Levada Nova, Ponta do Pargo, Paul do Mar

At the upper end of the town of Prazeres on the ER222 road is a public car park, from which there is a short narrow footpath that will take us directly to the levada. We follow it east.

We leave the houses with the fields and dive into the forest. The road along this levada is wide and comfortable.

Along the levada is a eucalyptus forest. The highest species of eucalyptus – grow to heights of 80 to 100 meters. After about an hour of this forest excursion, we turn back to Prazeres.

Our next destination is the town of Ponta do Pargo, which we reach by road VE3. We pass through it and follow Rua do Fio to the lighthouse viewpoint. We are on the westernmost tip of Madeira with views of its steep cliffs and ocean.

On the way back to the VE3 road, we turn to the ocean on the ER223 and descend to the Fajã da Ovelha viewpoint.

We continue downhill on the ER223 road to the town of Paul do Mar. There is an interesting guest house on the coast, which was probably created by rebuilding an old factory.

The narrow streets of the old town offer views of the ocean.

In the 1960s, most locals began moving to countries like Panama for better living conditions. As we walk through the old houses, we feel as if time has stopped.

Paul do Mar is considered one of the hottest places in Madeira. The shade in the narrow streets is very pleasant. Today, this place is very popular among surfers.

Fishermen live with their large families in neighborhoods near the port. Banana growing and fishing are the main sources of income for the city's inhabitants.

A coastal paradise surrounded by imposing cliffs, it is the ancient fishing town of Paul do Mar.