L-CANICAL (Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal) is a 12.0 km, easy, community route. Cost: free. Whether it is worth hiking right now depends on live conditions and today's official status, re-checked every 20 minutes in the live app.
Also known as the “Maroços levada”
Madeira
A forecast for the nearest town is not a forecast for this path. That is what the live score is for. How the island splits one forecast into many: microclimate guide.
Go or wait today?
You have already picked the walk. The pass answers the one question left, whether today is the morning worth the drive: it reads the live weather on the trail and gives you one honest answer, re-checked every 20 minutes.
Ten seconds, one tap, from €2.99 once. No subscription.
Download GPX: free offline map
Grab the full GPS track and waypoints for Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal as a free GPX file, no signup. Load it into Garmin, Komoot, AllTrails, Gaia GPS or OsmAnd and follow the route offline, even where there is no phone signal.
ⓘ Source & safety
Track and waypoints from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Planning aid, not a safety guarantee. Check the official trail status and conditions before you go.Estimated hiking time
2h38
About Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal
An easy, flower-lined levada walk above Machico, running through terraced fields (poios) and woodland from Maroços towards Caniçal at the island's eastern tip. Gentle, popular, and a good way to fill the eastern coast on a clear day.
Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal (L-CANICAL) is a one way route of about 12.0 km in Madeira.
What you'll see
The route takes in a levada water-channel path and panoramic viewpoints.
Landmarks on the route include Paraíso.
The path passes cultural heritage nearby, including Capela das Preces.
The path runs between roughly 175 m and 298 m above sea level, so conditions can change with altitude.
Difficulty
Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal rates as easy on our objective scale, based on 12.0 km, 135 m of ascent and low exposure.
This grade is an estimate from distance, ascent and exposure, not an official IFCN rating.
How long it takes
Allow about 3h 20m one way, a point-to-point route.
The app's live 0-100 score also flags the latest safe start time for the day. See it in the app.
Getting there and back
Starts at Maroços. Ends at Caniçal. This is a one-way route, so you finish where your car is not: plan a second car, a taxi from the far end, or the walk back before you set off. There is a car park at the start, though its size is not recorded on the map.
What to bring
A 39 m tunnel along the levada, named Levada do Caniçal.
4 drinking-water points are mapped along the route. Fill up where you can, but carry enough to finish without them.
Best time to walk it
Year-round; avoid wet days (slippery)
This route is mostly open to the sun, so it bites on a hot, clear day. Start early and carry more water than you think you need.
The sun and shade reading comes from the slope's aspect and steepness, so it describes terrain shading and not tree cover.
A live 0-100 score picks the best 30-minute window for the day. See today's window in the app.
Frequently asked questions
Is Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal worth hiking today?
It depends on today's conditions, and that is exactly what Levadas answers. The app reads the current weather at Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal, the safe-start window, how busy it is and the official IFCN status, then gives one honest go-or-wait score from 0 to 100, re-checked every 20 minutes. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance: an official IFCN closure always overrides the score, no matter how good the weather looks.
How long is Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal?
Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal is about 12.0 km (one way).
How difficult is Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal?
Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal rates as easy based on its distance, ascent and exposure (an objective estimate, not an official IFCN grade).
Is Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal safe?
Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal is a low-exposure route, so a drop beside the path is not the thing to plan around. Part of it runs underground, so without a head torch you are walking in the dark. None of that tells you about today, and this page does not try to. Conditions decide, which is why Levadas reads the current weather on Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal, the safe-start window and the official IFCN status, then gives one go-or-wait score from 0 to 100. It is decision-support, not a safety clearance, and an official IFCN closure overrides the score however good the weather looks.
How long does Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal take to walk?
Allow about 3h 20m.
Can I download a GPX track for Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal?
Yes. Tap Download GPX on this page: the first download on any device asks for an email so we can also send the free trail pack, then every later trail downloads instantly.
Is Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal free to walk?
Yes. Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal needs no reservation and has no fee. Only the regulated official PR trails require a paid SIMplifica booking; this one you simply walk.
Where does Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal start and finish?
Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal starts at Maroços and finishes at Caniçal.
What will I see on Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal?
Highlights include a levada water-channel path and panoramic viewpoints.
When is the best time to hike Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal?
Year-round; avoid wet days (slippery)
Are there tunnels on Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal? Do I need a torch?
A 39 m tunnel along the levada, named Levada do Caniçal.
How do I check live conditions for Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal?
Levadas scores Levada dos Maroços ou do Caniçal from 0 to 100 using live weather along the path and the official status, refreshed every 20 minutes. You also see how busy it is. Open the trail in the app to see the live score and the best time to go today.