Ribeiro Frio

The Ribeiro Frio Forest Park is a privileged place to observe Madeira's fauna and flora.

Located in the municipality of Santana, on the north coast of the island, this valley surrounded by green mountains is home to trails and nooks perfect for lovers of Nature's peace and quiet.

In the vast forest area of Ribeiro Frio, you can find several endemic species of the Laurissilva, such as the laurel tree (Laurus novocanariensis), the Lily-of-the-Valley Tree (Clethra arbórea), the Til (Ocotea foetens) or the Madeira Mahogany (Persea indica), for example.

In turn, this ecosystem allows observing animals such as the firecrest (Regulus madeirensis), the chaffinch (Fringila coelebs madeirensis) or, more rarely, the Madeira pigeon (Columba trocaz).

You will also find the Ribeiro Frio Aquaculture Centre whose rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) nurseries aim to repopulate the island's watercourses.

While visiting this forest park, you can enjoy some of the hiking trails that start here, such as PR 10 - Levada do Furado or PR 11 - Vereda dos Balcões.

You can therefore take the opportunity to enjoy a walk in communion with the green area of the Laurissilva forest.

Set off to discover the northern slopes of Madeira from Ribeiro Frio.