About Faial
The Azores
Known for its natural beauty and awarded in categories such as Sustainable Tourism or Adventure Tourism, the 9 islands of the Azores make up an archipelago of unique beauty, which has charmed both its visitors and locals for centuries.
Officially designated as The Autonomous Region of the Azores, this is a transcontinental archipelago of volcanic nature, as well as an autonomous territory of the Portuguese Republic, endowed with political and administrative autonomy, located in the Northeast Atlantic.
From a geographical point of view, the islands can be divided into three groups: the western group, consisting of the islands of Corvo and Flores; the central group, formed by the islands of Graciosa, Terceira, São Jorge, Faial and Pico; and finally, the eastern group, composed of the islands of São Miguel and Santa Maria. Its current population (2021 data) stands at approximately 236,657.
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If you are curious about the history, culture, or other facts about Faial, you can find here some information that can help you get to know a little more.
Official language: Portuguese Religion: Catholic Official Currency: Euro (€)
Geography
Shaped like an irregular pentagon and covering 173.42 km2, Faial has a maximum length of 21 km and a maximum width of 14 km. Marked by the Caldeira volcanic cone and soft slopes disrupted by secondary volcanic formations, the island’s highest point is Cabeço Gordo, at an altitude of 1043 meters.
Climate
Faial is located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, in the centre of the Azores High. With waters warmed by the influence of the Golf Stream, it benefits from a temperate maritime climate, with no major temperature variations and an annual average of 24ºC. There are frequent showers followed by periods of sunshine, particularly between October and April.
The Portuguese discovery of the island of Faial is presumed to have occurred prior to 1460. Its first official settlers, of Flemish and Portuguese origin, arrived around 1465, establishing themselves in the parish of Flamengos.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Horta became an entrepot between Europe and the American continent, due to the conditions of its bay and the exportation of wine produced on the island of Pico, along with its oranges, a source of enrichment for the archipelago. The port of Horta served as a supply stop for steamers crossing the Atlantic, as well as for the North American whaling fleet. Its location led Pan American to install the Clippers base and intercontinental submarine cable stations. In both World Wars, Horta played an important role as a naval base, providing shelter for the allied fleet that participated in the invasion of Normandy.
In addition to its history, the city of Horta is considered one of the most beautiful city clusters in the Azores.
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Right in the centre of the island, the astonishing Caldeira will leave you in awe for its immensity and for all the flowers, plants, and trees covering the soil and shining under the sunlight. The walls of this volcanic depression, with a perimeter of seven kilometres, are covered with Azorean Candleberry Trees (Morella faya), Azorean Laurel (Laurus azorica), Azorean Juniper (Juniperus brevifolia), as well as mosses and ferns, among other endemic species that can be observed along the trail that leads you around the setting.
At the western end of the island, the Capelinhos Volcano stands majestically. A testimony of the last volcanic eruption that occurred in the Azores, between 1957 and 1958, which added new land to the island. It has been observed and documented from the beginning, first as a submarine volcano and later as a terrestrial one, adding 2.4km² to the island. Today, it is a place of pilgrimage for the international scientific community, and a must-visit in Faial.
This island is very much characterized by its involvement with marine life so, of course, its gastronomy could be no exception. Some of the dishes that stand out are the stewed octopus, the fish broth and the caldeirada (typical fish stew). Morcela (typical blood sausage) and Linguiça (typical smoked meat sausage) are also present, usually accompanied by bread, typical cornbread or yam, but the ex-libris of the meat dishes is the Molha de carne (meat stew), using spices such as pepper, cumin and cinnamon to season this rich stew in which the beef is cooked. Finally, for dessert, the Fofas (typical pastries with curd) from Faial are recommended.
Most of its restaurants have beautiful views over the bays of Horta or Porto Pim, among other settings that the island has to offer, in addition to the one-of-a-kind Azorean hospitality.
Although the famous Espírito Santo Festivities in devotion to the Holy Spirit are traditional in Faial, the greatest religious event on the island is the Nossa Senhora das Angústias Festivities. The religious Procession and popular festivities fill the streets of Horta on the sixth Sunday after Easter. In August, the blue of the sea dominates the festivities and on the 1st of the month, a procession of boats escorts the image of Virgin Mary from the Porto Pim beach to the port of Horta to celebrate the Senhora da Guia Festivities. The liveliness continues with what is the biggest festivity on the island – Semana do Mar (Week of the Sea). Originally dedicated to yachtsmen, this week of festivities is now shared by locals and visitors alike. The extensive program of activities involves concerts, handicraft exhibitions, a gastronomy fair, whaling boat regattas and various water sports competitions.
Hospital of Horta: (+351) 292 201 000
Emergency number: 112
Emergency Service for Deaf Citizens: you can call the Civil Protection emergency services, via Skype video call, to SERViiN – LGP INTÉRPRETE or via the number 12472. The Portuguese Sign Language interpreter will communicate with the desired emergency service. This service is available from Monday to Friday, from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, including holidays.
APP PROCIV Azores:
The application provides information on the main self-protection measures for situations involving a risk of fire, earthquakes, storms, technological incidents or others; discloses alerts with regard to weather warnings and seismological communications, assists in first aid for victims of accidents and poisoning.
Regarding calls to 112, the application, in addition to allowing the call to be made according to the type of distress call (accident, sudden illness or others), automatically sends an email with the data you have filled in your profile, directly to the Medical Emergency Line, so that you can help you more quickly and effectively.
Civil Protection provides brochures with self-protection measures (MAP) and/or information relevant to the population and visitors. Click on the link below and access the documents that you can consult or download.
Public Security Police: (+351) 292 208 510
