OUR THREE DAY ITINERARY: HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR VISIT TO FAIAL ISLAND.
If you’ve been dreaming of a getaway that combines jaw-dropping natural beauty, off-the-beaten-path adventures, and a spirit that’s refreshingly low-key, Faial Island is calling.
Part of the Azores’ volcanic archipelago, this island may be small in size but packs in a wealth of charm and stunning scenery. Faial is one of three “triangle islands,” so called because of their close proximity to one another. Visiting Faial alongside these two islands is an ideal trip for hikers, explorers, nature lovers and anyone craving a peaceful vacation.
From the idyllic marina of Horta to the stark, lunar landscapes of Capelinhos, Faial offers a unique blend of serenity, nature and adventure.
In this blog post, we will set out our three day itinerary for the island. This has been created to include a mix of activities, hiking and relaxing. As well as to make the most of the geography of the island. We also include some tips to make the most of your visit to Faial.
Is Faial island worth visiting?
Definitely, but it’s not for everyone. Faial is no Ibiza, no Santorini. I guess if you’re interested in travelling to the Azores, then you already be aware that there are no fancy resorts or white sand beaches on any of the islands. And Faial is no different in that sense.
The island is understated – raw and untamed. But goodness, it is beautiful, quirky and oh so serene.
In comparison to the larger islands, like Sao Miguel and Terceira, Faial feels more authentic and more undiscovered. It doesn’t have the typical tourist infrastructure, which is refreshing. The size and shape of Faial make it ideal for exploring too. If the Atlantic were a face, the island of Faial would be a minuscule freckle, barely visible to the naked eye. A teeny, little splodge. But deserving of your time to visit it, nevertheless.
What perhaps sets it apart from the other islands in the Azores, is that there are two spectacular natural phenomena that you can explore. Plus, the town of Horta is buzzier than its counterparts found on Pico and Sao Jorge.
If you like small towns with a quirky vibe, Horta will please you. If you are into hiking, the caldeira will entertain you. And, if you like quiet walks in nature or bathing in natural pools, then this island is the one for you.
How to get to Faial island
There are no direct flights to Faial from the UK, USA or mainland Europe. Instead, travellers will be required to fly from one of two islands which does have connections to the mainland – this is either Terceira or São Miguel Island.
Azores Airline (SATA) operates regular flights between Faial and both of the larger islands. The flight takes around 45 minutes from both islands and you can expect to pay between €50-100 per person.
The option option is to take a ferry boat to Faial, which will dock into the harbour of Horta. The closest island is Pico, from where you can get a short 25 minute boat to Horta. These boats run all year round, but can be cancelled due to bad weather. Tickets can be purchased in advance from Atlantico Line.
How many days to spend on Faial island
The island isn’t enormous, but there’s enough to see that I wouldn’t rush through it. I’d recommend at least three to four days, this gives you time to explore at a relaxed pace, take in the nature, and sample the local food and drink without feeling like you’re racing against the clock. But if you can manage only two days, you could still see some highlights.
Keep in mind that Faial is one of the three “triangle” islands in The Azores, alongside Pico and Sao Jorge. If you have time, we would really recommend visiting all three islands, spending a few days on each. Short ferry hops will allow you to get from one island to the next easily.
This blog post hopefully helps to demonstrate just how much you can fit into three days on Faial.
Do you need a car on Faial island
Short answer: Yes.
Faial’s public transport system is, let’s just say, a bit hit-and-miss. While there are buses, they don’t run with the kind of frequency or flexibility you might need to fully appreciate the island. For example, there is a bus that will take passengers from the airport to Horta, but it runs only a couple of times per day and not in any way linked to flight arrivals.
We think it’s far better to hire a car, and take time exploring the island in your own way with full independence.
We hired a little Citreon which allowed us to zip around the entire island. Subsequently, every location I name in this blog post (except Horta) will require a car to get to it.
You can find our guide on driving in the Azores here.
Our Three Day Itinerary for Faial: Details + map
You can find the full details of our three day itinerary for Faial island below. All locations mentioned can be found in the map below.
Day 1: Arrival and Horta Highlights
We flew into Faial from São Miguel, arriving at its tiny airport. As soon as we landed, we realized how delightfully simple things are here. A quick tip: taxis on the island are cash-only, and there are no ATMs at the airport. Thankfully, our taxi driver took pity on us and stopped by an ATM on route.
HORTA
After a short ride into Horta, we kicked off our trip with a stop at Peter Cafe Sport.
Peter Cafe Sport isn’t just any bar, it’s a maritime institution. Sailors from all over the world have been stopping here for decades, and it’s as much about the atmosphere as it is about the gin.
From there, we spent the afternoon wandering through Horta Marina. The harbour walls are covered in vibrant murals painted by visiting sailors, each one telling a story of their journey. It felt like walking through a living art gallery, with the salty sea breeze and the sound of masts clinking in the background. It’s easy to see why Horta is considered one of the most beautiful towns in the Azores.
Horta is small, but has a few points of interest. The Local Food Market, a few historic churches and a couple of museums.
For dinner, we chose a small wine bar with tapas. By the time we checked into our accommodation, we were ready to rest up for the adventures ahead.
I’d really recommend trying to carve out a few hours of your Faial itinerary to explore Horta. You can find our guide to the best things to do in Horta here.
Day 2: Coastal Drives, Volcanoes and Sunset Bliss
The next morning, we picked up our hire car. If you’re planning to explore beyond Horta, having a car is essential. We could have collected the car the day before, but I knew that I wanted at least one afternoon to explore Horta on foot.
Faial’s roads are well-maintained, and driving here is mostly a breeze, especially as there really isn’t much traffic on the roads. That said, there are a few farm tracks that we attempted to drive down, but quickly realised the error of our ways and reversed back out – minding the pot holes as we went!
Our first stop was a little roadside café for a quick coffee, this turned out to be a pretty popular spot with locals and we were greeted by an incredibly friendly barrister who spoke excellent English.
VARADOURO NATURAL POOL
With the sun shining, we were keen to take advantage and head for a dip in one of Faial’s natural pools. There are two to the west of the island, Castelo Branco and Varadouro. With more time, I’d love to see both, but we opted for Varadouro, which has a more natural look, as the pool is formed by volcanic rock.
We arrived to the pool to find that we were the only people there, perhaps the only ones mad enough to brave it in December. The water temperature was rather a shock to the system, more like an aggressive cold plunge than a leisurely swim. But enjoyable nonetheless.
If you do have some additional time at this side of the island, then consider taking a hike on the Morro de Castelo Branco, which offers an interesting viewpoint. You could do this before or after heading to one of the swimming pools.
CAPELINHOS VOLCANO
Next, we visited the Capelinhos Volcano area. This is quite a stark and otherworldly experience; the unique landscape having been shaped by the 1957 eruption.
It feels a little like being on the moon and the ruin of the lighthouse adds to the slightly eerie feel here. For the best views, you can climb a little way up the hiking trail to look down on the eruption site. We spent around an hour here, including visiting Capelinhos Natural Pool just down the road from the volcano.
PRAIA DE FAJA
After this, we continued driving clockwise, stopping briefly at Praia de Faja, a black sand bay. In winter, it’s a pretty place to take in, and I expect with good weather this would be an ideal bay to pause for a while.
There are restaurants nearby (see below) in Praia do Norte, or you could picnic on the beach. Just make sure you don’t leave any litter behind, the Azoreans take littering quite seriously and there are signs everywhere warning beach goers to take care of the natural environment.
RURAL RESTUARANT
We stopped for lunch at Restaurante Rumar, a roadside restaurant that happens to have pretty special views of the ocean. A lowkey place, serving up traditional and simple Azorean food – soup and seafood, we tried the Chicharros (a small fried fish dish.)
Having some flex in our itinerary meant that we could stop by here on a whim. I love the simplicity of exploring Faial – just drive until you see somewhere you like the look of!
LEVADA TRAIL
For the afternoon, we were really keen to get hiking on one of Faial’s most popular trails. We continued clockwise to head to the Levada Trail, the track to get to the trailhead is a little precarious, but the hire car made it!
The trail meanders through lush greenery, alongside disused irrigation channels, and offers glimpses of the island’s diverse flora and fauna, with some quite beautiful views.
It’s a relatively easy walk with a few challenges, small bridges to cross and a tunnel that anyone with claustrophobia will not enjoy. If you’re visiting in spring or early summer, you might even catch the hydrangeas in bloom, lining the paths with bursts of blue and purple.
SUNSET DRINKS
As the afternoon turned to evening, we drove back to Horta for what would become one of our favourite moments of the trip: sunset drinks at Praia do Porto Pim.
This beach, with its golden sands and calm waters, is a short walk from the centre of town. We grabbed a table at a small beachside bar (Café Praia do Porto Pim) and watched as the sun dropped.
It felt like we had found a real local spot, as the only English speakers in the bar. Thankfully, the café serves some pretty great snacks so we spent a good few hours there and got through a fair few beers.
Day 3: Caldeira and peeking at Pico
CALDEIRA DO FAIAL
On our final full day, we set out early to visit the Caldeira do Faial, the island’s iconic volcanic crater.
We made a bit of a mistake when trying to get to the Caldeira, as we tried to visit a few sights to the east of the island before going up. Although we did stumble upon the ruin of Sao Mateus church, whilst worth seeing, this took us onto terrible inland farm tracks that we would not recommend. Instead, we would suggest driving directly from Horta to the caldeira, which will keep you on good (tarmacked) roads.
When we eventually got to the right road, the drive up to the caldeira was an experience in itself, with winding roads and panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. When we reached the top, we were greeted by a scene straight out of a fantasy novel: a vast, circular crater covered in lush greenery, shrouded in mist.
The trail around the rim of the caldeira is about 8 kilometers and takes a couple of hours to complete. It’s not too strenuous, but sturdy shoes are a must especially for the very steep hike down at the end. And, I wouldn’t advise it for anyone who is even a wee bit fearful of heights.
Walking the rim gives breath-taking views both into the crater and out across the island. On a clear day, as we had, you can even see the neighbouring island of Pico.
There is also a hiking route down into the Caldeira itself, a pretty steep but interesting looking trail. But, you need to go with a guide, as entry is restricted to protect the natural environment.
If you’re not into hiking, you can also just drive up here for a view point. As we finished our hike, we met a young couple with a dog who had brought an entire picnic, including blankets and wine, and were simply just enjoying the view. Suffice to say, we were quite envious!
PRAIA DO ALMOXARIFE
After the hike, we drove to Praia do Almoxarife, Faial’s biggest beach. This wide beach is striking black sand and wonderfully relaxing. We spent some time walking along the shore, marvelling at the view to Pico.
Bliss Beach Club is right on the beach and worth a stop for a drink or snack. The staff are incredibly friendly, and we were lucky enough to get a chance to hang out with a huge local cattle dog who was roaming around the area, as we enjoyed a drink. In winter, this is a quiet serene spot, popular in summer for a bit more of a party vibe.
IT HAD TO END AT PETER’S CAFE
Back in Horta, we spent our final evening much like we had started the trip, at Peter Sport Cafe with many G&Ts and a few giant bowls of French fries.
More things to do in Faial
This blog post outlines our three day itinerary for Faial. It’s worth mentioning, we visited in December and this meant that we tailored our itinerary to the weather and season.
If you were visiting in summer, you might choose to spend longer on the beach. There are also some other great things to do in Faial if you have the weather on your side. Such as:
1/Botanical gardens and picnic spots
One of the things we loved on all of the islands we visited in the Azores, are the public park spaces.
Often these have BBQ and picnic facilities and they are popular places for families and friends to hang out when the weather is fine. Sometimes firewood is even supplied so you don’t have to bring it with you! On Faial, Reserva Florestal de Recreio da Falca is one of the nicest, and quite close to Horta.
Nature lovers may also want to consider visiting Jardin Botanico do Faial. In spring and summer you can find all sorts of exotic plant life, like pretty colourful orchids. Tickets are €5 per person.
2/ Whale + dolphin watching
The Azores is one of the best places in the world for whale watching, and Horta is a prime spot to set off on a tour. You’re likely to see Bryde’s whale and lots of dolphins if you take an excursion. Just be prepared for those North Atlantic swells, they’re not for the faint of stomach!
Planning your time in Faial: tips
There are a few things to keep in mind when planning your time:
1/ Leave wiggle room in your itinerary just to stop and enjoy different view points around the island. Or to pause for a drink somewhere. On our visit to Faial, we stumbled upon an old fashioned outdoor laundry, which I found endlessly fascinating. If we had been too strict our our plans, we wouldn’t have found it.
2/ Consider collecting your car at the airport – we chose to collect our car in Horta a day after arriving to the island, as we wanted to spend a full afternoon on foot in the capital. Depending on flight times and how long you have in Faial, it may be better to collet your car so you can start seeing the island right away.
3/ Be flexible around the weather – there are days in the Azores when the weather just doesn’t play ball. This might mean you can’t climb the Caldeira for example. We learnt that it’s best to go with the flow and listen to mother nature, rather than try to continue on with your schedule regardless! This is especially true for walking around the Caldeira, bad weather could be dangerous.
Where to stay on Faial island
I’d strongly suggest staying in Horta, for ease and access to the best restaurants on the island.
Horta is small and walkable, so anywhere you pick is likely to be close to the centre of things. Here are a few suggestions:
BUDGET: We stayed at Faial Marina Apartments II. This has an ideal central location and offers self-catered facilities. As well as sea views!
MID-RANGE: Found close to the central of town is Hotel Horta. It has sea views, and a swimming pool. A popular mid-range choice.
LUXURY: In truth there isn’t much price difference between Hotel Horta and Azoris Faial Gardens, but the latter is just a little bit more luxurious. It has an indoor pool, ideal for winter stays and a large outdoor one for the summer.
The Triangle Islands
São Jorge, Pico and Faial make up the three Triangle Islands of The Azores. Although the islands are neighbours, they all offer something totally different and unique. Find our guides to all three below.
PICO ISLAND
Known as they “grey island” and famous for wine, volcanic landscape and Mount Pico.
SAO JORGE
Known for the dramatic Fajãs, hiking trails, cheese and surfing.
Written by Emma
Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.
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