Madeira's levadas: walking the water channels

A levada is an irrigation channel. On Madeira, construction began in the sixteenth century to carry water from the wetter northwest of the island to the drier southeast, chiefly for sugar cane, and the most recent were built in the 1940s. The network now exceeds 2,170 kilometres, and many levadas double as walking paths. Today they also supply drinking water and generate hydroelectric power.

Walks vary enormously. The Levada do Caniçal is described as an easy walk of about 11.5 kilometres lined with acacia trees. Longer routes such as the Caldeirão Verde track involve narrow ledges, long drops and several tunnels, for which you need a head torch and, on some routes, a helmet. After the 2010 floods and mudslides, authorities improved maintenance and installed safety fences on dangerous stretches, but some paths remain narrow and exposed.

The history deserves a place in the visit. The channels were built using forced labour, including enslaved people and convicts, and a local guide can explain more about how the system came to be. Choose a walk to match your head for heights, check trail closures with local authorities or your guide before setting out, and avoid walking after heavy rain.

Entry: Portugal is in the Schengen area, and Indian passport holders need a Schengen visa; check the official Portuguese visa pages.