PR 19 Caminho Real do Paul do Mar

PR 19 Caminho Real do Paul do Mar is on the IFCN classified-trail table updated on 2 October 2026 and read here on 12 October 2026. The official distance on that table is 1.8 km. The places named there are Prazeres and Paul do Mar. The status on that table is: open. Route Summary: 1.8 km · 1 h 15 min – 1 h 45 min · +10 m / -525 m (550 m to 35 m) · Moderate–Hard (Steep Cliff Path) · Point-to-point transfer required. Carved into the near-vertical basalt sea cliff linking the agricultural plateau parish of Prazeres (in Calheta) down to the coastal fishing village of Paul do Mar, PR 19 is one of the most dramatic historical royal paths (Caminhos Reais) on Madeira. Before coastal roads and tunnels were blasted through the southwestern cliffs, this zigzagging stone staircase was the primary foot link between the harbor at Paul do Mar and the high plateau above.

Steep point-to-point logistics between Prazeres and Paul do Mar

Although the listed distance on the IFCN table is only 1.8 km, the route connects two endpoints separated by roughly 500 metres of vertical cliff between Prazeres at the cliff rim and Paul do Mar at sea level:

• Walking downhill (Prazeres to Paul do Mar): Most hikers start at the upper viewpoint in Prazeres (along Caminho Florestal dos Prazeres / Miradouro do Caminho Real) and descend the tight stone switchbacks to the eastern end of Paul do Mar.
• Walking uphill or out-and-back (3.6 km round trip): If you leave a rental car in Prazeres (or at the seafront car park in Paul do Mar), you can either walk the 1.8 km cliff staircase in both directions for a strenuous leg workout or take a local Calheta taxi through the modern road tunnels back to your starting village.
• Bus connections: Regional SIGA Madeira (West / Northwest) bus services connect Funchal, Calheta, Prazeres, Fajã da Ovelha, and Paul do Mar, though schedules between the cliff-top parish and the coastal road are limited; check departure times before descending.

Cliff exposure, heat, and footwear

PR 19 faces southwest over the Atlantic and feels completely different from a shaded forest levada:

• Continuous pitched stone switchbacks: The entire 1.8 km route consists of narrow, stepped basalt cobbles and dry-stone retaining walls hair-pinning down the face of the sea cliff. Trekking poles and high-traction hiking shoes help prevent slips on loose pebbles and polished cobbles.
• Sun and radiant cliff heat: The dark volcanic rock absorbs afternoon sun, and there is minimal shade once you drop below the upper rim at Prazeres. Start early in the morning, carry plenty of water, and avoid the cliff path during heavy rain or strong wind advisories when rockfall risk on coastal cliffs increases.

Before you go

Because the historic cobbled zigzags drop steeply from the cliff edge at Prazeres into the sun-baked coastal microclimate of Paul do Mar, carry extra water and decide before descending whether you will climb back up or return by bus or taxi. The IFCN fee FAQ lists €4.50 per person for one classified route other than PR 1. Residents of the region, children aged 12 or under, and covered disability cases do not pay the fee and still need a reservation; see PR trail fees and reservation rules on Madeira. This site does not publish a live forecast. Source: Percursos pedestres classificados, table updated 2 October 2026, read here on 12 October 2026. The fee figures are from the IFCN fee FAQ.