Hikers, bikers and sun-seekers fill their days with trips to the rocky beaches and natural pools and treks along the levadas, which are aqueducts built by early settlers. Come to Madeira any time ...

From a distance, Madeira’s slopes appear scored by horizontal lines: these are actually a 1,350-mile network of aqueducts known as levadas, some of which date back to the 15th century.

An Eater’s Guide to Madeira, Portugal. ... In the 15th century, settlers began redirecting the water via a series of aqueducts known as levadas, an engineering feat recognized by UNESCO.

Since the 15th century, aqueducts have carried water for kilometers across the island’s mountains and rugged terrain. For three hours, we hiked in the shade of arching tree branches that created ...

2. Varied routes amid volcanic scenery. Hiking in Madeira is an unrivalled experience, largely due to the island’s epic landscapes. One minute, you're dashing beneath 65ft waterfalls or ...

Hiking in Madeira, Portugal, takes you to spectacular volcanic peaks, ... To irrigate their plantations, they built long aqueducts called levadas, mostly at elevations above 3,000 feet.

There is a charming destination, not too far away, that provides the same carefree seaside experience: Madeira, Portugal. An autonomous region in the North Atlantic Ocean, Madeira is "rugged and ...