PR3.1 (Caminho Real do Monte) is a 4.2 km, medium, official IFCN route. Cost: free. Whether it is worth hiking right now depends on live conditions and today's official status, re-checked every 20 minutes in the live app.
Madeira
A coastal forecast will not tell you what it is doing at 1130m up on this ridge. That is what the live score is for. How the island splits one forecast into many: microclimate guide.
Go or wait today?
The difference between a clear morning above the clouds and a wet, foggy drive is knowing before you go. Levadas reads the live weather, the safe-start window and how busy Caminho Real do Monte is right now, then gives you one honest answer, re-checked every 20 minutes.
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Download GPX: free offline map
Grab the full GPS track and waypoints for Caminho Real do Monte as a free GPX file, no signup. Load it into Garmin, Komoot, AllTrails, Gaia GPS or OsmAnd and follow the route offline, even where there is no phone signal.
ⓘ Source & safety
Track and waypoints from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Planning aid, not a safety guarantee. Check the official trail status and conditions before you go.Estimated hiking time
1h48
Getting there by bus
The nearest public bus stop to the Caminho Real do Monte trailhead is Largo Fonte (569), 31 m away. That is a straight line on the map and not a walk: on this terrain the climb between the two can matter more than the distance.
The timetable we hold ran until July 30, 2026 and no newer one has been published, so departure times are not shown. The stop and the lines serving it (021, 048, PA) are unchanged.
Horários do Funchal is the only Madeira operator that publishes a machine-readable timetable. A trail without this block is one we hold no bus data for, not one no bus reaches.
About Caminho Real do Monte
A forest mountain footpath that links Ribeira das Cales in the Funchal Ecological Park with the historic parish of Monte, tracing the old royal road known as Caminho Real no. 24. It climbs through woodland filled with native and introduced trees and birdlife, and near the start it crosses the Levada das Cales, a water channel built in 1784. The clear highlight is the Pico Alto viewpoint at about 1,130 metres, which opens up a wide panorama over Funchal and the coast.
Caminho Real do Monte (PR3.1) is a one way route of about 4.2 km in Madeira.
What you'll see
Along the way you'll find historic features, endemic Madeiran flora, waterfalls, panoramic viewpoints, a mountain summit and laurel forest (laurisilva).
Landmarks on the route include Pico Alto, Alto and Terreiro da Luta.
The path passes cultural heritage nearby, including Monumento a Nossa Senhora da Paz.
The path runs between roughly 550 m and 1,130 m above sea level, so conditions can change with altitude.
Difficulty
Caminho Real do Monte rates as medium on our objective scale, based on 4.2 km, 575 m of ascent and low exposure.
This grade is an estimate from distance, ascent and exposure, not an official IFCN rating.
How long it takes
Allow about 2h one way, a point-to-point route.
The app's live 0-100 score also flags the latest safe start time for the day. See it in the app.
Getting there and back
Starts at Ribeira das Cales. Ends at Monte. This is a one-way route, so you finish where your car is not: plan a second car, a taxi from the far end, or the walk back before you set off. The car park at the start has room for about 100. The car park is about 330 m from the start.
What to bring
4 drinking-water points are mapped along the route. Fill up where you can, but carry enough to finish without them.
Best time to walk it
Year-round; higher sections can be cold or wet in winter
High trails are best early: clear summits and the chance of a sunrise above the clouds before the cloud builds.
This route is mostly open to the sun, so it bites on a hot, clear day. Start early and carry more water than you think you need.
The sun and shade reading comes from the slope's aspect and steepness, so it describes terrain shading and not tree cover.
A live 0-100 score picks the best 30-minute window for the day. See today's window in the app.
Who manages this trail
Caminho Real do Monte is an official classified route, but IFCN lists Câmara Municipal do Funchal as its managing entity rather than IFCN itself. IFCN only sells reservations for the routes it manages, which is why Caminho Real do Monte has no slot on the SIMplifica portal and no reservation fee.
Official trail status
According to IFCN, as of 20 Aug 2026, this trail is currently officially open.
IFCN lists Câmara Municipal do Funchal as the managing entity for this route, not IFCN itself, and IFCN publishes status for the routes it manages, so a restriction decided by Câmara Municipal do Funchal may never appear in the line above.
IFCN's own status page is dated 24 Jul 2026. The date above (20 Aug 2026) is ours: it records when we last read that page, not when IFCN wrote it.
Official status can change, so always check the latest before you go.
Fire and other live hazards near this trail are tracked on the Madeira trail alerts page
Frequently asked questions
Is Caminho Real do Monte worth hiking today?
It depends on today's conditions, and that is exactly what Levadas answers. The app reads the current weather at Caminho Real do Monte, the safe-start window, how busy it is and the official IFCN status, then gives one honest go-or-wait score from 0 to 100, re-checked every 20 minutes. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance: an official IFCN closure always overrides the score, no matter how good the weather looks.
How long is Caminho Real do Monte?
Caminho Real do Monte is about 4.2 km (one way).
How difficult is Caminho Real do Monte?
Caminho Real do Monte rates as medium based on its distance, ascent and exposure (an objective estimate, not an official IFCN grade).
Is Caminho Real do Monte safe?
Caminho Real do Monte is a low-exposure route, so a drop beside the path is not the thing to plan around. It reaches 1,130 m, and the weather up there is not the weather at the coast. None of that tells you about today, and this page does not try to. Conditions decide, which is why Levadas reads the current weather on Caminho Real do Monte, the safe-start window and the official IFCN status, then gives one go-or-wait score from 0 to 100. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance, and an official IFCN closure overrides the score however good the weather looks.
How long does Caminho Real do Monte take to walk?
Allow about 2h.
Can I download a GPX track for Caminho Real do Monte?
Yes. Tap Download GPX on this page: the first download on any device asks for an email so we can also send the free trail pack, then every later trail downloads instantly.
Is Caminho Real do Monte free to walk?
Yes. Caminho Real do Monte needs no reservation and has no fee. It is an official classified route, but IFCN lists Câmara Municipal do Funchal as its managing entity, and IFCN only sells slots for the routes it manages, so there is nothing to book.
Where does Caminho Real do Monte start and finish?
Caminho Real do Monte starts at Ribeira das Cales and finishes at Monte.
What will I see on Caminho Real do Monte?
Highlights include historic features, endemic Madeiran flora, waterfalls, panoramic viewpoints, a mountain summit and laurel forest (laurisilva).
When is the best time to hike Caminho Real do Monte?
Year-round; higher sections can be cold or wet in winter
Is Caminho Real do Monte open right now?
IFCN lists Caminho Real do Monte as officially open. Status can change, so check the latest before you go.
How do I check live conditions for Caminho Real do Monte?
Levadas scores Caminho Real do Monte from 0 to 100 using live weather along the path and the official status, refreshed every 20 minutes. You also see how busy it is. Open the trail in the app to see the live score and the best time to go today.