Serra de Água and Madeira's Interior by Car: What You Don't See from the Bus
Serra de Água is an interior valley in Madeira, 35 km from Funchal, on the VR2 route north. It's not a conventional tourist destination, but it's one of the island's most dramatic landscapes: a deep valley with farming terraces, waterfalls and the Boca da Encumeada reservoir. It's a must-stop if you're heading to Porto Moniz or São Vicente. Without your own car it's practically impossible to visit. Book at Discover Cars.
What to see in Serra de Água and around
Encumeada Pass
Madeira's most important mountain pass, at 1,004 metres. From here you can see both the north and south coasts simultaneously on clear days. Free parking with a viewpoint. Often cloud-covered in the morning — better to visit in the afternoon.
Serra de Água reservoir
Visible from the VR2 road. The reservoir supplies drinking water to Funchal and has a peaceful landscape surrounded by farming terraces.
Risco Waterfall (accessed from Rabaçal)
20 km from Serra de Água. Risco Waterfall is one of Madeira's tallest (100 metres). Reached via a 1.5 km trail from the Rabaçal car park. The track to Rabaçal is narrow but paved.
Interior levadas
Madeira's interior has some of the island's least crowded levadas. The Levada do Norte and Levada do Paul pass through the Serra de Água area with laurisilva forest scenery, without the crowds of the more touristy levadas.
How to get to Serra de Água from Funchal
Via the VR2: Funchal → VR2 north → Serra de Água exit. Distance: 35 km, time: 35-40 minutes. The motorway literally passes over the valley on an impressive viaduct.
Via the interior road (ER228): slower (50-60 min) but with access to more viewpoints. Follow signs towards "Câmara de Lobos → Estreito de Câmara de Lobos → Serra de Água".
Why Madeira's interior looks better by car
Public transport to Madeira's interior is practically non-existent outside the main hubs. Buses go from Funchal to coastal villages, but don't reach the interior valleys.
With a car, Madeira's interior opens up destinations 80% of tourists never visit: Paul da Serra (a high plateau at 1,400 metres), Fanal (a centuries-old laurel forest with permanent fog), the Boca da Encumeada viewpoints or the Rabaçal waterfalls.
Frequently asked questions about Serra de Água and Madeira's interior
Is it worth stopping at Serra de Água on the way to Porto Moniz?
Yes. The Encumeada stop is 20 minutes that offer one of the island's best viewpoints, right at the halfway point between Funchal and Porto Moniz on the VR2.
Is the road to Fanal suitable for normal cars?
Yes. The road to Fanal is paved, though narrow. A normal economy car gets there without trouble. On days with heavy fog, take extra care.
Are there restaurants in Serra de Água?
The village of Serra de Água has a couple of restaurants serving traditional Madeiran home cooking. Encumeada also has a café next to the viewpoint.
Can you visit Serra de Água in the rain?
Madeira's interior gets more rainfall than the south coast. If it's raining in Funchal, the interior can have fog or light rain. Even so, the cloud scenery between the peaks has its own charm.