OpenMadeira
Tell me about the Levada Nova - Candelaria levada walk in Madeira
💭 Thinking
The user is asking about a specific levada walk - "Levada Nova - Candelaria" in Madeira. This is a hiking trail question, so I should use the find_hikes tool to look it up. Let me search for it.The find_hikes tool returned 0 results for "Levada Nova Candelaria". Let me try a broader search - maybe the trail is in the community trails (AllTrails) rather than an official PR trail. Let me also try searching for it as a community trail by using a "near" parameter. Wait, looking at the results more carefully, the count is 0 and there are no hikes returned. But there's a "note" field that seems to be a template/instruction rather than actual data. Let me try different search terms. The trail might be known as "Levada Nova" or "Candelária" - let me try different queries.The user asked about "Levada Nova - Candelaria" walk in Madeira. Neither of my hikes searches returned a direct match for this trail. It's not in the official PR trail network, and it didn't appear in the community trails either. Let me search for it specifically using web_lookup to find more information about this trail.The user is asking about the "Levada Nova - Candelaria" levada walk in Madeira. From the web search results, I can see that: 1. "Levada Nova" typically refers to a levada walk near Ponta do Sol / Lombada da Ponta do Sol, which is part of the PR7 "Levada do Moinho" trail that combines Levada do Moinho (lower) and Levada Nova (upper) into a circular route. 2. However, the user specifically mentions "Candelaria" - and from one of the web results, I can see that Candelária (also spelled Candelária) is mentioned as one of the places the Levada Nova supplied water to: "places like Zimbreiros, Candelária, and Lombo Cesteiro." 3. From the YouTube result, there's a video titled "Exploring, 4K virtual walk, Madeira, Hiking trail Levada Nova, Candelária" - which suggests there's a Levada Nova walk specifically associated with Candelária. 4. Looking at the search results more carefully, the "Levada Nova" near Candelária/Ponta do Sol is part of the PR7 trail, which is currently CLOSED according to the madeirahiking.org trusted source (listed as "PR7 - Levada do Moinho: Encerrada desde junho de 2024"). Wait, let me re-read. The user asked specifically about "Levada Nova - Candelaria." There seems to be a specific route called "Caminho das Cascatas da Levada Nova" which is near Candelária/Ponta do Sol area. Let me look at the results more carefully. From the madeirainfo.com result: - "Caminho das Cascatas da Levada Nova" - 6.9 km loop, 250m elevation gain, Easy difficulty, ~2.5 hours - Coordinates: 32.69432, -17.08769 - Located in Ponta do Sol area - It says "It sits outside the official PR network" So this is NOT the same as PR7 (Levada do Moinho). The "Caminho das Cascatas da Levada Nova" appears to be a different trail - it's described as an unofficial/community trail. But wait - from the other results, "Levada Nova" near Candelária is also associated with PR7 (Levada do Moinho + Levada Nova). The PR7 is currently CLOSED according to the madeirahiking.org source. Let me also check - the user wrote "Candelaria" which is likely "Candelária" in Portuguese, which is a place near Ponta do Sol. Now, my find_hikes searches didn't return a specific trail called "Levada Nova" or "Caminho das Cascatas da Levada Nova" as an official PR trail. The PR7 "Levada do Moinho" was not found in our hike database at all (the searches near "Candelaria" and "Candelária" returned other hikes). From the web research: 1. The trail commonly known as "Levada Nova - Candelária" (or "Caminho das Cascatas da Levada Nova") is near Ponta do Sol / Candelária on Madeira's south coast 2. It combines two levadas: the lower Levada do Moinho and the upper Levada Nova 3. This corresponds to the official PR7 trail (Levada do Moinho), which is currently CLOSED (since June 2024) 4. The "Caminho das Cascatas da Levada Nova" variant appears to be a 6.9 km loop with 250m elevation gain, rated easy However, I should note that PR7 is listed as CLOSED on the trusted source (madeirahiking.org). This is important safety information. Let me also check - the blog posts mention this is near "Lombada da Ponta do Sol" / "Lombada" / "Candelária" area. Candelária is a parish in the municipality of Ponta do Sol. Let me provide a comprehensive answer about this trail, noting its current closed status. Actually, I need to be careful. Let me re-read the data: From madeirahiking.org (trusted): - "PR7 - Levada do Moinho: Encerrada desde junho de 2024" (Closed since June 2024) - PR7 is listed with status "Encerrado" (Closed) But some blog posts describe the "Caminho das Cascatas da Levada Nova" as a separate trail from PR7. The madeirainfo.com source says "It sits outside the official PR network, so it is less obviously waymarked." So there might be TWO different Levada Nova walks: 1. PR7 Levada do Moinho (which includes Levada Nova section) - OFFICIAL but CLOSED 2. "Caminho das Cascatas da Levada Nova" - an UNOFFICIAL trail outside the PR network However, looking more carefully, the descriptions of both largely overlap - they both start near Lombada da Ponta do Sol, both involve walking along Levada do Moinho then transitioning to Levada Nova, both mention a waterfall and tunnel, both are near Candelária/Ponta do Sol. The "Caminho das Cascatas da Levada Nova" appears to be essentially the same route as PR7 but presented as a community/unofficial route variant. PR7 status from trusted source: CLOSED I should inform the user about this trail, what it involves, and importantly that PR7 is currently CLOSED. I should also mention the unofficial "Caminho das Cascatas da Levada Nova" variant exists but has no official status. Let me compose a clear answer based on the gatheredinformation.
How this was derived · 3 steps
Trails near CandeláriaMap & photos
6 photos
Vereda do UrzalVereda do UrzalVereda do UrzalVereda do UrzalVereda do UrzalVereda do Urzal
Official PR trail (IFCN) Community route (AllTrails — not official)
Photos: walkmeguide.com · green = official IFCN PR trail · amber = community route (AllTrails)

The Levada Nova – Candelária walk (also known as Caminho das Cascatas da Levada Nova) is a popular levada route on Madeira's south coast near Ponta do Sol, in the parish of Candelária. Here's what you need to know:


⚠️ Current Status: CLOSED

This walk corresponds to the official PR 7 – Levada do Moinho trail, which has been closed since June 2024 due to maintenance/condition issues. The official IFCN status is Encerrado (Closed), and you should not attempt it until it reopens.

You can check the latest status on the IFCN trail-status page or the Visit Madeira trail directory.


About the Walk

When open, this is one of Madeira's most beloved easy levada walks. It combines two parallel levadas — the older, lower Levada do Moinho and the newer, upper Levada Nova (opened in 1962) — into a scenic circular route:

Length~8–9 km (loop)
Duration~3–4 hours
DifficultyEasy
Elevation gain~150–250 m
Start / EndLombada da Ponta do Sol (near Igreja da Lombada da Ponta do Sol church)
Lowest / Highest point~304 m / ~424 m
How it works

1. You start along the lower Levada do Moinho, walking into the valley with sweeping coastal views and ocean glimpses.
2. At the far end, stone stairs connect you up to the upper Levada Nova, which carries you back towards the village — roughly 100 m higher than the first levada.
3. The highlight of Levada Nova is a waterfall you walk directly behind, followed by a short tunnel (a headlamp is recommended).
4. The trail finishes on a road above the village, with a ~800 m walk back down to the church/parking.

What makes it special
  • Two levadas in one loop — no backtracking, which is unusual for Madeira walks
  • A waterfall you can walk under (most impressive in the rainy winter months)
  • Stunning valley and ocean views from the upper Levada Nova section
  • A short tunnel on the return
  • Exposed sections on Levada Nova — some parts don't have fences, so vertigo-sufferers should take care
  • A lovely picnic area with BBQ and tables near the transition between the two levadas
Getting there
  • By car: Free parking next to Igreja da Lombada da Ponta do Sol
  • By bus: Rodoeste lines 4, 8, 80, 107, 142, and 146 serve the Ponta do Sol / Lombada area (get off at the Lombada stop). Note there's still a ~400 m uphill walk to the trailhead.
Access fee (when open)

PR 7 requires the standard €4.50 trail access fee via the SIMplifica portal (free for children ≤ 12 years).


Since this trail is currently closed, would you like me to suggest nearby open alternatives on the south coast, or check the mountain forecast for another hike you're considering?

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