Levada do Bom Sucesso
Levada do Bom Sucesso is a difficult levada trail near Funchal in the south of Madeira. It is closed at the moment: check the official notice before you go. The route is 4.1 km one way, from Largo das Babosas, Monte to Bom Sucesso trail exit at Rua Doutor António Costa Médico. Allow about 1 h 35 min (1 h 55 min at an easy pace). No permit is needed.
4.1 km one way · about 1 h 35 min · Difficult · No permit
Today's Trail Score (Sun, Oct 18): 76 out of 100, Good.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 4.1 km one way
- Time
- Easy 1 h 55 min · Avg 1 h 35 min · Fast 1 h 15 min
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Area
- Funchal, the south of Madeira
- Start
- Largo das Babosas, Monte (bus stop Babosas, 23 m)
- End
- Bom Sucesso trail exit at Rua Doutor António Costa Médico
- Elevation
- 10 m up, 392 m down, 171 to 572 m
- Route Registry code
- LEV 735
- Permit
- Not needed
- Status
- Closed
- Safety
- Treat the route as closed and do not enter unless the Câmara Municipal do Funchal explicitly confirms reopening. A municipal prohibition was announced in 2022 because the pavement structure could collapse, and a 2024 fact-check still found the route closed with a pedestrian-prohibition sign at Bom Sucesso.
- Safety
- Signage is inconsistent: the Babosas-to-Curral approach has signs, while closure information was absent at the upper entrance in 2024. Never interpret surviving waymarks as an opening notice.
- Safety
- There are slippery irregular steps, narrow/exposed sections, erosion and washout risk; avoid rain and do not rely on handrails or old infrastructure.
- Safety
- Parking is limited at the lower end on narrow streets; the Monte cable cars and public buses are more practical for the upper end.
About this trail
A historic urban-edge green corridor linking Monte/Babosas with Bom Sucesso through woodland, old levada remains, narrow ledges and a long sequence of uneven steps above the Ribeira de João Gomes.
Questions about Levada do Bom Sucesso
- Do I need a permit for Levada do Bom Sucesso?
- No. It is not a classified PR trail, so no permit is needed.
- Where does Levada do Bom Sucesso start?
- It starts at Largo das Babosas, Monte. The nearest bus stop is Babosas, about 23 m away.
- How long does Levada do Bom Sucesso take?
- About 1 h 35 min at an average pace and 1 h 55 min at an easy pace, for 4.1 km one way.
Sunrise and sunset on this trail
This trail has 2 sunrise spots, 4 sunset spots and 1 golden hour spots. The exact spots, seasons and times are part of the Fun Pass.
All Madeira trails · Madeira hiking permits · The Madeira Fun Route Registry