Come and enjoy all these landscapes in the surroundings
from Casa do Ribeiro Frio
Ribeiro Frio is a site in the north interior of the island of Madeira in Portugal. It belongs to the parish of "São Roque do Faial", in the municipality of Santana.
The place includes the Ribeiro Frio Forest Park, known for its trout ponds for repopulating the island's watercourses. Tourists much visit it as it is a starting point for pedestrian walks such as the footpath of Balcões that leads to the viewpoint of the same name or Portela walk that takes us to the sides of "Santo da Serra" village. Traditional houses of Santana are 17 km from Casa do Ribeiro Frio, while Madeira Theme Park is 16 km away.
The most outstanding feature of this place is the excellent rural environment and fantastic and renowned viewpoints on the island, such as the Pico do Areeiro viewpoint, the Lombo dos Palheiros and the Balcões viewpoint.
What to do? What to visit?
In the Ribeiro Frio Forest Park, you can observe the flora of the Laurissilva Forest. Located in Santana, this forest park is one of the most visited on Madeira Island. In this place, we can observe some endemic flora, vegetation, and animals characteristic of Madeiran fauna. Tourists much visit it as it is a starting point for pedestrian walks in the "levadas" of Furado and Serra do Faial. Fajã do Cedro Gordo de Baixo is one of the greenest places in Santana. At the lookout point at Cabouco, you can relax with your eyes fixed on the green landscape. In this place, there is also a water mill, a small testimony of the life of the oldest inhabitants of this Region.
The Pico do Areeiro Viewpoint, located at an altitude of 1818 meters, offers all visitors a fantastic view over the central massif of Madeira Island. It is the second-highest peak in the Madeira. Here, we obtain an excellent panoramic view over Curral das Freiras, Pico das Torres, Pico Ruivo and Ponta de São Lourenço. Many tourists and even Madeirans come to this peak to watch the sunrise. The significant advantage is the easy access by road, where you can find a car park, a cafe and a souvenir shop. For hiking lovers, Pico do Areeiro is also one of Madeira's most beautiful pedestrian routes. The 7 km distance connects this place to Pico Ruivo, the highest peak in Madeira. It is a challenging route, so it is recommended to be careful when doing this walk. The fascinating Balcões Viewpoint is located in Ribeiro Frio, 10 km from Pico do Areeiro. To visit this route, you only need to travel 1.5 km, without going up or down, following the route and "levada". It is a straightforward route to take, and in the end, we can enjoy the magnificent views over the Ribeira da Metade valley. With luck, you might be surprised by a bird landing on your hand on less busy days. Enjoy.
Located next to the parish of São Roque do Faial cemetery, the Lombo dos Palheiros viewpoint offers a panoramic view from the imposing Penha d'Águia to the centre of the parish of São Roque do Faial. The Chapel of Ribeiro Frio, dedicated to Nossa Senhora de Fátima, is practically open for tourist visits. Although it can quickly go unnoticed, it is a lovely chapel in good condition. Those who like history and religion should visit this historic Madeiran chapel.
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João e Paula Anastácio, "Agradecimento e reconhecimento pela excelente estadia que tivemos"
Eu e minha esposa ficamos hospedados no andar intermédio no quarto cascata nos dias 25 e 26 deste mês de Agosto. Ficamos agradavelmente muito satisfeitos. Gostaríamos de salientar a simpatia da dona Paula e do senhor Avelino bem como também do seu "staff" do restaurante Faísca, que para além das refeições que tomamos estarem muito saborosas e bem confecionadas, o pessoal foi bastante atencioso. Mas voltando à casa...muito bom gosto, quer na limpeza quer na decoração. Não podemos ficar indiferentes à simbiose entre o rústico das cantarias refractárias entre-caladas com algum basalto que foram deixadas em bruto embora bem isoladas a combinarem muito bem com o clássico moderno das outras paredes muito bem decoradas com quadros alusivos ás paisagens locais. As áreas comuns, embora não utilizadas por nós, estão igualmente muito bem conseguidas, Muito acolhedor e bem apetrechado. Ideal para três casais amigos usufruírem desta área reservada a este andar. Recomendo.
O nosso muito obrigado
Celine Pierre
Muito Obrigado por sua hospitalidade, boa continuação.
Ana Paula Gil e familia
Serviço excelente e tratamento espetacular. Só podemos dizer muito obrigado. Com certeza que voltaremos!