Island-hopping holidays are our speciality, and one of our most popular trips combines the islands of Sao Miguel, Flores and Faial. Faial has a particularly interesting history and we’ll usually include a walking tour of Horta, the island capital, in your holiday – it’s a great introduction to the town, its layout and its history.
Horta’s naturally sheltered bays have long been a safe-haven for Atlantic ships – from the first settlers arriving in the 15th Century; for Brazilian trade ships filled with gold and cinnamon in the 17th Century, and right up to the 19th & 20th Centuries when U.S. whaling ships used the town as a repair and resupply point. Modern-day Horta is still popular resupply point for trans-Atlantic yachts, which gives the town a friendly, maritime atmosphere:
The town’s most famous bar, Peter’s Café Sport, overlooks the marina and opened its doors in 1918 – the bar’s owner Jose Henrique Azevedo (grandson of the original owner) provides a postal service which allows sailors to collect parcels and exchange currency mid-voyage. Jose’s grandfather named the bar ‘Café Sport’, and the ‘Peter’ was his father’s nickname during his war service on the RMS Lusitana.
Just across the road from Peter’s is the Forte de Santa Cruz – this 16th century fort was built by Spanish King Felipe II during his reign as King of Portugal in the 1500s. The fort was still functioning as a military base in the 1800s, seeing action during the US/UK War of 1812 and the Portuguese Revolution of 1821. The building was designated a national monument in 1947, before being decommissioned and repurposed as the Pousada da Horta Hotel in 1969:
Heading into the centre of town, you’ll pass three of Horta’s most historic buildings – the impressive Camara Municipal da Horta (a former Jesuit College), the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo church and the Torre do Relogio clock tower. This 18th century tower commemorates a much older 15th century church which was destroyed when English pirates attacked the town in the 1600s.
The Jardim de Forencio Jose Terra is just next door – dedicated to Faial’s most-famous writer, it’s a peaceful spot with a lovely view across the channel to the neighbouring island of Pico:
A short walk brings you to the Teatro Faialense – the first theatre in the Azores. The original building opened to the public in 1856 before being replaced by the current theatre in 1916. Following a refurbishment in 2003, the Teatro widened it’s remit, becoming Faial’s main classical music venue and cinema:
Passing through the Jardim da Praça da República, you’ll come to the Império dos Nobres – erected in 1760 in memory of the Cabeco do Fogo volcanic eruption, which devastated the north coast of the island:
Close-by is my favourite building in Faial – the art-deco headquarters of the Sociedade Amor da Pátria – the Love of the Fatherland Society: a philanthropic charity which has been fundraising for the island through cultural events for over 150 years:
Your walking tour of Horta ends at the town’s colourful marina – it’s a long-standing tradition for crews to paint murals on the harbour wall before setting sail:
Archipelago Choice Azores Specialists
We specialise in tailor-made holidays to the nine islands of the Azores. If you’d like more information on our Sao Miguel, Flores and Faial Island Hopping Holiday, talk to our experienced team on 017687 21020.
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