📍: 9 km Loop Trail

🚘: Free parking next to the church

📈: 150 M

🕒: 3-5 hours

This Levada is a 9 km circuit hike combined out of two levadas that meet at a waterfall. This trail will take you through the picturesque valley above the town of Ponta do Sol. Besides the stairs which connect two levadas, this trail is perfectly flat. The two levadas meet at a very unique waterfall carved in the rock with the trail leading just behind it.

This trail isn't one of Madeira's official trails, which means its safety isn't monitored daily by the authorities. You have to keep in mind your own safety and turn back whenever you feel that the trail isn't properly maintained or if there has been a landslide.

To avoid climbing steep streets in the town, I suggest starting from the older levada - called Moinho. This way, when you return to your car, you'll walk downhill through the town from Levada Nova. The Moinho levada begins behind the church, where you can park your car at the parking lot next to it. Look for a small sign indicating the road.

From there, you'll follow the levada along the valley. The trail is quite open, but unfortunately, the best views will be behind you. Keep going for a couple of kilometers, and you'll notice how the trail becomes more and more covered with greenery. The path is straightforward, and there are no other exits from it at this point, so you don't have to worry about getting lost. When you notice the stairs heading up on your right side, follow them to Levada Nova. The climb up the stairs is very short. Once you reach Levada Nova, turn right in the direction to exit the valley. Just a couple of hundred meters from here, you'll come across an amazing waterfall curved in the stone wall. We hiked this levada during a dry period, but the waterfall was still very impressive, and walking behind its cascade was something very unique and incredibly fun.

On the other side of the waterfall, you can already see the tunnel. There are many tunnels on Madeira trails, and although they add to the adventurous vibe of your hike, sometimes walking through them can be uncomfortable. Luckily, this tunnel was very short and fun, but you'll still need a torch to see where you're going.

Levada Nova is newer and better maintained than Levada do Moinho, which you'll notice right away as you leave the tunnel. Unfortunately, as you leave the waterfall behind and get closer and closer to the town, you'll get the feeling that this awesome hike is coming to an end. Levada Nova ends in the upper part of the town, so from here, you'll have to walk downhill a bit to get back to your car.