Hi Martine,
We spent two weeks in Madeira this summer.
Exploring downtown Funchal is easy on foot: the Sé Cathedral, the Mercado dos Lavradores (Monday to Friday), and the Fort of São Tiago (also open on weekdays).
Two cable cars provide access to gardens, the Jardim Botânico and the Monte Palace Garden.
Camara de Lobos port is easily reachable by bus. A bit farther, about twenty kilometers away, the small coastal town of Ribeira Brava is served by bus 7, and its ethnographic museum is fascinating.
Depending on your interests, in Funchal you can also discover the Sacred Art Museum and the museum dedicated to Ronaldo.
As for the Canary Islands, where we’ve stayed several times on Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura, and Lanzarote, here are a few suggestions:
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, you can explore the city center on foot, including the municipal market (Nuestra Señora de África), the auditorium, and Plaza de España. But the real highlight is visiting La Laguna. In just half an hour, the L1 tram takes you to this UNESCO World Heritage city.
Santa Cruz de La Palma is also easy to explore on foot. For getting around the island, here’s a link to the public transport website:
https://www.tilp.es/cogerlaguagua/?fwp_origen=santa-cruzIn Puerto del Rosario, there isn’t much to see in the city itself. However, the salt flats to the south, Las Salinas, offer a lovely setting and can be reached by bus:
https://tiadhe.com/en/line-03/. On the west coast, the village of Puertito de los Molinos is picturesque but isn’t served by public transport, so you’ll need to rent a car.
Finally, Arrecife is very pleasant, with the Charco de San Ginés, the Castillo de San Gabriel, and the charming streets and squares of the historic center. But on this island (my favorite), there’s so much to do and see—the Timanfaya Park, everything related to César Manrique, the lava fields, the caves...
What time of year will you be traveling?
Best regards,
Aline