions before driving up, and access is practical by car.
A wide altitude range means different vegetation and climate within the reserve itself.
The city and the ocean from above, quite different from anywhere in the centre.
Fires have damaged parts of it, and some trails may be closed.
Ribeira das Cales, the mountain above Funchal