Starting at the water treatment station in São Jorge, municipality of Santana, the Levada do Rei (PR18) invites you on a trail immersed in the freshness of the Laurissilva forest. The path winds along the northern slopes of Madeira, leading you through green corridors, natural bridges, and lush vegetation tunnels where the sound of birds blends with the flowing levada water.
Every curve reveals a new scene — small streams cross the trail, endemic birds animate the forest, and natural viewpoints open up towards the ocean and the verdant hillsides.
At the end, you’ll reach Ribeiro Bonito, one of the island’s most authentic and preserved valleys, wrapped in luxuriant vegetation and crossed by crystal-clear streams.
More than just a hike, it is a contemplative experience: the Laurissilva forest, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reveals its most dense and pristine side here.