Early morning at Fanal Forest in Madeira

Fanal Forest on Madeira is one of the most magical corners of the island. It's a mist-shrouded laurel forest filled with ancient, twisted trees that give the landscape a fairy-tale feel. Don't forget to look for the 'Witch Tree' ;) We visited early in the morning, arriving at 8 a.m., when the parking lot was still completely empty. We wanted to see the forest in its most atmospheric state, wrapped in its famous mist. On the trail, we even met a few cows that were so used to people that you could gently pet them. Two hours later, when we left, we were soaked from the damp, heavy mist (so dress accordingly, lots of moisture and mud!), and the parking area had already filled up. Important!: recently, in November 2025, local authorities introduced new conservation measures to help restore and protect this fragile ecosystem, including installing more than 1,200 meters of fencing around vulnerable trees and limiting daily visitors to 3,000. This trip was made possible in collaboration with Eliza was here.

@Hannahninavr

Adventure seekerFascinated by nature

Add to soulmates

Add to soulmates