Fanal

Posto Florestal Fanal is an amazing place to photograph magnificent Laurel trees. You can find solitary or semi-solitary old trees of various shapes and sizes.

Photo Tips: Absolutely try to get there in a foggy weather, as it really makes the place mystical and helps you to create more interesting compositions. That said, it's definitely possible to make great photographs in a warm morning or evening sun.

You'll use either wide angle lens if you try to fill the frame with nicely twisted tree branches or normal lens to capture individual trees or small groups.

Getting there: There are several smaller parking spots next to the road around this place.

The Fanal is part of the the "Laurisilva of Madeira" wich is a Unesco World Heritage site since the year 2000. It is an outstanding relict of a previously widespread laurel forest type.

The magic of the area only comes with the fog, which often rises the steep slopes from the northern coast and then envelopes the bizarre trees. It then seems to rain under the trees, but that's just the condensed fog dripping from the leaves. An absolutely magical experience, that can be over as quickly as it came. You just have to be lucky.