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Secrets hidden away in the landscape
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t is no secret that some of the most beautiful landscapes in Madeira can be found in the municipality of Calheta. The island's westernmost area is home not just to some unique nooks and crannies but also to visitors who come and stay here throughout the year, specially during summer. Part of the beauty that seduces them is concentrated in Rabaçal, one of Madeira's largest accessible valleys. The valley collects some of the isle's most sought footpaths, unique landscapes right at the heart of the Laurel Forest, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. One of the best-known paths is Levada das 25 Fontes, which includes a tunnel and wonderful landscapes, and which will let you admire a variety of species endemic to the Region. The watercourse ends in a magnificent lagoon, where several springs drain, forming waterfalls.
The water may be cold by Madeira's standards, but a swim is still quite doable. Still in the valley, at a higher altitude, we find Lagoa do Vento. Though not as well-known as Levada das 25 Fontes, this path also walks through the Laurel Forest and passes by spots that invite you to go for a swim, specially during Summer. Levada do Alecrim is yet another path that can be explored in Rabaçal, finishing at another attraction: Lagoa da Dona Beija. A much better-known course would be Levada da Rocha Vermelha, famed for its tunnels sculpted by hand to allow for the transportation of water. A stairway with more than two hundred steps allows you to take in the might of the water, truly one of this course's standout features. Also in Rabaçal you find Risco, a shorter and quieter course which is much sought for www.essential-madeira.com 28
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ão é segredo que algumas das mais belas paisagens da Madeira se escondem no concelho da Calheta. A zona mais a oeste da ilha tem, não só recantos únicos, como também é destino de visitantes ao longo de todo o ano, muito em especial no verão. Parte dessa beleza concentra-se no Rabaçal, um dos maiores vales acessíveis na Madeira, que reúne um conjunto de trilhos que estão entre os mais procurados. São paisagens únicas em plena floresta Laurissilva, reconhecida pela UNESCO como Património Mundial Natural da Humanidade. Um dos trilhos mais conhecidos é a Levada das 25 Fontes, um percurso que inclui um túnel e paisagens maravilhosas, onde poderá admirar uma variedade de espécies endémicas da Região. A levada conflui numa magnífica lagoa, onde desaguam diversas nascentes, que formam cascatas.
