Our TOP 6 Madeira walks

As I have already outlined in my previous and quite extensive article, I have decided to split the Madeira report into two halves. The first one contains general information such as flights, car rental and accommodation, plus of course a complete list of places visited. If you haven't read it, be sure to remedy that - link here. The second article I would like to dedicate more to trekking and walking, in short places where it is not enough to just stop, take a picture and move on :)

A typical feature of Madeira are the so-called levadas, an ingenious system of irrigation channels that distribute water around the island, usually from the wet northern parts to the drier south. Along these concrete canals are narrow paths originally used for maintenance. Today, the levadas are a popular tourist destination for many mountain enthusiasts. There are thousands of kilometres of levadas running high in the mountains through tunnels and bridges, but be warned - they vary greatly in length and difficulty, so I recommend you study them in advance. Here's a full list of them and their current accessibility, which you should always check and, above all, respect. It is not uncommon for a levada to close due to a landslide, repairs or e.g. rain/snow.

As far as young children are concerned, none of the walks below are suitable for a pram! Perhaps only with Balcões did I remember our Thule stroller (Urban Glide 2), otherwise you generally won't get anywhere with a stroller. We did take it to Madeira, but more for comfort when walking in cities or at the airport. For most of the remaining time, Nina was carried in a carrier... arms, shoulders and all, we know right? :) However, she managed perfectly well, so the official title of the article might as well be "6 Madeira Walks You Can Do With a Toddler". Oh, and be forewarned about the overabundance of photos of Pepi's back, but he's just such a rewarding photo subject :)

UPDATE: as of October 2024, some levadas will start charging a €3 entry fee (children under 12 do not pay). For this reason, I recommend carrying cash, as there is often no signal at the site, so you can tap it on your mobile online. Or the other option - buy your tickets in advance at civilisation, link here. As of January 2025, you should be able to pay at all of the ofico levadas (PR signage). You can find the full list and current availability on this site.

Handy things for Madeira walks:

• comfortable shoes - they may not be any special shoes, but it's just not for flip-flops
• light jacket or raincoat (or even a cap) - for waterfalls, water falling in tunnels or just for the rain
• headlamp - as you can get by with a torch in your mobile phone, but hands free is an advantage
• snacks - you can only find snacks at the beginning of the climb, but don't count on them during the climb, so it's not a bad idea to bring something small with you
• + in connection with the stretcher, the softshell sleeve proved to be very useful, which protected Kobliha from wind and water and also kept her warm

1. PR11 Vereda dos Balcões

I have already mentioned this flood in the first article in connection with the trout breeding station. It is located, like the beginning of the levadas, in the mountain village of Ribeiro Frio. There are not many parking spaces, but for example the parking lot of Parque de estacionamento (google maps), a few dozen meters behind the trout farm, was half empty. From here it takes 5 minutes to walk to the start of PR11. 

The levada itself is short - it is only 1.5 km long in one direction and leads through absolutely easy terrain, basically all the way along the flat. Alternatively, if you're in a bit of a time crunch, you could also start from Restaurante Faisca and that would reduce the route to just about 650 metres. Either way, the main attraction is the viewing platform (balcões = balconies) at the end of the road, which opens up wonderful panoramas of Madeira's wooded and very hilly hinterland. It is not unusual for the viewpoint to be shrouded in fog. We were half lucky - it was nice to see the valley, but there was a foggy haze on the peaks, but better something than nothing :)

2. PR9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde

I hear she's one of the prettiest levadas in Madeira... Imagine a walk through a beautiful lush green forest high above the valley, plus awesome waterfalls, natural "cauldrons", several tunnels for variety and great views of the Madeira coast. So, for us, definitely YES, Caldeirão is really very nice and not very challenging in terms of terrain. It runs more or less on flat ground (minimal elevation gain), it's secured by railings everywhere, so only its length could be a problem = about 6,5 km in one direction. 

Most tourists take the Casa das Queimadas as their starting point, where there is parking (€3 all-day parking), a café, souvenirs, a museum and an adjacent park. I recommend typing the Queimadas Parking Lot straight into the navigation or you may also end up like us in the next village, Pico das Pedras :) It's not entirely bad as this place is often mentioned in guidebooks as the official start of the levada, but it's just extra kilometers. If you're interested in this option, you can park for free in Pico das Pedras and there's a leisurely 1.8km trail (Um caminho para todos) along the levada to Queimadas. To give you an idea of the photos from this section:

If you run out of energy at the end of the Caldeirão Verde, you can extend the route with the shorter Caldeirão do Inferno (2.4 km in one direction). It literally translates to "Hell's Cauldron", as this valley is echt deep and lies directly below Madeira's highest mountain, Pico de Ruivo. But we didn't do this section anymore, because the tunnels near the "Green Cauldron" were flooded and we really didn't want to wade in the water in the Doughnuts in the Stretcher... and certainly not in the water in a dark, narrow, low tunnel...

Casa das Queimadas

Caldeirão Verde

3. PR8 Ponta de São Lourenço

This walk has nothing to do with levadas, but it is still one of the places you simply cannot miss. Ponta de São Lourenço is the easternmost tip of Madeira, situated on a narrow peninsula near the town of Caniçal. The landscape here is very different from the rest of the evergreen island - the soil on the peninsula is very dry and even almost desert-like at times. We have only experienced a visit in March, so there was no trek through the lunar landscape, but there were some greener views.

It's not difficult to get to the starting point, just enter Ponta de São Lourenço Parking (free) in the navigation, the road ends there anyway. I'd just recommend starting first thing in the morning, while parking spaces are still available and the route isn't completely crowded. Physically (some might even mentally) prepare yourself for about 8 km of walking on a well-maintained (but sometimes rocky) road, and also quite a few stairs. You will be rewarded throughout with really beautiful views of the colourful structure of the peninsula and the curving cliffs rising steeply above the water. 

The route ends at the top of Pico de Furado, where you can still see the rest of Ponta de São Lourenço - the islet with the lighthouse, unfortunately you can't get there anymore. But not to end on a "bad news" note, some may be pleased to know that before climbing Pico de Furado you can refresh yourself with some goodies or just a drink at the Casa do Sardinha bistro. 

4. PR6 Levada das 25 Fontes / Risco

Okay, so we're back to the levadas... and straight to the most profane one => "25 springs". You can find it in the Rabaçal area in the eastern part of the island, so convenient especially for those who have secured accommodation in Calheta. The Levada is of course beautiful, no question about that, it's also not a place you'll like in Madeira :) So get ready for a good portion of waterfalls, moss-covered irrigation canals, old twisted trees, great views of the valley and tiny birds that will literally eat out of your hand.

The disadvantage is, of course, the higher frequency of traffic as a tax for a relatively short walk with an easily reachable destination in the form of a waterfall. You can avoid the biggest crowds if you start first thing in the morning like we did, there were a lot more people on the way back, but we didn't really care. If you suffer from knee pain, the presence of several sections with stairs will probably be a minus for you at 25 Fontes. Anyway, if you are an average fit individual, you will have no problem completing this levée.

It's a bit more complicated here with availability. You have to leave your car in the car park on the main road ER105, there is no parking fee. From there, it's 1.8 km down a paved road to the starting point - Casa do Rabaçal, home to the very nice and cosy Nature Spot Cafe - highly recommended! Those who would like to save some of that energy can take a minibus from the car park for €3 (or €5 return), but beware there doesn't seem to be any clear timetable. 

At Casa do Rabaçal, you will join the PR6 levada, which allows you to visit two waterfalls - 25 Fontes and Risco. You can either go straight to 25 Fontes or take the first Levada do Risco (PR6.1), and on the way back, turn off, run down the stairs and join 25 Fontes. In short, the order is up to you. If you take the sum total: both levadas + both ways from the car park on foot, it throws up about 9 km, no big deal :)

5. Levada do Moinho / Nova

We hadn't planned this fun at all, but due to the bad weather in the hinterland, we had to improvise quite a lot, so one day this "Millers" (moinho = mill) walk got in our way. And thank goodness, because we have to admit that we were really impressed. 

The biggest advantage is the fact that you can make a circuit and you don't have to go the same way back and forth as with most levadas. You'll be interested in the town of Ponta da Sol in the southern part of Madeira, just put the starting point in your sat nav - the church in the Lombada district (Igreja da Lombada), where you can park for free + there's an old mill to see. From here, you'll have about 8.5 km in total, taking the Levada to Moinho and back along the Levada Nova leading up a level. Don't expect a completely wet green forest like for example at Balcões or Caldeirão Verde, here you will rather enjoy beautiful views of the valley. 

Just a warning that if you are afraid of heights or unprotected paths at higher altitudes, it is better not to follow the Levada Nova and go back the same way. Nova is actually quite an exposed affair - there is a walkway along the irrigation course, but you would look in vain for a handrail. Unfortunately, this will deprive you of the biggest attraction - the waterfall flowing right in the rock you will pass under.

6. Pico do Arieiro

As I wrote above, we didn't have much luck with the weather in the interior. Black clouds lingered over both the highest mountain, Pico Ruivo, and Pico Arieiro (the 3rd highest) for our entire week in Madeira. But we went up anyway. Like I'm not going to lie, the situation looked bleak even as we approached - it was raining, windy and foggy as fuck. At least give it a chance while we're here, right? We eat a snack in the parking lot and wait to see if the clouds move for a moment. The result see the photos below the paragraph... the thermometer dropped to 3 °C, the rain definitely didn't stop and we could barely see a meter in front of us, in short, eeny breathtaking views :)

But somehow I didn't want to accept that I wouldn't see it here in any reasonable conditions, so I spent the next few days honestly watching the webcam on Pico Arieiro (I recommend it, better than the local unpredictable weather forecast), and you know what? I got lucky! It wasn't until the last day, a few hours before our flight, but we'll just make it. Quick sad eyes on Pepa and we're off to attempt #2!

The advantage of Arieiro is that you can drive straight up, park for free and then walk a few metres to the viewpoint. Here most people take a photo, or have a drink at the local bistro, and hop back in the car. The more fit individuals from here go to Pico Ruivo (1862 m), which is considered one of the TOP treks on the island. I preferred to skip that one beforehand though, after all, walking with Kobliha in this echt difficult terrain for about 4 hours there and 4 hours back... ahem, let's be realistic. If you'd like to reach Madeira's highest peak a little easier, there's another (probably the most popular) option - the starting point of Achada do Teixeira, or 2.8 km in one direction. Normally we would have at least done this walk, but catching the plane was a bit of a priority :) Within this time constraint, we only did the short Arieiro-Ruivo section, specifically a place called Miradouro do Ninho da Manta, which I highly recommend. Less than a kilometer of the road, although much of it is up stairs, but the views here are pretty awesome!

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