The Balcões viewpoint offers wide views over the Ribeira da Metade valley. It is a picture of monumental proportions, dominated by the Laurissilva forest.
On days with good visibility, you can see the Central Mountain Massif of the island, where Pico do Areeiro, Pico das Torres and Pico Ruivo stand out.
Besides those, we should also point out Penha d'Águia, a peculiar geological formation.
To reach the Balcões viewpoint, you must take a short 1.5 km trail.
Vereda dos Balcões begins at Ribeiro Frio, then follows the Levada da Serra do Faial as it crosses the typical dense Laurissilva woods.
The hiking experience is embellished by the exotic vegetation.
The Balcões viewpoint is the ideal place to come into contact with tree species endemic to Madeira, from the Lauraceae family, such as the laurel tree (Laurus novocanariensis), the Til (Ocotea foetens), the Madeira mahogany (Persea indica) or the Lily-of-the-Valley tree (Clethra arborea).
Besides these, there are also exotic deciduous tree species, such as the oak (Quercus robur) and the maple tree (Platanus x acerifolia).
Finally, the Balcões viewpoint offers the possibility of meeting (and sometimes even interacting with) some bird species, such as the endemic finch (Fringila Coelebs madeirensis).
Details
Situated at the end of Vereda dos Balcões (PR 11), the Balcões viewpoint offers a wide view of the green valley of Ribeira da Metade. A great setting in the Laurissilva Forest.
