Floresta Laurissilva

The Laurissilva of Madeira is an ancient laurel forest that once covered much of southern Europe and North Africa. Today it survives on the island’s wet northern slopes, protected as a nature reserve and listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site — one of the largest and best-preserved forests of its kind in the world.

A forest from another age

The forest is made up of laurels, bay trees, holly and ferns, with mosses and lichens covering every surface, fed by the island’s constant moisture. Its canopy is home to endemic birds such as the Madeira firecrest, and the levadas — the island’s water channels — run through it, opening paths into the wood.

What to see and do

• Levada walks through the forest, including the route to the Balcões viewpoint.
• The Ribeiro Frio area, with its trails and trout farm.
• Endemic plants and birds of the Madeira archipelago.
• Views over the island’s steep northern valleys.

Visiting the forest

The Laurissilva covers the northern slopes of Madeira, with the best access from Ribeiro Frio, Seixal and Porto Moniz. Walking is free; because the forest is a protected reserve, stay on the trails and check local conditions before your visit.

Visitor information: visitmadeira.com.

Image credit: Floresta Laurissilva, Madeira, by Ricardo Martins, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.