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📡 Today's status

The IFCN's official status, read every day. Green only when the IFCN writes « aberto » with no reserve.

● Open · ABERTO

The levada of São Jorge's sanctuary: 5.3 km from the Quebradas water-treatment plant to Ribeiro Bonito, and 5.3 km back, about 3:30, moderate, almost flat between 535 and 573 m. You first cross an exotic forest with views of the farming landscapes of São Jorge and Santana, then tunnels formed by the vegetation; the abundance of water explains the green that takes over everything. The high point is the arrival at Ribeiro Bonito, an isolated natural sanctuary under the dense vegetation of the Laurissilva. On the way back, the São Jorge water mill, three centuries old and driven by the Levada do Rei, is the only one of its kind still working: a miller still grinds the cereals grown on the region's terraces there. Continuous shade, damp ground.

Highlights

  • Ribeiro Bonito
  • São Jorge water mill
  • Vegetation tunnels
  • Almost flat
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
5.3 km
Elevation gain
38 m
Duration
3:30 (round trip)
Price
€4.50 (over 12) · SIMplifica booking · free for residents and under-13s
Municipality
Santana
🎟️ Book on SIMplifica🗺️ See the route on the map📍 Start🏁 End

Track for guidance only.

Places within 2 km of the route

  • 🔭 Viewpoint

    Miradouro da Beira da Quinta

    Between São Jorge and Arco de São Jorge, at 469 m, Beira da Quinta is a compulsory stop in the municipality of Santana: a view of Arco de São Jorge, famous for the fertility of its land, and of almost the whole north-west coast to Porto Moniz, with monumental cliffs reaching about 500 m. On clear days the silhouette of Porto Santo floats to the north-east.

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  • 🔭 Viewpoint

    Miradouro do Cabeço do Resto

    In the parish of Ilha, a high point taking in the city of Santana with its white and ochre houses, then São Jorge — one of the first places settled on the north coast, known for its fertile soil — and Ilha itself, the municipality's most recent parish, known for its nature reserves, waterfalls and geological heritage. The name comes from its position between two streams: a «head» surrounded by water on every side.

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  • 🔭 Viewpoint

    Miradouro das Eiras

    Near Pico da Rainha, in the parish of Ilha, this viewpoint overlooks a stream valley entirely covered in Laurissilva — a subtropical forest some twenty million years old that occupies about 20% of the island, around 15,000 hectares. The parish's name is explained by its setting: ringed not by the sea but by streams, it forms an island within the island.

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  • 🔭 Viewpoint

    Miradouro da Boca das Voltas

    Above São Jorge, in the parish of Boaventura: a secluded, grassy spot surrounded by native Laurissilva. The view reaches Falcas, Achada da Madeira and Lombo do Urzal, with houses scattered through the forest, and, further off, Boaventura and the mouth of Ribeira do Porco, where a small pebble beach meets very clear water.

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