Caniçal is one of Madeira's most singular places — one of the last whaling villages in Europe, where the hunt was practiced until 1981, and the Whale Museum preserves the spirit and tools of that era. The harbour remains active as a base for artisanal fishing, while Ponta de São Lourenço — the island's easternmost tip, with basalt and red tuff cliffs plunging into the Atlantic — is now one of the most spectacular hiking trails in the entire archipelago.