Faial Island Overview…

Faial Island, (also known as the blue island) is part of the central group of islands in the Azores Archipelago and it sits approximately 1,060 nautical miles from Lisbon, but only 5 miles from its nearest neighbour; Pico Island.

Along with its neighbouring island of Pico, it is also very close to the island of São Jorge; and together they form an area commonly know as ‘The Triangle’.

The wonderful thing about ‘The Triangle’ is that all 3 islands are within easy reach by boat; which makes Faial a great hub to do day trips to explore all 3 islands.

During the 18th century the island saw growth in the industry of whaling, as well as the export of wine and oranges. It was also widely used as a much needed stop off for commercial vessels crossing the Atlantic.

Volcanically, the island of Faial is best known as being the location of the most recent volcanic eruption in the archipelago. Capelinhos, as it is know, erupted in September 1957 and continued for a further 13 months; after which it entered a period of dormancy. Today, it is a great location to hike and to visit the Volcano Interpretation Center; where you can learn more about the volcanic and geological history of the Azores islands.

Faial Island - Top things to do…

#1 hike Capelinhos & visit the volcano Interpretation Center

#2 Hike the caldeira / Cabeço Gordo

#3 Horse Riding trails

#4 Whale and Dolphin Watching

#5 visit porto pim whaling Station

Things to do

Faial Island - Places to stay…

#1 Hotel do Canal

#2 hotel-Azoris Faial Garden

#3 pousada forte da horta

#4 patio lodge

#5 azul singular

Azores: Places to stay

Faial Island - Things to eat and drink…

#1 sample the ‘Polvo’ octopus stewed in wine

#2 try the seafood - lobster, crab or Arroz da Lapas (limpet rice)

#3 try the Morcela (blood sausage)

#4 ‘Fofas’ (Small oven baked dough cakes)

The Azores is fast becoming a well established ‘active holiday destination’ and for good reason. There are a vast array of activities to choose from; all with a very high quality of trained guides, giving you the perfect mix of relaxation and adrenaline for your trip!

Check out the links below for inspiration…

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Here at Azores Connections, the islands and travel are our passion. We are based on São Miguel so can offer accurate, friendly and real time advice to create your perfect Azores Vacation.