The peninsula of Sao Lourenco lies directly in your path when you first approach the island by air. Sao Lourenco is a must when visiting Madeira!
"Not only are there wonderful flora - inluding the ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum), but extraordinary geological formations - basalt intrusions
into sandstone, uptilted magma dykes which can be traced across the terrain, metamorphosed sandstone with astonishing textures and colours, and
eroded soft rock under basalt tors. You also come almost face-to-face with the full fury of the Atlantic thrashing against the coast and offshore rocks."
(quote taken from John and Pat Underwood's book Landscape of Madeira, page76.)