Levada walks in Madeira: the three to start with
A levada walk follows one of Madeira’s old irrigation channels on the path beside it, so it stays almost level through the laurel forest. Start with Balcões (PR11) for an easy 1 h 30, 25 Fontes (PR6) for waterfalls, and Caldeirão Verde (PR9) for a full day. Each needs a €4.50 slot on SIMplifica.
Levada or trail: what’s the difference
A levada is a water channel. Madeira has 103 main public ones, built over almost six centuries to carry water from springs in the mountain forest to farms, homes, mills and power stations. The path beside the channel was made for the workers who look after it, and it is the path you walk.
Levada walks climb about half as much
Median gap between the highest and lowest point of the 39 classified walks on Madeira, 15 of them levadas.
| Compare | Levada walk | Mountain or coastal trail |
|---|---|---|
| What you follow | A water channel, on the narrow path built beside it to look after it | A footpath between villages, up to a peak or along the coast |
| The slope | Almost level: the water needs a gentle fall, so the path keeps it too | Climbs and drops, often with long stairways |
| Where you are | Mostly in the laurel forest, with the sound of running water | Ridges, peaks and cliffs, with wide views and little shade |
| What to watch for | Narrow, wet sections with a drop on one side, and dark tunnels | Steep stairs, sun, wind and the way back |
| The name on the sign | “Levada do…” | “Vereda do…” (footpath) or “Caminho…” (old path) |
The name is a clue, not a rule. The PR11 is called Vereda dos Balcões, yet it runs beside the Levada da Serra do Faial and is one of the flattest walks on the island. Read the height and the level on each trail, not just the name.
Sources: IFCN: Levadas da Madeira, proposed nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage List (2023) and the IFCN: classified walking routes, updated 2 November 2026, checked 2 November 2026.
The three levada walks to start with
Easiest first. All three are classified PR walks with a SIMplifica slot, and together they show the three faces of a levada: short, famous and long.
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PR11 · Balcões viewpoint
Balcões, the easy one
- Time
- 1 h 30 return
- Distance
- 1.5 km each way
- Level
- Easy
From the ER103 at Ribeiro Frio, the path runs beside the Levada da Serra do Faial to a viewpoint over the laurel valleys of the north-east. On a clear day you see Pico do Arieiro and Pico Ruivo.
Best for: Families, older walkers and a short morning
PR11 on the trails map →I did it on a colder day, so the views were mostly fog, and it was still spectacular. At the viewpoint at the end there are lots of birds close by.
Michael
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PR6 · 25 Fontes
25 Fontes, the famous one
- Time
- 3 h return
- Distance
- 4.3 km each way
- Level
- Moderate
From Rabaçal, along the levada to a lagoon fed by dozens of springs, with the Risco waterfall as a short detour from the same start. Cars stay up on the ER105, so add the walk or shuttle down.
Best for: Waterfalls and mixed groups, if you start early
Full PR6 guide →4.3 on Tripadvisor from 1,111 reviews. Most low scores are about the crowd at the lagoon; walkers who started early liked it far more.
What walkers say
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PR9 · Caldeirão Verde
Caldeirão Verde, the big day
- Time
- 6 h 30 return
- Distance
- 8.7 km each way
- Level
- Moderate
From Queimadas Forest Park near Santana, through 4 rock tunnels and laurel forest to a waterfall that drops 110 m into a green pool. The official route goes on to the Caldeirão do Inferno.
Best for: Fit walkers with a full day
Plan the PR9 Caldeirão Verde walk →I walked the Caldeirão Verde and loved it, but it is a tiring one.
Michael
The PR9 car park at Queimadas is small and paid, €2 an hour (Visit Madeira); one walker found it full before 10am. Always check the IFCN trail status on the morning you walk.
No car? Let a tour drive you to the levada
No regular bus reaches Rabaçal, and the starts of the other two are up narrow mountain roads.
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PR11 · ★ 4.8 from 3,633 reviews
Balcões on an east day tour →
This tour stops at Ribeiro Frio with an optional 20-minute flat walk to Balcões, then goes on to Pico do Arieiro and Santana. Pick-up in Funchal or Caniço, from €34 per person.
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PR6 · ★ 4.7 from 2,732 reviews
25 Fontes with a guide →
Hotel pick-up in Funchal, then downhill from the plateau to Risco and 25 Fontes; the van waits at the end. Check on the listing whether the trail fee is included.
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PR9 · Search on GetYourGuide
Caldeirão Verde tours →
We have not picked one tour for the PR9 yet. These are the guided walks listed for it; read what each says about pick-up and the trail fee.
I have not taken these tours; they are picked from the listings and reviews. Affiliate links: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we make money.
Before any levada walk
- Book the slot on SIMplifica, one per walk and per person. How to book.
- Shoes with grip. The path is wet and mossy, even in summer.
- A torch or your phone light for the tunnels.
- A rain jacket and a warm layer: the forest is colder than the coast.
- On narrow sections, wait where the path widens to let others pass.
- Stay on the path and keep the water clean. It ends up in someone’s tap.
More levada walks, once you have done these
The other levadas that are open. All need a SIMplifica slot except the Ponta do Sol loop, run by the council.
| Walk | Area | Distance | Time | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PR6.2 Levada do Alecrim | Rabaçal and Paul da Serra | 3.5 km + 3.5 km back | 2 h 30 | Easy |
| PR6.4 Levada Velha do Rabaçal | Rabaçal and Paul da Serra | 5 km | 2 h | Not graded |
| PR6.8 Levada do Paul II, a path for everyone | Rabaçal and Paul da Serra | 1.2 km | 30 min | Not graded |
| PR9.1 Levada do Caldeirão Verde, a path for everyone | Santana and the north | 1.9 km | 45 min | Not graded |
| PR14 Levada dos Cedros | Fanal and the north-west | 7.2 km | 3 h | Moderate |
| PR16 Levada Fajã do Rodrigues | Santana and the north | 3.9 km + 3.9 km back | 3 h 30 | Moderate |
| PR18 Levada do Rei | Santana and the north | 5.3 km + 5.3 km back | 3 h 30 | Moderate |
| Levada do Moinho and Levada Nova | Ponta do Sol (Lombada) | Loop behind a waterfall | No official time | Easy, beside steep drops · no booking |
The Ponta do Sol loop is not a classified PR, so it has no official distance or status: the council closed it on 5 May 2026, and walkers were using it again when we checked on 2 November 2026. Not listed: the classified levadas the IFCN lists as closed or only partly open. All walks on the trails map.
Questions about levada walks
What is a levada?
A water channel. Madeira has 103 main public levadas, built over almost six centuries to carry water from springs in the mountain forest to farms, homes and power stations. The path beside the channel, made for the workers who look after it, is what you walk on.
Are levada walks easy?
Most are easier than the mountain trails because they stay almost level: the median height gap is 235 m on a levada walk against 493 m on the other official walks. They can still be long, narrow and wet, with drops beside the path. Levada or trail: the difference.
Which levada walk is best for families?
The PR11 to Balcões: 1.5 km each way, about 1 h 30 there and back and graded easy. The Risco waterfall (PR6.1) at Rabaçal is graded easy too.
Do you need to book a levada walk?
Yes, for the classified PR walks run by the IFCN: one SIMplifica slot per walk and per person, €4.50, free up to age 12 but still booked. Levadas run by a council or outside the official network, like the Levada Nova in Ponta do Sol, need no booking or fee. The free hikes in Madeira.
Do you need a torch for the levadas?
For the PR9, yes: it goes through 4 rock tunnels. Many other levadas have short tunnels too, so carry a torch or keep your phone charged on any levada walk.
What is the most beautiful levada walk?
Caldeirão Verde (PR9) for most walkers: it holds 4.7 on Tripadvisor from 895 reviews, ending at a 110 m waterfall. It is a full day, so with less time choose 25 Fontes or Balcões.
Is the Levada Nova open?
Yes. The Levada Nova and the Levada do Moinho in Ponta do Sol were closed by the council on 5 May 2026 and are walked again: we checked on 2 November 2026. They are run by the council, so there is no SIMplifica booking or fee. Where to park and what the walk is like.
Want your levada days planned?
Which levadas suit your group, in the right order for your dates, with the slots and the drive times worked out.