More Levada Hikes
Besides the classics, Madeira offers dozens of other Levada hikes for every taste and fitness level. Here is a selection of the best:
Easy Hikes (1–2 hours)
- Vereda dos Balcões (PR11): Only 1.5 km, 30 minutes — a simple walking path to the Balcões viewpoint with panoramic views into the Ribeira da Metade valley and the highest peaks. Perfect for beginners.
- Levada do Furado (PR10): 11 km, 3–4 hours — an easy, shaded Levada through laurel forest between Ribeiro Frio and Portela. Less spectacular than Caldeirão Verde, but quieter and easier.
Medium Hikes (3–5 hours)
- Levada da Serra do Faial (PR12): One of the quietest and most underrated Levadas — 10 km through lush forest with few other hikers. Ideal for nature lovers seeking tranquility.
- Levada Nova & Levada do Moinho: In the south, from Ponta do Sol — a sunny Levada through banana plantations and terraced fields with views of the Atlantic. A completely different character than the misty northern Levadas.
- Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço (PR8): 8 km — not a Levada, but a coastal hiking trail at Madeira's eastern tip. Dramatic cliffs, dry vegetation (quite different from the rest of the island), and fantastic views of the Desertas Islands. One of Madeira's most beautiful hiking trails.
Challenging Hikes (5–8 hours)
- Levada do Caldeirão do Inferno: Extension of the Caldeirão Verde hike — an additional 5 km through even wilder terrain with more tunnels and a second massive waterfall. Only for experienced hikers.
- Caminho Real da Encumeada: 15 km from Boca da Encumeada to Curral das Freiras, the "Nun's Valley" — a historic route through dramatic mountain scenery. Curral das Freiras lies in a deep volcanic crater and was once so remote that nuns sought refuge here from pirates.
