Levada do Moinho, Madeira - all you need to know

This levada is one of the most popular and most beautiful on the island.

It is one of the few that is more or less circular, with its end just about 100 metres from its start; what’s more, it begins on the outskirts of the town of Ponta do Sol, making it ideal even for those who don’t want to hire a car.

There is an entry fee for the trail, and 4,50 eur and you must book it online atsimplifica.madeira.gov.pt.

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The levada starts near the church in the Lombada district and continues relatively gently uphill along the edge of the valley.

At first, it passes through small terraced fields, before diving into the vegetation, which provides occasional natural shade, until it reaches the very end of the valley, where it turns 180° and continues gently uphill on the other side of the valley. At this point, you can admire a magnificent waterfall cascading between the rocks directly above the levada.

After about 7.5 km, you’ll arrive back at Ponta do Sol, from where you can either return or continue along the longer and slightly more challenging Levada Nova to the town of Tabua, where buses also run.

Route details

The Levada do Moinho is popular for its proximity to civilisation, whilst also offering magnificent views of the surrounding countryside. It is mostly gently sloping, relatively narrow, but fitted with handrails at dangerous points.

Distance – 7.3 km total length
Time – approx. 4 hours
Difficulty – easy
Route map

Accommodation

The picturesque little town of Ponta do Sol, nestled in a narrow, deep valley where it meets the sea, is the ideal place to stay for one or two nights. There’s plenty of choice here, ranging from budget apartments to more expensive boutique hotels. We can recommend the excellent apartments Villa Pont de Sol Apartment or Encanto do Sol.

All accommodation in Ponta do Sol

How to get there

Ponta do Sol is situated on the south coast of Madeira and is very easy to reach by car via the main ring road.

Rodoeste buses also run along this route several times a day (around 6–7 times on weekdays and 2–3 times at weekends), connecting the towns of Funchal and Calheta, with some services continuing on to Porto Moniz.