A Trip to Madeira - Queimadas

On my way back from the previously mentioned Levada dos Balcões, a light rain started to fall and a dense fog covered the view. And on my way through I stumbled upon the gorgeous Queimadas, and even with the weather not being great for a walk, I couldn’t resist to take a small stroll around the area and discover this incredibly magnificent side of the Madeira forest. The fog and the trees made it something straight out of a fantasy novel, like Lord of the Rings.

Queimadas and Caldeirão Verde

Queimadas is where a lot of different trails and levadas culminate, it is a point of passage for everyone interested in exploring the area, even those who suffer from physical disabilities, since Queimadas and part of it’s adjacent levada, Caldeirão Verde, are know for being disability-friendly. The trail of Queimadas isn’t very large, but Caldeirão Verde extends for a lot of kilometers, taking about 6h to walk to the end and back. For the first 2km it is the portion considered to be safe for everyone, but from that point on you should be careful, not long after I visited the Queimadas, I was told a tourist fell in levada do Caldeirão Verde!

But I also advise you not to be discouraged, I couldn’t visit the full extension of this levada and I regret it! I have been told by locals it is one of the most beautiful of all the levadas in Madeira! Besides the local flora, known as the Laurissilva Forest, you’ll also find a myriad of plant-life exotic to the island, planted along the years by the locals. And for any of those who want to rest close to this fantastic habitat you can rent a room at the Casa do Abrigo das Queimadas, which isn’t hard to find since it is what greets you when arriving at Queimadas. This hostel still has the old look of the traditional houses of Madeira, a real voyage through time. Like on the last article, I collected the photos I though best show the beauty of Queimadas.

Warnings

Caldeirão Verde is one of many beautiful levadas in Madeira, and, like most of them, it is as dangerous as it is beautiful. Most are built on cliffs, and many people each year, mostly tourists, fall from the cliffside, some times the falls are deadly. So be cautions, the paths can be tight and slippery. Don’t risk your life for a photo.