A levada walk from Queimadas through Madeira's UNESCO laurel forest to a waterfall dropping into a green rock pool. Route, tunnels and how to plan it.
The Levada do Caldeirão Verde is the classic levada walk of the north coast. It starts at the Queimadas forest park above Santana and follows an irrigation channel through the heart of the laurisilva, the ancient laurel forest, to the Caldeirão Verde itself: a tall waterfall dropping into a green pool inside a shadowed rock cauldron. It is longer and wilder than the better-known western levadas, and the forest it crosses is the main reason to walk it.
This guide covers the route, the tunnels you pass through, what the forest is like, and how to plan a half-day on the trail.
The walk, in brief
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Start | Queimadas forest park, above Santana on the north coast |
| Length | About 13 km return, out and back along the levada |
| Time | 4–6 hours round trip, depending on pace and stops |
| Difficulty | Moderate: level underfoot but long, with narrow exposed sections |
| Trail marking | Signed PR9, the Levada do Caldeirão Verde |
| Highlight | The Caldeirão Verde waterfall and its green plunge pool |
What the walk is like
The trailhead at Queimadas is a small forest park with a thatched-roof house and mossy lawns, attractive in its own right. From there the path follows the levada into the laurisilva.
The walking is level, in the way levada paths are: the channel keeps a constant gentle gradient, so there is no real climbing. The effort comes from the distance and from concentration. In places the path is narrow, with a steep drop on the open side, and after rain it can be slippery and damp.
Several tunnels are cut through the rock along the way. They are unlit and some are long, with low ceilings and uneven floors, so a torch or headlamp is needed. The forest itself is the experience: laurel and til trees hung with moss and ferns, a canopy that drips even when it is not raining, and the deep green light of a forest type that once covered much of southern Europe.
The trail ends at the Caldeirão Verde, where a high, thin waterfall drops into a pool ringed by dark rock. It is a cool, enclosed, slightly otherworldly spot, and the turnaround point for the day.
When to go
The trail is best from April to October, when the days are long and the path is most likely to be dry underfoot. The walk is possible year-round, but the north coast is the wettest part of Madeira, and after heavy rain the narrow, exposed sections become slippery and the tunnels can run with water. Give the trail a day to drain after a real downpour.
The waterfall, on the other hand, is at its most impressive when there has been recent rain, so there is a trade-off between a full cascade and an easy path.
Getting there and the guided option
Queimadas is reached by a road climbing inland from Santana, on the north coast. From Funchal it is around 50 minutes to an hour by the tunnelled expressways. Parking at the trailhead is limited and fills in season, so arrive early.
Without a car, the practical way to do the walk is a guided departure with transfer included, since Queimadas is not well served by public transport. A guide also keeps track of the current trail status, which is useful on a route where sections can close after rockfalls.
Frequently asked questions
How fit do I need to be?
Reasonably fit. The path is level, so there is no hard climbing, but at around 13 kilometres there and back it is a long walk that takes most of a half-day. Anyone comfortable with a long, steady walk will manage it; the distance, not the gradient, is the challenge.
How does it compare to the 25 Fontes walk?
The Caldeirão Verde is longer, wetter and quieter than the 25 Fontes walk in the west. It runs deeper into the laurel forest and feels more remote, but it lacks the spread-of-springs spectacle at the end of the 25 Fontes route. If you only do one levada walk, choose by setting: western forest and a busier trail, or northern forest and a longer, lonelier one.
Are the tunnels difficult?
Not difficult, but they need care. Some are long and completely dark, the ceilings are low in places, and the floor is uneven and often wet. With a headlamp and an unhurried pace they are straightforward, and for many walkers they are part of the appeal.
Can I swim at the waterfall?
The pool at the Caldeirão Verde is small, deep-shaded and cold, so it is more a place to rest and take in the setting than to swim. Most walkers stop, eat something, photograph the cauldron, and start back.
