Levada da Madeira? Yes please! Today, we are going to talk about one of the many iconic and beautiful levadas in Madeira, Levada do Rei in the parish of São Jorge, Santana. Come on, and embark on this verdant adventure!
Good afternoon everyone!
Welcome once again to the blog.
Well, as you could see in the header, today we are going to talk about the famous and prestigious levadas in Madeira, more precisely Levada do Rei (it is not by chance that they were considered a UNESCO world heritage site).
I confess, I've been walking for some time to do this levada. Until the day came and there I fulfilled my wish.
Prepared bag: “check”;
Groceries included: “check”;
Emergency medication: “check” (being a nurse naturally leads us to take additional measures);
Ountaineering boots: “check”;
Swimsuit: “check”;
Sportswear and waterproof “check”;
Flashlight: “check”;
Good disposition “check”…
Before reaching the levada, right next to it, there is a small free car park where you can park your car.
The first part of the route actually starts at the Water Treatment Station at the site of Quebradas, (parish of São Jorge, Santana) where you climb some steps until you reach the levada itself.
After climbing these steps, the real adventure begins! Initially, the type of vegetation present is of an exotic nature combined with some endemic vegetation. At the beginning of the route it is also possible to see beautiful landscapes of agricultural fields and small communities in the parish of São Jorge and the parish of Santana.
Halfway through the route, the levada runs up a slope from the interior of Madeira Island where natural biodiversity is richer. It is important to highlight the beautiful natural tunnels formed by the luxuriant vegetation.
And speaking of tunnels, at a certain point along the way, you will also find a small stone tunnel, built by our ancestors in order to facilitate the path of water and also the human path (ps: watch out for heads).
As we get deeper and deeper into this emerald-green trail, we can see native flora of the practically virgin island, such as Loureiros (Laurus novocanariensis), Vinháticos (Persea indica), Tis (Ocotea foetens)… talk about endemic fauna, such as finches (see image below - female finch), (Fringilla coelebs) and bis-bis (Regulus ignicapillus maderensis).
The route ends with a beautiful lagoon fed by a stream, called Ribeiro Bonito, where the endemic vegetation is even more dense, exuberant and abundant (yes, they managed to reach the iconic Laurissilva Forest - Hi hip! Hurra!), in which the visitor you can dive in its clear waters, eat something and enjoy relaxing and listening to the sound of the small waterfalls around.
The return journey is carried out along the same path, where you will be able to appreciate again and in a more calm way the beauties of this levada.
⚠️ NOTE: It is a 5.7 km route (total round trip) which, as already mentioned, has only a very small tunnel (this, for those who do not like levadas with tunnels) and the path is practically flat. .
Therefore, it is important to appeal again, regarding the importance of bringing waterproof clothing, as along the way they will have to pass areas with mud and under a waterfall.
In conclusion, I can tell you that despite being a bit long, it is without a doubt one of the most beautiful and easiest levadas to perform on Madeira Island.
Afterwards, I would like to know your feedback, and if you have already performed any levada, which one or which ones you did, and even if you have never performed any, I would like to know if you were interested in performing a particular levada.
Once again, here I wait for you for the next post!
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