You are welcome to visit the Madeira levadas individually or in groups.
Guided tours, accommodation, airport transfers, car hire and much more.
Levada do Furado (PR 10)
This walking route, which runs along one of the oldest public levadas on the island, is 11 kilometres long and should take 5 hours. Starting from Ribeiro Frio, PR 10 Levada do Furado allows you to contemplate the different shades of green that make up the natural forest of Laurissilva. In addition to the diverse flora, consisting mainly of tree species from the Lauraceae family, it is the Ribeiro Frio valley that dominates the landscape. In Levada do Furado, walkers can admire the farmlands of Faial, São Roque do Faial and Porto da Cruz, as well as the colossal rock massif of Penha d'Águia. The Levada do Furado stretches, all the way to the water distribution plant, where the Levada Serra do Faial ends. At this point, the descent to Portela, in the municipality of Machico, begins. After crossing the Lamaceiros forest area, passing the Lamaceiros forest post, the Portela levada, which flanks Lombo das Faias, is on the left, soon after which you will join the regional road 102 to complete this moderately difficult walk. On the final leg of the Levada do Furado, take the opportunity to recuperate at the Portela viewpoint.
Details:
Distance: 11 km
Difficulty level: medium
Duration: 5 hours
Start/end: E.R. 303 (Ribeiro Frio) / E.R. 102 (Portela)
Maximum altitude: 880 m / 645 m
Levada do Alecrim (PR 6.2)
Starting from regional road 105 in the Rabaçal area, this trail follows the Levada do Alecrim river, located at an altitude of 1,300 metres, to its source in Ribeira do Lajeado. It is 3.5 kilometres (one way) full of cinematic scenery in close proximity to nature. With an estimated duration of 2h30 and a route considered easy, PR 6.2 Levada do Alecrim offers sweeping views of the Rabaçal Valley and Ribeira da Janela. The green shades are impressive due to the characteristic density of the Laurissilva forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you will also find several heather tunnels that offer a unique atmosphere while walking. The biggest surprise, however, is reaching the Levada do Alecrim spring, a levada built to power the Calheta hydroelectric power station. Here you can refresh your body at the "Dona Beja" lagoon, which feeds the Lagoa do Vento waterfall. The return from Levada to Alecrim follows the same route. Alternatively, you can head towards Casa de Abrigo do Rabaçal, following the Vereda da Lagoa do Vento (PR 6.3) and discover the secrets of this green island.
Details:
Distance: 3.5 km (7 km round trip)
Difficulty: easy
Duration: 2h30
Start/met: Rabaçal (ER105) / Levada do Alecrim spring ("Dona Beja" lagoon)
Maximum/minimum altitude: 1339 m/1256 m
LEVADA? WHAT IS THIS MYSTERIOUS WORD AND WHAT LEVADAS ARE WORTH SEEING ON MADERA?
Levada do Caldeirão Verde (PR 9)
The PR 9 Levada to Caldeirão Verde route of 8.7 km (+ 8.7 km round trip) is moderately difficult and offers tourists the opportunity to explore the interior of the island, known for its monumental landscapes. The start of the Caldeirão Verde Levada, which is expected to take 6.5 hours, is immediately striking. This is because Casa de Abrigo das Queimadas, in Parque Florestal das Queimadas, retains the original features of typical Santana houses, the triangular shape and the traditional thatched roof. Soon after starting, you will find the terrace of the Caldeirão Verde levada, where nature meets exoticism. We are in the middle of the Laurissilva forest, where abundant water is channeled through this historic levada, built in the 18th century, into the farmlands of the parish of Faial. Along the Levada do Caldeirão Verde, criss-crossed by cliffs and mountains, you will pass through four tunnels carved into the rock. Only then, on the left, is the Caldeirão Verde Lake, formed by water protruding vertically from the Caldeirão Verde stream bed at a height of around 100 metres. Once you have recovered, you can continue to Caldeirão do Inferno, 2,200 metres away, or return via Levada to Caldeirão Verde.
Details:
Distance: 8.7 km (17.4 km round trip)
Difficulty: medium Duration: 6h30
Start/finish: Queimadas forest park / Caldeirão do Inferno
Maximum altitude: 1020 m / 872 m
Levada das 25 Fontes (PR 6)
Starting from regional road 105 in Rabaçal, Levada das 25 Fontes is one of the most popular walking routes among tourists and locals alike. With a distance of 4.3 km and an estimated time of 3 hours, it is a suitable trail for anyone who wants to be amazed by the exuberance of nature. Although it runs almost parallel to the Levada do Risco (PR 6.1), sharing the same starting point, this moderately difficult route will take you to a variety of interesting places and scenery. Characterised by its magnificent natural surroundings, Levada das 25 Fontes gives you the chance to discover Lagoa das 25 Fontes, fed by waters that descend from Paul da Serra and which appear here at 25 points. But before you get there, you'll have the chance to marvel at some of the landscapes you'll find along Levada das 25 Fontes. For example, the views over the Ribeira da Janela valley are impressive because of the vivid greenery characteristic of the Laurissilva forest. Once you reach your destination Levada das 25 Fontes, you can enjoy the beauty of the lagoon and recuperate for the return journey along the same route.
Details:
Distance: 4.3 km (8.6 km round trip)
Difficulty: medium
Duration: 3 hours
Start/finish: Rabaçal (ER105) / 25 Fontes Maximum altitude: 1288 m / 964 m
LEVADS OF MADEIRA
In today's article we are going to deal with the magic word levada, which you are sure to hear more than once whenever there is a conversation about Madeira or you browse websites on the subject of a trip to Madeira. So I invite you to read on and learn more about this mysterious word that is levada. Its history, its use and to find out what levadas are worth seeing on the island of Madeira. A levada is nothing more than an irrigation canal. It brings water to different places on the island, from the rainy north-west of the island to the south-east. They started to be built in the 15th century and their main function was to bring drinking water to other places on the island, as well as to irrigate agricultural land and, above all, during the cultivation of sugar cane, which was of great economic importance at the time. Madeira was one of its main suppliers in the 15th century, and today it is also used to generate electricity. Why have these waterways become so famous in Madeira, when they are found in many places on earth? Well, here in Madeira, their popularity and value has been recognised by the local population because of the number of different routes and because of the difficulty of building them over centuries and only using human hands and strength on such a difficult terrain. For it used to be that only men secured with ropes, risking their lives in the process, built levadas using only basic tools, i.e. picks, hoes, hammers, shovels, wheelbarrows or rods.
For this hard work, they are to be admired and respected for all time. Nowadays, however, the levadas still perform the function for which they were created, but they have also started to become very popular with the crowds of tourists who come to Madeira to get in touch with nature and walk the many different trails. And in 2017, the entire water system was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. According to the Portuguese, there are around 3,000 km of levadas as of today, so which levadas are worth seeing? The answer is not so simple, as the best are all possible! However, nature lovers and hikers visiting the island always have limited time, but without visiting these few levadas, you can't just leave the island. After a day spent inland, walking along the murmuring levadas, full of greenery, one can forget that Madeira is barely a crumb of land surrounded by the boundlessness of the Atlantic Ocean. In Madeira, nature always speaks the loudest and it never hurts to take some time to admire it, quietly observing it up close and immersing yourself in its precious natural heritage.
The following set of levadas can be walked on your own, but you can also book a guided tour with us and learn more about each levada.
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