Trails · 12 m above the sea
Rota da Banana
A half-hour walk through Madeira's biggest banana plantation on tiny levadas.
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The place
Madalena do Mar grows more bananas than anywhere else on Madeira, and this short circular route winds between the plants on the small levadas and concrete channels that still irrigate them, past bagged bunches, strelitzia, and sugarcane. It's a low-effort way to see working Madeiran agriculture close up rather than through a car window.
When to come
Any time of day; there's little shade, so mornings are more comfortable in summer.
Worth knowing
- Not an official PR trail — free, no booking
- Around 2 km, 30-60 minutes, flat and easy
- Several entrances into the plantation, including via Vereda da Ladeira
- Respect working plantations; stay on marked paths