Casa do Ribeiro Frio is a small guesthouse in Ribeiro Frio, the forest hamlet in the mountains between Funchal and the north coast, about 400 m in a straight line from the start of PR 11 Vereda dos Balcões. It is registered as alojamento local (97815/AL) with 5 bedrooms for up to 10 guests. Of the bases on this site it is the closest to PR 11, and it is 11.4 km by road from Pico do Areeiro, where PR 1 begins.
What kind of property is it?
The national registry (RNAL) lists a house (moradia) on Estrada Laurissilva, Ribeiro Frio, parish of São Roque do Faial (municipality of Santana), with 5 bedrooms, 6 beds and capacity for 10 guests, open to the public since May 2019 and run by Faísca & Silva, Lda. The Booking.com listing describes rooms with private bathrooms, some with a kitchenette, plus a restaurant, a garden, a shared lounge and a terrace; listings name the restaurant as Snack Bar Faísca, which stands on the same road.
Where exactly is it?
Ribeiro Frio lies on the regional road over the island's central ridge (Estrada da Laurissilva). The map position used here is the Faísca restaurant on OpenStreetMap, as the exact door number could not be geocoded. Distances:
- About 0.4 km in a straight line (0.5 km by road) to the PR 11 trailhead; the walk to the Balcões viewpoint is 1.5 km each way;
- 11.4 km by road to Pico do Areeiro, start of PR 1 Vereda do Areeiro and the Pico do Arieiro viewpoint;
- 20.9 km by road to Queimadas, start of PR 9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde;
- 27.2 km by road to Achada do Teixeira, start of PR 1.2 Vereda do Pico Ruivo;
- 18.5 km to central Funchal and 23.9 km to Madeira Airport.
Road distances use OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data.
Why stay here rather than on the coast?
Staying in Ribeiro Frio lets you walk to PR 11 from the door and reach Pico do Areeiro for an early PR 1 start without driving up from Funchal or Santana. PR 11 and PR 1 both require a booked slot and a fee; see trail booking and fees. The hamlet lies inside the laurel forest, on the wetter, cloudier side of the ridge, so pack a warm, waterproof layer. More context on our mountains page.
How do you get there without a car?
We could not confirm a current SIGA bus service stopping at Ribeiro Frio from the published timetables, so plan on a car, taxi or transfer; see getting around Madeira without a car.
Practical notes
The Booking.com listing gives check-in from 14:00 to 21:00 and check-out until 12:00, free Wi-Fi and free private parking, and states that pets are not allowed. Other listings describe the parking as limited. There are no shops in the hamlet that we could verify, so bring supplies if you plan to self-cater.
