The mysterious Fanal Forest in Madeira: tips for your visit
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
Fanal Forest, located in the north-west of Madeira, is one of the most magical places to visit on the island. You may already have seen the atmospheric photographs on Instagram, showing the unusual trees surrounded by a thick layer of mist. Fanal Forest is part of Madeira’s ancient Laurissilva forest and is a beautiful place to visit—with or without the mist!
How do you get to Fanal Forest?
Fanal Forest is located in the north-west of Madeira and is easiest to reach by car. We therefore recommend renting a car for your trip around Madeira, or at least for this day trip. You could also take a taxi, but this will usually be considerably more expensive.
The drive from Funchal takes around one hour. During part of the journey, you need to climb quite steeply into the mountains. We rented a manual Peugeot 208 for our trip around Madeira, but eventually concluded that an automatic car or a vehicle with a little more power would have been more comfortable for the drive to Fanal. Our car struggled quite a bit on the steep roads, and we had to complete much of the climb in first gear.
Once you arrive at Fanal Forest, there are several places where you can park your car.
Along the road towards the forest, you will also find smaller parking areas where you can leave your car and follow a walking trail into Fanal. However, this is not necessary if you mainly want to visit the famous trees. The main parking area is located right next to the forest. Within two minutes, you can be standing among the beautiful trees—and, with a little luck, surrounded by mist. There are basic visitor and leisure facilities in the Fanal area, but no large selection of cafés or restaurants nearby. It is therefore useful to bring water and something to eat. Fanal is also the finishing point of the official PR13 Vereda do Fanal hiking trail.
Best time to visit Fanal Forest
Mist is common at Fanal, particularly when low clouds move across the high plateau. However, it is not guaranteed, and the conditions can change very quickly. We arrived at around 10:00 in the morning. During our drive towards the forest, the sky was bright blue and there was not a single cloud in sight. We therefore assumed there would be no mist at Fanal, but we could not have been more wrong.
Fanal lies in a high, bowl-shaped area in Madeira’s mountains. Clouds moving across the plateau can settle between the trees, creating the low mist for which the forest is so well known. This means the surrounding plateau can be completely clear while the forest itself is still covered in clouds.
In the end, we found Fanal Forest without the mist just as beautiful as it was with the mist. However, the fog does add the mysterious and magical atmosphere for which Fanal is famous.
Tips for visiting Fanal Forest
Bear in mind that when the forest is misty, you are essentially walking through low clouds. The air can therefore be very damp. If you are carrying an expensive camera, make sure it is properly protected against moisture. Your camera is not the only thing that may get wet, you might too. Dress for damp and quickly changing mountain weather, even when it is sunny elsewhere on the island. The ground can also become muddy because of the moisture, so wear sturdy shoes that you do not mind getting dirty.
Later in the day, as conditions change, some of the clouds may disappear and you may be able to visit the forest without mist. This is certainly no less beautiful than seeing Fanal covered in fog. Even when there is mist, the clouds may suddenly clear for a few minutes before drifting back between the trees. The atmosphere can therefore look completely different from one moment to the next. Fanal is officially classified as a Rest and Quiet Reserve within Madeira Natural Park, so take your time, respect the landscape and avoid disturbing the peaceful surroundings.
