For the savay traveler who finds themselevs in Madeira there are always a few tricks up your sleave for how to get around, places to go and things to do.  Once your off the plane, and have transfeered yourself to your hotel (by taxi, transfer, rent a car or even the Aeroport Bus)

It is always well worth while having a look at what local events are scheduled to coinside with your trip so have a look at the madeira tourism authority of some events that are on schedule and go participate in them   Its fun and off the track.

And on that note the better parts of the island are most likely off the track as well.  And getting to them is easiest by car.  Have a look at these maps and spend some time in the different regions of the island.  Take a few day trips to the north, south, east and west and soak up the scenery and sun.  These days with the new highways and tunnel systems you could drive around the island in 1 day, but you'd only see the highway   Its far more fun to follow the older roads that wend their way along the cliffs and lead you off to enchanting scenes of calm rolling oceans , waterfalls, flowers and ferns.  Stop along the way for some light refreshments or "prato do dia" (daily dishes) at any recommended establishment to soak up some of the local cuisine while your at it and you should find yourself transported into an authenticate state of bliss.  Relax on  the beaches, walk int he mountains, go dolphin watching, scuba diving or even white water rafting.  The possibiltiies for what to do outside of your hotel are endless.

 And after all that activity why not just relax at the pool, or spar and enjoy the pleasant sundown :D  And do it again tommorow :D

Getting around Funchal is more charming on foot.  This is where the local bus system really comes in as a delight.  The busses run quite regularly during the day, on the hour or every half and hour sometimes, and the prices are quite nice too, so it might be the better most comfortable option for getting to and from Funchal and the Hotel if you choose to stay close by enough.

The old town or "zona velha" is just enchanting with its pebbled streets, restaurants and churches, and on the other side of town you can experience the ultra modern facilities of the Docle Vita Centre.  This is yet another example of European and Portuguese charm, in the fusion of classic architecture with modern trends.