1.  Porto Santo’s most distinguishable feature is undoubtedly it’s long, sandy beach, stretching 9 kilometres, from the island’s city, Vila Baleira, all the way to Ponta de Calhleta.  With such ample space for visitors to spread out, the beach is free from the usual hustle and bustle of the seaside, allowing you to completely switch off and relax.  It has long been said that the soft sands of Porto Santo contain properties that can help to heal problems such as rheumatism and rickets.  Whether it is the sand that has the power to heal, or the complete calm that you will experience, you will find yourself refreshed and ready to brave the rest of your walking holiday in Madeira after a day on the beach at Porto Santo.
2. No trip to the beach is complete without a dip in the ocean, and where better to take the plunge than at Ponta de Calheta.  End a stroll along the beach with a swim at one of the island’s favourite swimming spots, and revel in the water, warmed by the currents of the Gulf Stream.  Ponta de Calheta is also a great place to reward your exertions with an evening meal, or even a well-earned cocktail.
3. Long-standing oral traditions state that pioneering explorer Christopher Columbus lived on the island of Porto Santo at one time, and the house where he is said to have lived has now been turned into a museum.  Having arrived in Madeira to work within local sugar-trade dealings, Columbus was married to the daughter of Porto Santo’s first governor, and it is thought that their first child was born on the island.  The Casa Colombo Museu do Porto Santo was opened to the public in 1989, and it provides a glimpse into Columbus’ various explorations and discoveries, exhibiting portraits of Columbus himself, as well as a selection of maps of the various routes that he sailed.
4. The peaks of Porto Santo provide a completely different view of walking in Madeira; found towards the North of the island, the gentle landscapes make for a slightly easier walk, but that does not make it any less beautiful.  Standing at 516 metres, the island’s highest peak is Pico do Facho, a lookout point that was once used in order to spot pirates and warn Madeira of their approach.  Although it is a slightly more arduous climb along a fairly tough walking route, the views from the top of Pico do Facho and some of the surrounding peaks are particularly special additions to walking holidays in Madeira.
5. Designed by Carlos Alfonso, the Quintas das Palmeiras botanical gardens add a splash of colour to a fairly arid area, about 5 kilometres from Vila Baleira.  This oasis is a haven of tranquillity with roses, hibiscuses and many other beautiful plants that will transport you into peace and serenity.  Attached to the garden, you will find a bird-park full of all manner of birds from the modest dove to the eye-catching parrot, all flying free around the park.  A small paradise where you can surround yourself in nature, these gardens are the perfect escape from a busy itinerary

Madeira’s smaller neighbour, Porto Santo, is perhaps the most unspoiled part of the Portugese archipelago.  With the beach stretching as far as the eye can see, you will find complete peace and quiet.  So if you want to enhance your experience of walking in Madeira with a small taste of paradise, be sure to include Porto Santo in your visit.

Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. Operating since 1946, they now offer over 250 guided group walking holidays in more than 90 different countries. On walking holidays in Madeira with Ramblers, you can walk the most scenic landscapes at the best value prices.

The Levadas

Madeira is famed for its wonderful fortified wine and its most adventurous son – explorer Christopher Columbus. But the island is also known for its unique ‘lavadas’; an intriguing network of man-made canals that weave their way from the highlands, down a web of pathways to the low lying regions of the island. Named after the Portuguese word ‘levar’ – to carry – they  were built around the sixteenth century by the first settlers, who realised that in order to sustain their crops, they needed to devise a method of bringing the abundant water supply of the high mountains down to their farms below. Walking in Madeira alongside the path of these ancient canals is an incredible insight into how difficult a task it must have been.

The levadas wend their way through solid basalt cliffs, along sheer rock walls and through lush, dense forests. Many workers lost their lives in their creation and in some of the more inaccessible areas it is easy to see why. In some sections which were literally hewn by hand out of the mountain, workers had to be lowered down in wicker baskets. Originally used for maintenance, today the walking paths that run parallel to more than 1,000kms of the waterways are popular trails for walking. In Madeira there are over 200 separate levadas, and whether for both experienced or novice walkers, there is a level for everyone to enjoy.

As you make your way along the levadas you follow a magical journey through the interior of Madeira. The banks of the canals are studded with a profusion of wild flowers and mosses and you can see an astounding array of vegetation – thanks in the main part to the canals themselves. The island is home to Europe’s oldest and largest Laurel forest and some of the rare species of plant life are found in this region almost exclusively.

The lavadas will lead you through dark, damp tunnels which emerge into charming fairy glens of forest; past towering waterfalls which spill into crystal clear ponds; and out onto rugged mountain paths overlooking spectacular ocean vistas. Walking in Madeira along the pathway of levadas will reveal the raw, unspoilt natural beauty of this island wonderland and unlock the secrets of its past.

About the author

Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. Operating since 1946, Ramblers Worldwide Holidays now offer over 250 holidays in more than 70 different countries. On a holiday walking in Madeira with Ramblers, you can walk the most scenic landscapes at the best value prices.