Hotels near Levada do Caldeirão Verde

Of Madeira's 2,170 km of levada trails, the Levada do Caldeirão Verde in Parque Florestal das Queimadas is the one most travellers come for. The 13 km return walk follows a single irrigation channel cut into the side of the central mountains, passing four hand-cut tunnels (some unlit and 100 m+ long) and ending at a vertical green amphitheatre where a waterfall plunges into a basin known as the Green Cauldron.

The path is mostly flat and shaded by laurel forest, a UNESCO-listed remnant of the prehistoric Laurissilva that once covered southern Europe. Allow 4 to 5 hours including breaks. The car park at Queimadas (5 EUR) fills early in summer.

Pro Tip: Pack a head torch, waterproof jacket, and grippy shoes - the tunnel floors are wet and uneven, and the narrow path next to the channel has unguarded drops on the seaward side. Cross-trail trainers are fine; full hiking boots are overkill.