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One of the most vibrant natural heritage sites in the world, Madeira is a much sought after eco-tourism destination.

Its forests and reserves are home to some of the rarest plants, flowers and animals in the world. With dense woodlands, like the Laurissilva Forest, on the one hand and the rocky, arid environment of the Ponta de São Lourenço or the Desertas Islands on the other, this archipelago has a uniquely diverse bio-cultural heritage.

The Levadas or irrigation channels that were started with the earliest occupation of the island are Madeira’s greatest tourist attraction. A vast network of more than thirteen hundred miles of channels with about twenty five miles of the network being tunnels, they bring water and electricity to all the people of the island. Along these snaking channels are also some of the most beautiful walking trails. Together, the natural sites and the manmade Levadas, provide the lover of hikes and trails with the best walking holidays in Madeira.

• Vereda do Areeiro

The Vereda do Areeiro trail links the two highest peak of the island. Starting at Pico de Areeiro and crossing the Central Mountain Massif to reach the Pico Ruivo, a hiker would have to negotiate some steep and comparatively difficult areas of climb. This is the only known place in the world where the Zino’s petrel breeds. More typical Macaronesian islands birds, like the Madeira Rock Sparrow and the Firecrest can also be seen here. A high-altitude heath, the trail is also home to several plants that are native to the Madeira Islands such as the Rock Orchid and the Madeira Violet. Closer to the end of the trail at Pico Ruivo is the natural basal rock formation known as the Standing Man.

• Levadas das 25 Fontes and Levada do Risco

Levadas das 25 Fontes and Levada do Risco are parallel trails, though at different levels. Both offer a spectacular water views. Levada do Risco, at thousand meters above sea level, is a challenging hike. It reveals a magnificent waterfall which creates a ridge in the rock as it falls horizontally. Levadas das 25 Fontes is the lower trail. It ends at a lagoon that seems to appear magically from behind a rock wall. The upper trail has mostly moorland vegetation including Madeiran Whortleberry while lower down is the much rarer Mountain Mocano. This trail is also the nesting place of the Trocaz pigeon, exclusive to the Madeira Island.

• Levada dos Cedros

Levada dos Cedros is an easier trail and originates on the only plateau in Madeira. It crosses a small volcanic hollow of Fanal which has been deemed an Area of Rest and Peace. Passing through the primitive Laurissilva Forest, this trail encounters several endemic trees in their full splendor.

Madeira celebrates its gorgeous trails climbing up the mountains and going down to the sea with the Madeira Walking Festival. Waterfalls and lakes that seem to appear out of no where, exotic plants and flowers that gather around the channels, and rare avian and marine life make a walking holiday in Madeira an unforgettable experience.

Where to stay in Madeira

• Hotel Estalagem do Vale, São Vicente
• Bed and Breakfast Os Manos, Santana
• Hotel Moniz Sol, Porto Moniz

Photo of Pico Ruivo mountain trail in Madeira, Portugal, by Watz