Levada do Moinho — Attraction in Ponta do Sol

Levada do Moinho is a pleasant and very easy walking route in Madeira, suitable for those looking for a quieter and more relaxed hiking experience. The trail runs alongside a levada (an old irrigation channel), with gentle terrain and minimal elevation gain, making it particularly family-friendly and accessible for less experienced hikers.

One of the nicest aspects of this walk is that it’s generally not very crowded. Unlike some of Madeira’s more popular levada routes, this one tends to attract fewer tourists, which makes for a calmer, more peaceful atmosphere. You can usually walk for long stretches without encountering other people, which is ideal if you’re hoping to enjoy the scenery in a more quiet and reflective way.

Along the way, there is a small tunnel you pass through — something that often gets mentioned in reviews of this trail. Many of those reviews recommend bringing a headlamp or flashlight, but in my experience, that’s not really necessary. Despite what many reviews say, a regular phone light is sufficient to get through the tunnel safely. It’s short, straight, and not particularly dark or difficult to navigate.

The scenery throughout the trail is mostly green and pleasant, though not especially dramatic. There are nice views of the valley and surrounding hills, and the sound of the water running through the levada adds to the calm feel of the walk. Toward the lower end of the trail, there is a small waterfall that serves as a natural resting point. It’s a good spot to take a break or eat something you’ve brought along — not a major highlight in itself, but a peaceful place to stop before turning back.

Overall, Levada do Moinho is a solid choice if you’re looking for a simple and quiet hike, especially if you’re with kids or people who prefer less demanding terrain. It doesn’t have the dramatic landscapes or wow-factor of some of the island’s more famous routes, but it offers a low-key, enjoyable way to spend a few hours outdoors — without the hassle of large crowds or...

Great Levada Hike, our favourite on Madeira. We started the trail from the church, which is what I would recommend. Try to park in any street nearby and use the bathroom of the shop before you go. The way is lovely, views are great and there are a few waterfalls close enough to touch. Please just go if you are not afraid of heights as you will be walking above the ground the whole time! Also not the whole path is secured, there are a few places without or with a broken fence on one side. It's fine for most people but can be dangerous for small children or people with handicap. Also I wouldn't bring a dog. There are a few benches for a picnic. At some point the path will be getting very narrow, which is the end. You can either go back the way you came or climb up the stairs and take a different way back. For orientation: if you go left you will get to the river (dead end unless you want to cross it wich will be slippery), to the right is the way back. It's basically the same way but on a higher level and also without a fence for some of the way! It doesn't look dangerous because of the plants but there is nothing keeping you from falling if you walk too close to the edge! We really loved the path as it was more interesting, being closer to the waterfalls, going through a tunnel (bring a flashlight or use your phone!), walking in the clouds. But really just do it if you are physically in a good condition, not afraid of heights and if the weather is good. If it rains parts of the path will be intentionally flooded which makes is very dangerous. The round way took around 3 to 3 and a half hours and was...

Let me start off: we were not prepared hikers. We went on this walk based on other reviews of ease, waterfalls and tunnel. We have been told there is an app to walk Levadas and maybe that would have helped. So wear hiking shoes, bring food and snacks, be better prepared than us.

We started off great. It is pretty flat walking, following the water/ irrigation canal. Beautiful scenery and small waterfalls. Some of the path was eroded but not to the point where it was unsafe. There are some wire guardrails but can be loose so keep your balance.

We walked the levada until we couldn’t any further. There were some stairs that we had passed and we walked back to and took them up and came to a small flowing riverbed. The path essentially ended there. Other hikers were trying to find their way across so we followed. It brought us to a dried riverbed that we followed all the way down the Valley. We were skeptical of where we were headed. Eventually we ran into other hikers that said the path lead out to the road at a circle.

We never did find their bigger waterfall or the tunnel that is pictured by other visitors. It took us approximately 3 hours from start to finish.

Thank Goodness at the circle there was a taxi, I don’t know if there is one there usually! The taxi driver was surprised we didn’t see the tunnel. We have no idea where we went wrong! It wasn’t like there was a wrong turn made.

So next time we are in Madeira we will try again. The view is pretty and a relatively easy hike even in the...