Bem-vindo aos Açores!

Rob, the webmaster, did an excellent job of allocating all the important topics into one library. Just visit his website and you will probably find all the answers to your questions such as location, climate, beaches, information about each of the nine volcanic islands, etc. When I miss the Azores – we were on Faial in June 2009 – I visit his Magical Azores Islands website.

Bem-vindo aos Açores! This flag was the first thing we saw we stepped out of the Horta airport.

There wasn’t any noise pollution except for the creatures’ natural sounds.

country life in the Azores

If you are looking for a quiet place to vacation, then visit the idyllic island of Faial by car or walking tours. Azores: Car Tours and Walks (Landscapes)

In the early 90s, a British newspaper had complained about the abundance of hydrangeas in the Azores. They had found them too boring.

Wild strawberries - edible ones - growing on a hillside near the crater.

The Azores, with its abundant vegetation, provide a wonderful playground for all island creatures.

For more information on walks and car tours around the islands:Azores: Car Tours and Walks (Landscapes)

The Azores Islands are volcanic and Capelinhos, on Faial’s western end, is still covered in ash with very little vegetation (the eruption took place in 1957/1958).

This is also the site of the underground Capelinhos Interpretation Centre.

Some villagers still walk the country roads and wave as one is driving by. The farmer’s wife’s dryer is the ever present wind and so many house fronts are decorated with colorful laundry drying in the breeze. Horses are being groomed, sleepy dogs stared at us and the pace is very slow, in general. This is just what we needed to unwind.

Lizards like the heat from the hot walls.

Unfenced land - the cattle is only tied to a rope.

Two cockroaches tasted some wine from Pico!

A cow being taken home on the country road.

A centipede in the kitchen sink...

A farmer tending to his horse.

Tractors and pigeons.

We enjoyed the country life on Faial.

He picked us up from the ferry and drove us to Gruta das Torres near Criação Velha. This lava cave is a volcanic phenomenon. Having been formed by lava flowing from the eruptions of Cabeço Brava, it now appears as a tunnel. We entered this 500 m long tube with the help of an English speaking guide. Good shoe wear is a must. You will be provided with helmets and flash lights. At the end of the tour, the guide asked us to turn off our lights and then open our eyes. What a feeling to experience nothing but total blackness!!

Getting geared up for the descend into the lava tube.

After one hour, Jão came back to take us to the famous vineyards, small stone-wall enclosures to protect the plants from salt winds and to gain extra heat.

In 2002, UNESCO designated this area just outside of Madalena on the western coast, a World Heritage Site. Jão told us an unofficial count of the length of wall had been conducted and it was concluded that the walls, all built from lava rocks, total 100.000 km in length. The vines on Pico are surrounded by walls which could circumference the world twice and a half!

Looking out towards the island of Faial.

Looking back at Pico mountain.

Pico is most famous for its wine and whales, which includes the vinyards, one wine museum, and tree whale museums.

The centre lies under these heaps of ashes.

The tours begin with a 12-minute 3-D film titled The Formation of the Earth. After this film you see depictions of volcanic and seismic events around the world, minerals and gem stones, and much more.

The tour ends beneath the tower of the lighthouse. From there you have a great view onto a landscape still covered by ashes!

Another ruin serving as a reminder.

A dramatic scenery, but a strong wind blew ashes in our face...

This eruption also triggered another exodus – this time it concerned the islanders. Thanks largely to John F. Kennedy, the Azorean Refugee Act was introduced in 1958 allowing Azoreans to start a new life in the U.S.A. A copy of this historical emigration document is on view in the Capelinhos Interpretation Centre.

An intense emigration followed, reducing the island’s population substantially, and new Azorean settlements sprang up both in the U.S.A. and Canada.

Strange to think in all those years I spent in the States I had never met one who claimed to have Azorean roots. I had met so many new Americans claiming to be Germans, British, half Swiss and half Irish, one fourth Native American, etc. But never did I meet one emigrant from the Azores.

To Steffi and Tim - hope you made if back safely!

Nice outdoor art exhibit!

Take a walk through one of the largest outdoor artwork collection on the Azores. Thousands of yachts arrive every year in Horta’s marina and my guess is one third of them leaves a painting in return for Neptune’s blessing.

Here are some of the best locations on Faial:

Praia do Almoxarife

This is the beach we walked to in a couple of minutes from our rental home in Almoxarife. There is a sandy beach, campsite and a few restaurants on the village square.

Driving into Horta (Pico mountain is obscured by the clouds)

Horta was first settled by Flemings in the 15th century. Many of the town buildings, churches and manor houses date from the 17th and 18th century. Over the years, fires, earthquakes, and fierce winter storms have resulted in much rebuilding though.

Coming into Horta by boat

We were returning from our whale and dolphin watching boat trip that day.

A beautiful natural rock swimming pool at Varadouro

Varadouro, a small town on the western coast, has turned its rough and rocky beach into a smooth and natural swimming pool by laying cement ways to guide you safely through the lava boulders. But the waters are still rough there – you need strong arms to swim against those waves. Great place though for relaxing, sunbathing, and eating at one of the restaurants.

Coming from Horta, driving into the valley of Almoxarife

Hedgerows, green fields (corn and meadows), warm winds, ever-moving clouds, and lots of animals. Some of them end up as road pizza made up mostly by dead birds, which are not used to cars on the roads. Birds sit on the road and play and we often had to break slightly to give them time to fly away. The same with dogs, rabbits, and cats – they like to lie on the road and take it easy.

Black cliffs or big rocks line much of Faial’s shores with sandy beaches only in a few spots.

Horta marina with a better view on Pico.

The islands of Faial and Pico are only 6 km (4 miles) apart. There is a good ferry service (€ 3,50 per adult) between Faial and Pico, which takes about 30 minutes.