Walking on Madeira - everything you need to know

How to get to Madeira

Whilst many opt for package trips to Madeira, flight-only deals are possible, using the national carrier, Air Portugal (www.flytap.com), other national carriers such as British Airways (www.britishairways.com), or budget operators such as Easyjet (www.easyjet. com) and Jet2 (www.jet2.com). Shop around as prices vary enormously. To fly to Porto Santo it is usually necessary to fly to Madeira first, then take a 15-minute ‘hop’ to the island.

How do you get around the island?

While a car is essential for walks on the plateau of Paúl da Serra, most of the walks in this guidebook are linear, in deference to the steepness of the terrain. Madeira has a comprehensive and remarkably cheap bus network, providing vital lifelines to the most distant villages. Buses were used extensively to research the walking routes in this guide. It is well worth visiting the various bus offices or their kiosks to pick up more information.

When is the best time to visit Madeira? 

Madeira is generally hot and humid, but not excessively so, and is an all-year-round destination. That said, the summer months can be too hot, and winter brings more rain and a slight risk of snow in the mountains. Madeira is a subtropical island and, depending on the direction of the wind and the amount of moisture it carries, there can occasionally be prolonged or torrential rain, causing rivers and levadas to flood, which can result in rockfalls and landslides.

What about accommodation?

Accommodation in Madeira is mostly concentrated around the ‘Hotel Zone’ to the west of Funchal and a large hotel complex at Garajau, but there is plenty more around the island. Most towns and several villages offer small hotels and pensions, providing great opportunities for long-distance walks from one place to another. Campsites are very limited, and wild camping is technically forbidden. 

What are levadas?

Early in the 15th century, short and simple water channels were dug to divert streams out of valleys onto sunny slopes where areas had been cleared for cultivation. In general, the higher levadas collect water for use in hydro-electric power stations, but there is no waste, as the outflowing water is then used for irrigating crops. Water is of course also treated for human consumption. As the levadas need constant maintenance, they are equipped with paths that have long been used by walkers. However, not all levadas are the same, and while some are easy to follow, others cross sheer cliffs, where the narrow and uneven paths are very dangerous: a slip or trip can result in death or serious injury. The intricate network of very narrow levadas that ultimately take water into fields and terraces, isn’t really suitable for walking.