Faial Island (meaning the “Blue Island” Portuguese) is part of the Azores islands group. It is the westernmore island of the European tectonic plate, located about 8 km west of Pico. Its surface area is approximately 173 km2 and it has about 15,000 inhabitants.
Faial’s main municipal seat is located in the city of Horta.
In the 18th century the development of whaling brought the early whaling fleets to Horta. In 19th century Horta became an important sea port and a stopping point for a large number of yachts crossing the Atlantic.
In 1957 a great volcanic eruption from the “Ilheu dos Capelinhos”, about 1 km from the coast, brought large quantities of lava and ash forming an islet that later connected to Faial island forming the cape of Capelinhos. The lighthouse and the volcano interpretation center are today some of the best places to visit in Azores. Faial also offers a number of natural wonders like its impressive Caldeira do Cabeço Gordo, the Twin Lagoon and of course its cosmopolitan capital of Horta that still attracts many sailors in its marina.
This is the most analytical video for Faial with the top things to do and places to see.