Vereda dos Balcões (PR11): A Short, Easy Madeira Walk That’ll Leave You Speechless
When my friend João said we were doing a short trail, my expectations were low. I know, I know. It’s Madeira, so always expect the unexpected. Well, the Vereda dos Balcões (PR11) hike is about as unexpected as you can get.
At the end of a short trail through the forest, there’s a large miradouro with huge mountains looming in almost every direction…
And if you visit on a cloudy day, like I did, clouds rolling dramatically in and out of the valley! On a clear day, you can even see towards the coast.
This is a short, easy Madeira hike that I’d recommend to pretty much everyone, including families and older hikers.
It’s only 3.1 kilometres out and back, but the views are worthy of a whole-day hike, honestly.
Here’s everything you need to know to hike Vereda dos Balcões, what makes it one of the best hikes in Madeira, and how to get there and what else you can do nearby.
Is The Vereda dos Balcões (PR11) Hike Worth Doing?
Do Vereda dos Balcões if you want big mountain views with very little effort. As it’s such a short, wide and mostly flat trail, it’s suitable for families and older hikers too.
I actually did this walk on one of Madeira’s cloudier, rainier days. I had a friend visiting from England, and she got super unlucky with the weather.
My Madeira-based friend João suggested we show her this trail so that she could at least get a taste of Madeira’s mountains without committing to a long hike in bad weather. She loved it! And so did I.
It’s also one of the best hikes from Funchal, only around 30 minutes’ drive away, with the option of taking a bus if you don’t have a car.
Difficulty
PR11 is an easy trail in pretty much every sense of the word. It’s only three kilometres long, and that includes walking to the viewpoint and back.
Most of the route follows a wide path alongside a levada. The hike has 152 metres of elevation gain overall, but it’s honestly barely detectable. Any incline is gradual, so you won’t suddenly find yourself huffing and puffing up a hill.
The main thing I’d watch out for is the surface after rain. The path moves through the forest, so leaves, mud and puddles (especially after rain) can make the path unexpectedly slippery.
I walked the path on a drizzly day, after several days of rain, and found it a bit muddy in sections but very manageable. If you’re wheeling buggies or using walking aids, it could be more of a struggle.
There aren’t any particularly tricky, exposed or technical sections.
How to Get There
The walk begins in Ribeiro Frio, around 30 minutes from Funchal by car.
- By car: There is limited parking in Ribeiro Frio, near John’s Poncha. The earlier you arrive, the better your chances of finding a space.
- By bus: You can take SIGA buses 56, 103 or 138 from Funchal to Ribeiro Frio. The journey takes about 40 minutes. On weekdays, buses run every 1–3 hours, but services are infrequent on weekends.
So yes, PR11 is one of the easier options if you’re hiking in Madeira without a car.
What to Expect on Vereda dos Balcões (PR11)
Map
My Experience Hiking Vereda dos Balcões (PR11)
Arriving in Ribeiro Frio
I drove to Ribeiro Frio with three friends on a very grey, drizzly day in Madeira.
We parked on the roadside near the beginning of the trail. There aren’t masses of spaces here, so I can imagine parking being much trickier on a sunny day or during busy periods.
The weather was actually part of the reason João picked PR11. The mountain views weren’t guaranteed, but the walk is short, easy and mostly under the cover of the forest.
Before setting off, we stopped at the small trout farm in Ribeiro Frio. It doesn’t take long to look around, but it’s free to enter and you can see some surprisingly huge fish swimming in the pools.
From there, we set off along the trail.
Walking to The Balcões Viewpoint
The first thing you’ll notice is just how easy the path is. It’s wide, mostly flat and extremely straightforward to follow, running alongside a levada beneath the trees.
We passed quite a few other walkers despite the weather. It’s definitely not one of Madeira’s secret trails, but it didn’t feel unpleasantly busy when I visited.
Because it had been raining for several days, we did have to navigate around some large puddles and muddy patches.
Wet leaves also covered parts of the trail and could be surprisingly slippery. Luckily, the path is wide enough in most places that it was easy to walk around the worst bits.
Further along, the trail narrows slightly as you enter the valley. We passed tiny stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables before eventually reaching the Balcões viewpoint.
And this is where such a ridiculously easy walk suddenly becomes very scenic.
What Can You See From Miradouro dos Balcões?
On a clear day, Miradouro dos Balcões gives you a panoramic view across Madeira’s mountains.
Several of the island’s highest peaks rise around the valley, and the landscape drops away dramatically beneath the viewpoint. When visibility is good, you can also see much further towards Madeira’s northern coastline.
Don’t completely write the walk off if there are clouds around, though.
My visit was rainy and cloudy. We didn’t get crystal-clear views. Instead, clouds were constantly rolling in and out of the valley, hiding the mountains completely one minute and revealing them again the next.
It was beautiful in its own way!
There are also a few boulders around the viewpoint, which we climbed onto for a slightly different perspective.
The Birds at Balcões
You’ll probably notice another little attraction at the viewpoint: the birds. Madeira chaffinches are famously bold around Balcões!
They came right up close to us. You may see people trying to feed them to tempt them closer, but I’d avoid doing this. They’re wild animals, and they’re entertaining enough simply hopping around the viewpoint on their own.
The Return Route
To get back to Ribeiro Frio, you simply follow the same path in the opposite direction. I didn’t get to, but you could also stop at John’s Poncha afterwards – it was absolutely thriving when we passed!
Tips for the Hike
- Wear waterproof shoes if you’re visiting in or after rain. There can be some sizeable puddles, mud and slippery leaves along the forest path.
- Visit on a clear day if you can. I know, I did it in the rain and loved it, but you’ll get the best views if you visit on a clear, sunny day.
- Don’t underestimate how different the weather can be in Ribeiro Frio. Conditions in Madeira’s mountains can be completely different from Funchal or the coast.
- Check the current trail status before leaving. Madeira’s official PR trails can occasionally close because of weather, maintenance or safety issues.
- Allow longer than the walking time if you like photography. The trail itself doesn’t take long, but you’ll probably want to hang around at the viewpoint.
Alternatives to Vereda dos Balcões (PR11)
- Bica de Cana: If the weather is nice, you could do this short four-kilometre trail instead. It has views of the mountains and waterfalls spilling overhead.
- Caminho das Voltas: Also acccessible by bus from Funchal, this hike is completely downhill and gives you beautiful views of dramatic peaks and the Valley of the Nuns.
- Levada das Rabaças: My favourite underrated easy hike in Madeira. It’s much narrower in sections, but has lovely views of mountains, and is almost always uncrowded.
