Is the Levada do Furado open today?

Open today? Why this one matters

The Levada do Furado is one of the island's oldest and most loved levada walks — and also one of the most frequently closed. It runs along steep, wooded ravines that shed rock and mud after heavy rain, so IFCN shuts sections of it more often than the easier trails.

That's exactly why the live badge above matters: don't book, drive out, or plan your day around PR10 until it shows OPEN today. If it's closed, the alternatives below start from the same valley.

Book it. PR10 on SIMplifica

Once the trail shows open, booking is the same as any paid PR trail:

1. Book your €4.50 slot on SIMplifica. Under-12s and residents are free but must still be named on the booking. Book only after you've confirmed today's status — this trail closes often, and a closure is the one case where you can switch trail.
2. Or go with an IFCN protocol operator — a lower trail fee (€3) plus transport, which also solves the return from Portela (see below).

The catch. It ends at Portela, not your car

The Furado is linear: you start at Ribeiro Frio (on the ER103, ~860 m) and finish about 11 km later at Portela — a different place entirely. Sorting the return before you set off is the single thing people get wrong.

• Two cars or a taxi. Leave one car at Portela, or pre-book a taxi to collect you there — phone signal at Portela is patchy, so arrange it in advance.
• A guided walk with transfers is the easiest fix: you're dropped at Ribeiro Frio and picked up at Portela, no car shuffle.
• Buses are infrequent. Don't count on turning up at Portela and catching one — check times the day before, or you'll be stuck.

If it's closed — same valley, still walking

Ribeiro Frio is a trailhead hub, so a closed Furado doesn't waste the drive:

• Vereda dos Balcões (PR11) — starts from the very same Ribeiro Frio, an easy 1.5 km each way to a famous laurel-forest viewpoint. Usually open. See Balcões →
• Ribeiro Frio itself — a trout hatchery, cafés and shade under the laurisilva, worth a stop either way.
• Greener day trips: Caldeirão Verde (PR9) and 25 Fontes (PR6) are usually available and just as lush.

Closed or full? Your options

If IFCN closes PR10 (the usual reasons: storm damage, landslip, works) or you can't get a slot:

• Reschedule via the SIMplifica call centre before your date — you can move date/time freely, and switch to another trail only if yours was officially closed.
• Open alternatives: check the live board — Balcões (PR11), Caldeirão Verde (PR9) and Fanal (PR13) are usually available.

Three things people find out too late

• It closes more than most. Plan a backup for the same day so a last-minute closure doesn't sink the whole trip — Balcões from the same car park is the obvious one.
• It needs a head for heights. Parts of the levada path are narrow with a sheer drop and no rail, and there are a couple of low rock passages — bring a torch and sure-footed shoes, and skip it in bad weather.
• You don't finish where you started. Portela is 11 km from Ribeiro Frio — fix the return first, or you'll be hitching in the dark.