Walking along the irrigation canals typical of the island of Madeira, known as levadas, is one of the most popular activities among tourists visiting the island.
Its uniqueness, as well as the surrounding nature, shelters and mills justified its candidacy for the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The influx of tourists became so high in some sections of the 3,000 km of levadas, that the regional government began charging a tourist tax of 3 euros for non-residents on seven routes.
From this January, the measure extends to more than 30 hiking trails managed by the Institute of Forests and Nature Conservation of Portugal.
The fee is legally justified as a "waste tax" and is charged to all tourists over 12 years. Anyone caught without a ticket will have to pay fines of up to 50 euros. The funds from this new tax will be used to clean and maintain the routes.
