Madeira walking routes and "Levadas" are world-famous for their beauty, but why is this? One of the best ways to explore Madeira’s fantastic nature is on foot. On Madeira, you can walk along beautiful “Levadas” or conquer mountain paths or go hiking. All in all, there are different types of walking paths for every sort of walker, whether you like to take a heavy hike, are someone that doesn’t have the best physical condition or whether you are someone who likes to just explore new and beautiful sights, Madeira has it all. What is a Levada? We were talking about the so called “Levadas”, but before we can show you some of the most beautiful Levada walks, you must first understand what a Levada is. Levadas are narrow irrigation channels which can be found all over the island in a cleverly designed network. They are a sort of maintenance paths built as far back as the 16th century by locals, and they were and are still used to irrigate pieces of land. Nowadays, they are still used for this reason, but they are also used to show tourists the most beautiful landscapes and views of the island. They lead through fertile farmlands with sugar cane, banana trees and vineyards, but also through the mountains to disperse the rainwater that falls in the peaks of the center of the island to all parts of the island. The paths go past cascading waterfalls and gorges but also steep cliffs. The subtropical vegetation of the Laurissilva forest in the mostly untouched valleys of the north is also filled with sprawling Levadas. Here, these paths lead you through the middle of the densely packed forest and then, occasionally, offer you a brief sight into a valley and towards the sea. The unique Levada walks
Madeira walking routes and “Levadas” are world-famous for their beauty, but why is this? One of the best ways to
