Fresh Air › Instead of Madeira
Faial, Azores
Faial is one of the nine Azores islands and home to the Capelinhos Interpretation Centre, built around the site of a 1957-58 volcanic eruption that added a new landmass to the island in real time (with the local population watching from shore). The lava field that remains is raw, grey, and genuinely strange. The island is known for its extraordinary carpets of blue hydrangeas that line every road and field boundary in summer. Whale watching is excellent — the mid-Atlantic location means various species pass through.
Why visit
The Capelinhos volcano — a small volcano that erupted out of the sea in 1957-58 and created a moonscape on the island's tip — is extraordinary. Good whale watching. The blue hydrangeas are genuinely remarkable.
Crowd level
The Azores as a whole are growing in popularity but Faial remains significantly quieter than Madeira.
Best time
June-September
Getting there
Flights from Lisbon and Porto to Horta. Inter-island flights and ferries connect the nine Azores islands.
Tradeoffs
Weather is changeable. The volcanic landscape can look bleak when overcast. Getting between islands requires planning.
Direct comparisons
Layers
Region
At a glance
- Country
- Portugal
- Region
- Azores
- Fresh Air Score
- 83/100
- Cost level
- $$
- Distance from Madeira
- 1500 km