MadeiraLevadas Find a walk
WalksItinerariesHistoryThe ForestHow They WorkField Guide Glossary

Centre — Paul da Serra (Bica da Cana)

Bica da Cana / Pináculo

Also known as Bica da Cana viewpoint walk · Bica da Cana – Pináculo

4.5 km Length out-and-back
1.5 h Duration typical
Easy Grade easy
low Exposure vertigo

A short, easy route across the open Paul da Serra plateau from the Bica da Cana viewpoint — one of Madeira's great panoramic points at around 1,560–1,580 m — down to a levada and on to the Pináculo rock. It is effectively a gentle 'short version' of PR17 for less experienced walkers, with sweeping views over the São Vicente valley to the island's highest peaks. The terrain is a little rocky and can be slippery; allow about 1.5 hours for the roughly 4.5 km round trip.

Highlights

  • The Bica da Cana viewpoint at ~1,560–1,580 m
  • 360° panorama over the São Vicente valley to Pico Ruivo and Pico do Areeiro
  • On clear days, Porto Santo on the horizon
  • Plateau heath and endemic flora

Water on the route

  • seasonal cascades along the levada
  • high-plateau springs feeding the Paul da Serra
Tunnels: None.. Bring a head-torch — some levada tunnels are long, low and pitch black.

Walks like this

PR13 Northwest — Fanal / Paúl da Serra (Porto Moniz)

Vereda do Fanal

More a forest footpath than a levada, the Vereda do Fanal traverses the high Paúl da Serra plateau through a wide expanse of UNESCO laurel forest in superb condition, ending at the Fanal — a shallow volcanic crater designated a Rest-and-Quiet Reserve and famous worldwide for its gnarled, fog-haunted Til trees. The route passes the Sítio do Fio, where a historic cableway once lowered timber and brushwood off the plateau. Visit Madeira gives 10.8 km, 4 h, Moderate, altitude 1,420/1,130 m, with the official classified line running from Assobiadores onward toward Encumeada. Exposure is low, but the plateau is frequently in cloud — which is precisely what gives the Fanal its otherworldly atmosphere.

  • Has tunnels
10.8 kmLength4 hTimemoderateGrade
View walk
PR1 Central Massif — Santana / Funchal border

Vereda do Areeiro (Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo)

This is a VEREDA, not a levada — a footpath blasted and carved into the spine of the central massif rather than a water channel. PR1 links Madeira's two great viewpoint peaks, starting at the Pico do Arieiro car park (1,818 m), crossing Pico das Torres (1,851 m) and ending atop Pico Ruivo (1,862 m), the highest point in the archipelago and the third-highest in Portugal. The path threads tunnels dug through volcanic tuff that once sheltered shepherds and livestock, climbs rock-cut staircases, and runs along knife-edge ridges with drops of 500 m or more to either side, frequently above the cloud line. Visit Madeira lists it as 6.1–7 km and grades it moderate, though its length, exposure and altitude see it widely rated hard. Following the August 2024 wildfire the route reopened in late April 2026 and now operates one-way, Arieiro to Ruivo. A premium entry fee applies via the SIMplifica portal.

  • Has tunnels
7 kmLength3.5 hTimehardGrade
View walk
PR6 West — Rabaçal (Calheta municipality)

Levada das 25 Fontes

The signature walk of Rabaçal and one of the most popular trails in all Madeira. From the forestry house the path drops through Laurisilva to the Lagoa das 25 Fontes, a clear pool fed by roughly 25 springs that weep from the surrounding rock wall — the literal source of the name, confirmed by both the Visit Madeira register and Calheta municipality. The terrain is near-flat levada walking with steps and some narrow, exposed ledges. Visit Madeira lists it as 4.3 km one-way (8.6 km round trip); Calheta municipality cites 9 km and GPS trackers up to 11 km when the access road and Risco spur are included.

  • Has tunnels
  • Waterfall on the route
8.6 kmLength3 hTimemoderateGrade
View walk