Faial: lunar landscape and maritime history

Bite-sized trip

Itinerary:
Faial
Duration:
3 days / 2 nights (flexible)
Price:
From £ 125.- per person

Discover the island of Faial on this bite-sized trip. Faial is well-known for the blue hydrangeas that grow across the island - giving it the nickname of the 'blue island'. It also boasts a rich maritime history and is a welcoming stopover for sailors before they make the crossing to America.

Day 1 – Arrival on Faial

Most travellers arrive onto Faial by ferry from nearby Pico, but you can also reach the island on a short flight from Terceira or Ponta Delgada. This laidback island is a well-known destination for sailors and its maritime history is ever present, particularly around Horta’s colourful harbour, which is well worth a stroll around. During your stay make sure you pop into Peter Café Sport, a cosy pub where visiting sailors meet for a drink. Depending on availability, you will stay overnight in Horta or near the airport, a 10-minute drive away.

Day 2 – Explore the lunar landscape

We recommend renting a car to explore the blue island, and can include car hire in your itinerary. The west of Faial expanded by three square kilometres in 1957 following a volcano eruption and now this dramatic moonscape is a popular place to hike. Drive to the Capelinhos lighthouse and follow the paths to impressive viewpoints over the crashing ocean. If you still have energy left, drive to the enormous Caldeira, where you can walk around the deep volcanic crater in two hours.

Day 3 – Continue to island hop

It’s time to visit the other islands of the Azores. It’s easy to reach the nearby islands of Pico and São Jorge by ferry. Infact, Pico is so close that on a clear day, you can see the summit of Mount Pico from the harbour at Horta.