Levada do Poiso is a walking trail at Curral das Freiras, in the mountainous interior of Madeira, Portugal. It follows one of the island's irrigation channels along the slope above the valley, so the village and the peaks around it stay in view for most of the way. The route is short and stays quiet. It links with Levada do Pico Furão, and a bridge marks the point where a steeper path continues uphill.
Levada do Poiso
From the water channel the whole of Curral das Freiras — Nun's Valley — lies below, and the walk can drop into the village and loop back to the car.
- Parking
- Street parking near the start of the trail.
- Difficulty
- Short walk along the water channel; the continuation past the bridge climbs and is harder.
What makes it special
The view is the reason to walk here. The levada runs along the flank of Curral das Freiras, and the whole bowl of Nun's Valley sits below, with the village on the floor and terraced slopes around it. Walked together with Levada do Pico Furão, the pair covers both sides of that view.
The trail is also quiet, which the island's headline levadas are not. At the bridge the walk splits: stay with the water channel, or take the path that climbs beyond it. At the far end the route drops to the village, and the dead-end road leads back to the car.
Good to know
- Past the bridge: the trail beyond the bridge climbs, and that is the demanding part of the walk.
- Make it a loop: walk down to the village at the end, then back along the dead-end road to the car.
- Two levadas: Levada do Poiso joins Levada do Pico Furão, and the pair gives the fuller view of the valley.
- Cloud: when cloud settles in the valley the view goes, and the walk loses its point.
- Poncha: a place serving poncha, the Madeiran sugarcane drink, is a few minutes away.
Getting there
Access is by car. Street parking sits near the start, and a footpath leads from the road up to the levada. The road here is a dead end, and that is what makes the loop work: at the far end of the walk, drop down to the village and walk back up the dead-end road to the car. Harder trails break off from the same stretch of levada.
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Frequently asked questions
What do you see from Levada do Poiso?
The walk looks over Curral das Freiras, also called Nun's Valley, with the village below and the mountains of Madeira's interior around it.How hard is the walk?
The levada section is short and scenic going. Past the bridge the path climbs, and that stretch suits confident walkers.Can it be combined with another trail?
Yes. It links with Levada do Pico Furão, and the two together give the fuller view of the valley. More challenging hikes break off from the same area.Is the trail crowded?
No. It stays quiet, which sets it apart from the island's better-known levada routes.