Hiking in Madeira is simply spectacular.  The island is lush and mountainous with waterfalls and levadas (narrow aqueducts) that run throughout the island.  Two of the most famous hikes are Levada das 25 Fontes/ Levada do Risco and Pico do Areeiro/ Pico Ruivo/ Achaea do Teixeiro.  

Levada das 25 Fontes & Levada do Risco

The hike begins from a dusty dirt parking lot at the top of the mountain.  There is a road from there that is blocked off unless you pay a few Euros for a ride.  However, we chose to walk which would be my recommendation unless you have trouble walking long distances.  The paved road goes for about 2 km down the mountain until you reach a small cafe where a narrow dirt path leads into the jungle.  The jungle is shady and cool and very pleasant to walk through, even in the middle of the day.  

For much of the hike there is a levada of clear cool water that flows along the side of the path.  In some places it runs down ramps or steps to make beautiful little water features.

The path ends at the 25 Fontes which is a lovely waterfall that trickles over a wall of rock and vegetation into a shallow pool of crystal clear water.   

On the way back, we decided to take a branch off the path that leads to the Levada do Risco.  I am very glad we did because this waterfall was just as impressive.

The hike back up is more difficult than to the falls since you are hiking much more uphill.  Also the last portion on the paved road gets sun exposure so that portion is hotter.  When we got to the dirt parking lot at the top, there was a small herd of grazing cows amongst the cars.  Sydney was quite interested and tried to stare one of them down.  The cow was not at all threatened or bothered but just continued laying there staring back at Sydney inquisitively.  Eventually, Sydney gave a little yelp and broke her gaze while abruptly running away.  It was quite funny to watch!  

Pico do Areeiro/ Pico Ruivo/ Achada do Teixeiro  

This hike is my favorite and is absolutely stunning!  It’s a long and challenging hike along narrow ledges, rocky staircases, mountain ridges, and dark tunnels but the views make you feel like you are walking amongst the clouds.  We started from the Pico do Areeiro parking lot and then hiked to Pico Ruivo and finally to Achada do Teixeiro before turning around and hiking all the way back.  If all the trails were open, it looks like it would be possible to do more of a loop on the way back but one of the trails was closed so the only way was out and back along the same thin trail across the moutain tops. 

The trail starts out along a mountain ridge above the clouds and begins to wind down along the sides of the cliffs.

In many areas, there is a steep drop off on at least one side of the path which makes for somewhat of a treacherous hike.  

From the top of the ridge, the trail descends part way down the mountain and then cuts across the side of the cliff on narrow ledges carved into the side of the mountain.  

The trail turns and goes through portions of the mountain at some points via damp, cool tunnels in the rock which are a welcome respite from the brutally hot sun.   

After about 3 hours of hiking, we reached the other main peak called Pico Ruivo.  Here the trail also branches off towards Achaea do Teixeiro.  

The trail to Achada do Teixeiro is worth hiking down for the views as you go towards the peak shown above.  However, the trail turns and snakes around the left side of the peak and then goes down to a parking lot below the clouds.  I would suggest hiking until you see the parking lot and then turning back.

The 14km hike takes 6-7 hours in total and is strenuous since it descends from 1800 to 1500 meters and then back up to about 1860 meters and then you do that again when you return.  However, the entire hike is nothing short of breathtaking during the full stretch of the trail.

The sole disappointing aspect of the hike was that tourists decided to use a 3 small caves in the mountainside along the path as toilet receptacles and these had become filled with feces and toilet paper.  It was frustrating to see that people who had come to witness and experience this gorgeous area are not making the effort to maintain it and to treat it with respect.  The vast majority of the hike was clean and nice but I wanted to make note of those areas.