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Tell me about the São Jorge - Royal Way 23 hike in Madeira
💭 Thinking
The user is asking about the "São Jorge - Royal Way 23" hike in Madeira. Let me search for this trail using the find_hikes tool.The user is asking about the "São Jorge - Royal Way 23" hike. Looking at the results, this trail appears in the community trails section as "Calhau de São Jorge - Caminho Real nº 23" and "Ponta de São Jorge via Ramal do Caminho Real 23", and "Santana - Ponta de São Jorge - Ramal do Caminho Real №23". There's also a shorter variant. The user specifically asked about "Royal Way 23" which corresponds to "Caminho Real nº 23" (Royal Road/Way 23). Looking at the results more carefully: 1. **"Calhau de São Jorge - Caminho Real nº 23"** - 9.2 km, hard, out and back, 4–4.5 hr, 4.5★ from 145 reviews 2. **"Ponta de São Jorge via Ramal do Caminho Real 23"** - 2.7 km, moderate, out and back, 1–1.5 hr, 4.1★ from 123 reviews 3. **"Santana - Ponta de São Jorge - Ramal do Caminho Real №23"** - 6.9 km, hard, loop, 3–3.5 hr, 4.3★ from 66 reviews None of these are official IFCN PR trails — they're all community routes from AllTrails. So I need to clearly label them as such. The main one matching the user's query is "Calhau de São Jorge - Caminho Real nº 23" — which goes along coastal paths to the ruins of São Jorge, with viewpoints, typical Santana houses, and Lagoa do Calhau de São Jorge. Let me also look for a video of thistrail.The user asked about the "São Jorge - Royal Way 23" hike. Looking at the results, this is NOT an official IFCN PR trail — it appears in the community_trails section as "Calhau de São Jorge - Caminho Real nº 23". Let me look at the relevant community trail entries. There are two matching community trails: 1. **Calhau de São Jorge - Caminho Real nº 23** — 9.2 km, hard, out and back, 4–4.5 hr, rating 4.5★ (145 reviews) 2. **Ponta de São Jorge via Ramal do Caminho Real 23** — 2.7 km, moderate, out and back, 1–1.5 hr, rating 4.1★ (123 reviews) 3. **Santana - Ponta de São Jorge - Ramal do Caminho Real №23** — 6.9 km, hard, loop, 3–3.5 hr, rating 4.3★ (66 reviews) The user asked about "São Jorge - Royal Way 23" which most directly matches "Caminho Real nº 23" (Caminho Real = Royal Way). The main one seems to be "Calhau de São Jorge - Caminho Real nº 23" which is the full route. There is NO official IFCN PR trail matching this name. I should clearly label this as a community/unofficial route and present the details from the community trails data. Let me compose a thorough answer about this trail, being clear it's not an official PR trail, and present the main route plus the related branches.
How this was derived · 2 steps
Trails near São JorgeMap & photos
6 photos
Levada do ReiLevada do ReiLevada do ReiLevada do ReiLevada do ReiLevada do Rei
Photos: walkmeguide.com ↗
Official PR trail (IFCN) Community route (AllTrails — not official)
Photos: walkmeguide.com · green = official IFCN PR trail · amber = community route (AllTrails)
Calhau de São Jorge – Caminho Real nº 23

⚠️ Important: This is a community route mapped on AllTrails — not part of Madeira's official PR (Percurso Recomendado) trail network managed by IFCN (the regional government's forests and nature-conservation authority). It therefore has no official open/closed status and no maintenance or signage guarantee. Check access and conditions locally before going.

The hike

The Caminho Real nº 23 (Royal Way 23) is a historic coastal path in São Jorge, in the municipality of Santana on Madeira's north coast. The Royal Roads began to be built from the early settlement of the island — they were the main routes of the time, connecting villages to each other and to the ports to facilitate the transport of people and goods.

This route heads toward the ruins of São Jorge, passing along coastal paths with natural viewpoints, the typical houses of Santana, and the Lagoa do Calhau de São Jorge (a small coastal lagoon). It has challenging and exposed sections, and attention is needed in areas of higher altitude. Final access to the ruins may be restricted or forbidden — respect any signs and barriers for safety.

Key details
Full route
Distance9.2 km
TypeOut and back
DifficultyHard
Estimated time4–4.5 hours
Community rating4.5★ from 145 reviews on AllTrails
TrailheadNear São Jorge, Santana
Related branch route

There's also a shorter branch along the same royal way:

  • Ponta de São Jorge via Ramal do Caminho Real 23 — 2.7 km, moderate, out and back, ~1–1.5 hr, 4.1★ (123 reviews). This follows just the ramal (branch) to Ponta de São Jorge, where an old lighthouse once watched over the coast.

And a combined loop variant:

  • Santana – Ponta de São Jorge – Ramal do Caminho Real №23 — 6.9 km, hard, loop, ~3–3.5 hr, 4.3★ (66 reviews). Note: this has a challenging section clearly marked with a danger sign — walkways are broken and the cliff area is quite dangerous.
Getting to the trailhead
Nearby official PR trails

Since Caminho Real 23 is unofficial, here are the closest IFCN-recommended trails in the São Jorge area:

TrailDistance from São JorgeDifficultyAccess fee
PR 18 – Levada do Rei2.5 km / 7 min driveModerate€4.50 (over 12)
PR 1.1 – Vereda da Ilha6.9 km / 11 min driveModerate€4.50 (over 12)
PR 9 – Levada do Caldeirão Verde10.2 km / 18 min driveModerate€4.50 (over 12)

PR 18 (Levada do Rei) starts right in São Jorge and is the closest official alternative — walkable through lush laurel forest to a stunning waterfall at Ribeiro Bonito.

⚠️ Safety reminder: Caminho Real nº 23 has exposed cliff sections and deteriorated walkways in places. Wear proper hiking boots, check conditions locally, and never attempt it in wet or foggy weather. Since it's not an official trail, there's no rescue infrastructure or IFCN maintenance along the route.

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