Is the Caldeirão Verde open today?

Book it. PR9 on SIMplifica

A long, green classic through tunnels to a 100-metre waterfall — and a busy one.

1. Book your €4.50 slot on SIMplifica in advance, in a 30-minute window. Under-12s free but on the booking.
2. Start early. It's a 5–6 hour day; an early slot gives you daylight, cooler tunnels and thinner crowds.
3. Parking at Queimadas is about €2.00/hour — bring change and factor it in for a full-day walk.

Getting there. Queimadas (Santana)

The walk starts at the Queimadas Forest Park, above Santana on the green north coast — about an hour from Funchal.

• Drive to the Queimadas car park and its pretty thatched houses; parking is paid (~€2.00/hour). The levada path begins here.
• It's a long, mostly level walk along an 18th-century levada through Laurissilva forest to the Caldeirão Verde — a green pool under a ~100 m cascade.
• Keen walkers continue on the full PR9 to Caldeirão do Inferno (about 8.7 km each way) — much longer; most turn around at the Caldeirão Verde waterfall.

Bring a torch. The tunnels & the drops

• Four tunnels are carved into the rock — some long, dark and dripping. A headtorch (or phone torch) is essential; it's genuinely dark inside.
• The levada edge is narrow with big drops in places, often with a handrail — not one for a strong fear of heights.
• Wear grippy shoes and expect wet feet; the north side is damp and the tunnels drip.

Closed or full? Your options

North-side trails close for weather and landslips. If PR9 is closed or full:

• Reschedule via the SIMplifica call centre before your date.
• Open alternatives: check the live board — 25 Fontes (PR6) and Balcões (PR11) are usually available and just as green.

Three things people find out too late

• It's a full day. 5–6 hours and ~13 km there and back — start early and carry water and food.
• The tunnels are dark and wet. No torch means feeling your way in the dark; bring one and grippy shoes.
• North and damp. It can be foggy, wet and cooler than the coast, and the ledges are narrow — go steady and mind the drops.