THE AZORES SERIES, DAY 7
FLORES – HORTA, FAIAL
Walking on the moon and prepping for climbing Pico. With another flight in the afternoon I had most of the day to spend praying the weather would clear up.
MOON WALKING ON IN CAPELINHOS
I have now lost count of the number of times I have drove into the mountains in the hope that things have changed and to be honest, it was never going to happen!
DAILY INFO….
- HOTEL – Hotel Internacional Azores Boutique, 7/10, £80
FAIAL
My next venture takes me to the island of Faial, which although I tried to avoid worked out quite well. Faial is the administrative capital of The Azores and considering there is very little to do compared to others islands, there has been substantial investment to increase the tourist numbers, doesn’t take much to know why (government)!
After landing at the second attempt (the joys of being in the middle of the Atlantic) I rented a car and headed straight to Capelinhos. This is a new part of the island formed by a volcanic eruption in 1957 and lasted 13months!
WALKING ON THE MOON & PREPPING FOR CLIMBING PICO
DAILY TRAVEL STATS….
- Steps – 7,250
- Number of flights – 1
- Flight itinerary – Sata Azores Airlines 16:05 – 16:55
- Miles covered – 169 mi
WALKING ON THE MOON & PREPPING FOR CLIMBING PICO
LANDSCAPE
Capelinhos is for sure one of the most unique places in The Azores. It has more similarities with the landscape of the moon than even 10 minutes up the road, an absolute must when visiting here. It was also home to where the whaling community were based until it was outlawed in 1986, a big loss for many who knew nothing else.
RELATED READ: THE GEM OF THE FAROE ISLANDS
FACTS….
- Faial (meaning “beech wood”) was named for the wax myrtle, once abundant, which its discoverers mistook for beech trees.
- Caldeira Grande is one of the largest volcanic systems in the Azores, with 1450 meters of diameter and 400 meters of depth.
- Whale and dolphin watching trips have replaced the traditional whaling boats as a way to make a living from the sea.
- The Sea Week in Horta is by far the most popular festival in Faial. Starting every year on the first Sunday of August, this is mainly a nautical event with yachting regattas, old whaling boat races and many other sea related activities.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you are in the Azores you have to visit this hidden gem.
NEXT UP
The best weather for the hardest hike! Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
144/229
This post is part of The Azores Series, click to explore the series or for episode 1, click here.
To watch the video of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.
