There are several ways to get to the ponta of São Lourenço, and make the excursion to discover its arid and sublime landscapes, as the Atlantic Ocean and its waves crash over the rocks. The highlight is the Furado Point, which offers a magnificent view of the islet of Cevada and the ocean.
Solution 1: by car
To get to São Lourenço from Funchal, you need to take the VR1 expressway which runs along the south-east of the island, passing through Machico and Caniçal. It takes about 30 minutes to reach the eastern end of the island.
It is then possible to park at the Abra Bay car park. The car park is quite small and you will probably have to park on the side of the road, unless you arrive early enough in the morning. Beware, the point of São Lourenço is one of the most beautiful SPOTS of the island and therefore attracts many tourists.
Solution 2: by bus
Madeira Island is very well served by different bus lines, and they naturally pass through the most beautiful spots of the island. To get to Abra Bay from the south of the island you need to take the 113 bus. The fare from Funchal is between 3 and 5 euros, and then decreases. There are buses about once an hour from 8am to 7pm. There are many stops, including the following towns and villages:
Funchal - 1hr 15mins travel time
Caniço - 55 min journey time
Santa Cruz - 35 min journey time
Machico - 25 min journey time
Caniçal - 10 min journey time
If you are coming from the north of the island, from São Jorge or closer to Porto Da Cruz, it is more complicated. You have to take the 53 line to Machico (35 minutes from Porto Da Cruz), then transfer and change buses to the 113 line. So you risk losing a lot of time and that's not the point.
Solution 3: on foot
It is quite possible to start from the village of Caniçal on foot. The village is about 5 kilometers from the car park and therefore from the start of the route. It will therefore take a little less than an hour on foot to get there. This can be interesting if you have accommodation in the village. However, this means that you have to walk through the industrial area, which is why it is not very interesting.
In practice....
In conclusion, to get to the tip of Saint Laurent, you can either use a rental car, which will give you maximum flexibility (arriving early to enjoy the sunrise, or leaving late at the end of the day), or take the 113 line from the south of the island. It is also possible to get there by taxi, but it is simply out of my budget. It costs €30 from Funchal to get there. It stings a bit!