Porto Moniz
Fanal, a field of old trees that needs fog to work
The short answer
Fanal is a forestry station on the high ground between Ribeira da Janela and the Paúl da Serra plateau, known for a stand of centuries-old til laurel. Visiting the area is free; the PR13 and PR14 trails crossing it are not. It is classified as a Rest and Quiet Reserve inside the Madeira Natural Park.
Trail fee, per person over twelve
€4.50
Applies to PR13 and PR14, the classified trails crossing Fanal. The area itself is free.
IFCN, 2026 · check it · read August 26, 2026Two or more trails in one day
€9.00
SIMplifica applies whichever rate is cheapest at checkout. PR1 is excluded.
IFCN, 2026 · check it · read August 26, 2026The facts
| Where | Porto Moniz |
|---|---|
| Type | Viewpoints |
| How long | An hour, or a day with the trails |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Cost | Free to visit |
| Best season | Autumn and winter mornings, for the fog |
| Permit | No permit recorded |
The trees
The stand is til laurel, Ocotea foetens, and some of the individual trees predate the settlement of the island. They are wind-sculpted rather than tall, and they stand in open grazed ground rather than closed forest, which is what makes them photograph the way they do.
The area is classified as a Rest and Quiet Reserve inside the Madeira Natural Park and forms part of the Natura 2000 network.
Fog, and what it costs
Visiting Fanal itself is free. The classified trails that cross it are not: PR13 Vereda do Fanal and PR14 Levada dos Cedros both cost €4.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026, or €9.00, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 for the two on one day.
The fog that makes the place is seasonal and unpredictable, and it arrives on a plateau road with long unlit stretches. There is no version of the photograph that does not involve driving in the conditions that produced it.
What is not perfect about it
Every famous photograph of Fanal was taken in fog, and fog on the Paúl da Serra plateau road is a genuine driving hazard rather than an atmospheric detail. On a clear day this is a field with old trees in it, and people who drove across the island for it say so.
Questions people actually ask
Is Fanal free to visit?
Yes, the area itself. PR13 and PR14, the classified trails that cross it, cost €4.50, source: IFCN, 2026, read August 26, 2026 each with a booked SIMplifica timeslot.
When is Fanal foggy?
The tourism board points at autumn and winter mornings. Summer is more often clear, and clear is not what Fanal is famous for.
How do you get to Fanal?
By road across the Paúl da Serra plateau on ER 209. In fog that drive is the hard part of the day.
Where this came from
- Visit Madeira: Fanal. visitmadeira.com/en/where-to-go/madeira/north-coast/porto- Read August 26, 2026.
- IFCN: Percursos Pedestres Classificados — taxas e reservas (FAQ). ifcn.madeira.gov.pt/pt/atividades-de-natureza/percursos-pedes Read August 26, 2026.