Rabaçal Levada Walk: Risco Waterfall and 25 Fontes

This is the most photographed walk on Madeira, and deservedly so. The Rabaçal trail follows two levadas — the Risco and the 25 Fontes — through the Laurissilva, a UNESCO site and one of the oldest forests in Europe.

The Risco waterfall drops from a high wall into a pool of clear water. At 25 Fontes, water rises from several springs at once into a lake ringed by moss-covered rock. Neither looks like anywhere else on the island.

The pace is moderate and the route is within reach of most people of normal fitness. Your guide explains the forest, the endemic species and the history of the levadas — the irrigation channels the Madeirans cut by hand across these slopes.

Transport from your accommodation in Funchal to the trailhead and back is included, which takes care of the awkward part of this walk.