To be honest, Madeira is not known for its walkable cities, on this island hiking is the thing. And I did walk on one of the trails, along the levadas. It was a really nice group of people of all ages and places, that followed our fun and learned guide Margarita. But I also took a stroll or two in the city of course. Links to the maps at the bottom or with shortcuts to all the maps here.
Levadas – what is that about?
Actually, I thought the Levadas was a place, I was wrong. It is far more impressive and interesting. The levadas were originally built to carry water from the rainy mountains to drier farming areas, enabling agriculture on the island. This started in the mid 15th century.
They’re still used today for irrigation and hydroelectric power. So they are both functional and a key part of Madeira’s tourism and heritage. And when you walk on the narrow path you are grateful to those who made it possible and safe.
The greenery is very humid, almost like a rain forest, so it´s both a very smart and sustainable solution to transport water to drier areas.
how long is a walk 
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