Faial is an island in the Azores archipelago, an autonomous region of Portugal. Horta, the legislative capital of the Azores, is the sole municipality on the island. Faial is a tourist destination with a rich collection of historical, natural and modern attractions that attract yachts, cruise ships, tourist groups and the naturalists to the hills and streets of the island. The visitor seeking sun will likely travel to the black sand beaches of Praia de Almoxarife, Conceição, and Porto Pim, as well as the rock pools scattered along the coast.
Horta (OHR-tuh, /ˈoɾ.tɐ/), the capital of Faial (figh-AHL), /faj.ˈaɫ/), is the political and economic centre of the island and is famous for its sailing port. It is divided into 13 civil parishes (freguesias). The island is 172 km2 (66 sq mi). The distance to the neighbouring island of Pico is only around 6 km (3.7 mi). The highest point is the 1,043 m (3,422 ft)-high Cabeço Gordo in the Caldeira. The port of Horta is an important port of call for Atlantic sailors. With its nearest neighbours, Pico (east across the channel) and São Jorge (northeast across the channel), it forms an area commonly known as the Triângulo (English: Triangle).
The Farias bus routes run significantly more frequently than on other islands, up to six times a day on weekdays, four times a day on Saturday, and not at all on Sundays. The central transfer point is 1 Avenida stop at the port of Horta.
1 Horta Harbour. Where many sailing vessels stop and sailors leave some graphics on the walls and also on the floor as a memory for crossing the Atlantic. 2 Caldeira (Faial Caldera). The centre of Faial is occupied by a large crater, called "Caldeira". The road from the capital passes through Flamengos, the first village to be founded by European settlers. In its vicinity is the botanical garden. Also interesting is the trip along the "Ribeira dos Flamengos", a stream that crosses a very green valley. The descent into the crater is challenging and generally requires a local guide. You can observe the laurel forests that once covered the whole island.
Scuba diving and whale watching tours are offered at Horta harbour (link) by several tour operators. The Semana do Mar (Week of the Sea) takes place at the beginning of August. It is a week-long celebration in Horta of Faial's link to the sea, celebrated in song, dance, exhibitions and kiosks selling different foods (of local and continental Portugal) and goods.
The island, like some other Azorean islands, produces cheeses and other milk products, along with beef, and by-products notable in Portugal, and it has a rich cuisine that includes local seafood. 1 Ah! Boca Santa, Mercado Municipal, Rua Serpa Pinto, Horta, ☏ +351 968 305 135, ahbocasanta@gmail.com. Tue Wed 11:30–14:30, Thu Fri 11:30–14:30 & 18:00–22:00, Sat 09:00–14:30 & 18:00–22:00, closed Sun Mon. Excellent burgers with a focus on locally-sourced ingredients and Azorean flavors. Also, local beers. €2-8. (updated Feb 2024) 2 Peter Café Sport, Rua José Azevedo 9, Horta, ☏ +351 292 292 327, info@petercafesport.com. Mon–Thu 09:00–00:00, Fri Sat 09:00–01:30, Sun 10:00–00:00.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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