The wonderful ‘25 Fontes’ Levada crosses right through the heart of Madeira Island, where the sightseeing is truly amazing and birds don’t run away when you go near by, in fact, they even come to you…

The journey begins at Paúl da Serra and from there you can find your way to Rabaçal. You can go by foot, but you may also pick up the regular transport, a 9 seats van that comes by every 20 minutes. If you want to go in the van, the tickets’ prices go from 3€ to 5€, whether you opt for the one-way up/down or if you want the full double-way up-and-down ticket. The van will only give you a ride from 9h30 to 19h00, so don’t stay behind or come too early in the morning!

When you get to Rabaçal there are several signs that show you the way to the 25 Fontes Lagoon (Lagoa das 25 Fontes) and to Risco (the meaning of the word is stripe). The way to the 25 Fontes is actually quite easy to make; all you’ve got to do is follow the walking path. In order to guide you, note that there’s a water channel, called Levada, following the path all the time by its right side. The Levada is used to transport water to the villages on the south side of the island. There’s a picture of this on the album displayed below. And from the photos you can also realize that when walking by this Levada you can experience some of the best sightseeing spots in Madeira.

When you finally get to the 25 Fontes, you will see a small lagoon filled up by 25 different water channels – a place that looks magical! The birds will fly over to you and stay right beside you like if they were already observing, almost expecting your visit, even like they knew you were a visitor that they were welcoming to the site.

You can take a dive in the lagoon to refresh yourself from the one hour and half walk. When you travel the way back to Rabaçal, you can head to the Risco. Risco is a waterfall that makes a stripe right in the middle of the black basaltic rock. This Levada used to be quite more far-reaching, but since it is a very dangerous path you can only go to the Risco waterfall and no further on. The tunnels behind Risco are closed down with gates, so you won’t be able to go on. The sights from Risco are also great, and you are able to see the valley that leads do Porto Moniz.

When you get back, you can see the houses at Rabaçal, typical Madeira Island houses that are used by “Protecção Civil” (Civil Protection, a government agency that triggers the alarms to the fire departments and police when someone is missing or in case of disaster). On the way back, you can walk to Calheta, Porto Moniz or Funchal, and prepare yourself for another adventure. For now, just watch our pictures with PICLENS and enjoy it!

Special Note for your safety: Every time you go on a Levada Walking without a guider, please make sure you warn the local authorities that you’re going there, they will be grateful for it.