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How this was derived · 2 steps
- Vereda do Urzal Directions
- Vereda do Chão dos Louros Directions
- Short Route through the Queimadas Forest 4.0 Directions
⚠️ Important note: This is a community route mapped on AllTrails — it is not part of Madeira's official PR (Percurso Recomendado) trail network managed by IFCN (the regional government's forests & nature-conservation authority). It therefore has no official open/closed status and no maintenance/signage guarantee; check access and conditions locally before going.
| Distance | 2.9 km (out and back) |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Estimated time | 1 – 1.5 hours |
| Area | Parque Florestal das Queimadas |
| Rating | ★ 4.0 (86 hiker reviews on AllTrails) |
This short walk through the Queimadas forest feels like stepping into an enchanted tale. The trail winds through a lush laurissilva (laurel forest) — a UNESCO World Heritage ecosystem — where moss-covered trees form vivid green tunnels overhead. Along the way you may spot endemic Madeiran birds such as the bisbis (Madeira firecrest) and the tentilhão (Madeira chaffinch).
The trailhead is at the Parque Florestal das Queimadas, near Santana, where you'll also find the iconic Casa de Abrigo das Queimadas — a thatched-roof shelter house that preserves the traditional architecture of Santana's typical houses.
The trailhead is at approximately coordinates 32.7840, −16.9060, at the Queimadas Forest Park near Santana. From Funchal it's roughly a 40–50 minute drive north via the ER-101 through Santana.
Since this route isn't an official trail, you might also consider the official PR trails near Queimadas, which have IFCN-managed open/closed status, signage, and descriptions:
| Trail | PR code | Difficulty | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vereda do Urzal | PR 2 | Moderate | 10.3 km |
| Vereda do Chão dos Louros | PR 22 | Easy | 1.9 km |
And the community-favourite Levada do Caldeirão Verde (4.6★, 531 reviews) also starts right here at Queimadas — though it's a much longer, harder route.
Want me to check the mountain weather forecast and IPMA warnings for the Queimadas/Santana area for the day you're planning to go?





