A Trip to the Azores: Horta on Faial Island
Horta, Faial, the Azores (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/40 s)
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**This post is the 5th of a 7-post series discussing what to see in this part of the Azores (You can check out the other parts in the list below, separated by each specific island/city. Everything is also summarized in another post here.**
The Azores islands are one of two autonomous regions of Portugal (the other being Madeira), located roughly 1000 miles from mainland Portugal. It is a 9-island archipelago that are split into three groups: Eastern (São Miguel, Santa Maria), Central (Terceira, Pico, Faial, São Jorge, Graciosa), and Western (Corvo, Flores). Their discovery dates back to the 14th century and were named ‘açor’, meaning Goshawk, which was a common bird known in that time. Each island is accessible either by plane or by ferry. For those who love nature and a bit of adventure, the Azores are an absolute must see.
In this blog post, I will cover the city of Horta on the island of Faial. A Google Map of these places I will talk about can be seen at the end of this article. You can see all my Azores islands related blog posts below:
Ponta Delgada (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island)
São Miguel Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: São Miguel Island)
Horta (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Horta on Faial Island)
Faial Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Faial Island)
Madalena (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Madalena on Pico Island)
Pico Island (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: Pico Island)
Summary (Blog Post: A Trip to the Azores: A Summary)
Check out my drone video on the city of Horta in the Azores below!
Horta
Horta is the largest city on the island of Faial, which is one of the five central islands of the Azores, and home to half of the island’s residents. It is situated on the eastern side of Faial and faces the island of Pico. In fact, you can get an amazing view of the Pico volcano from most points in Horta.
The town was ‘starting’ by a Flemish nobleman named Josse Van Huerter in 1467 who came through Faial on an expedition, landing at Horta Bay. From there, he built a small chapel which served as the focal point of the community. The name ‘Horta’ is thought to come from his surname. Nonetheless, ‘Horta’ also means ‘orchard’ in Portuguese, which could also be the origin of the town’s name.
The city is small and walkable, and can thus be seen in just half a day. What I personally appreciated most from this city was its very chill vibe compared to Ponta Delgada on São Miguel island.
Getting to Horta, Faial Island
Getting to Horta is straight forward, however depending on the time of year, may be tiresome. From Ponta Delgada, you can take a flight with Sata Air Azores to the island of Faial. This may or may not require a layover in the island of Terceira.
You can also take a flight to any other Central Azorean island (Pico, São Jorge, Terceira, Graciosa) from Ponta Delgada, and then take a ferry to Faial from those islands using Atlantico-Line. Depending on the time of year, certain ferry lines are more active than others.
Lastly, you can drive from the Faial airport to Horta in about 10 minutes time. Conversely, you can take a bus to Horta from the airport, which departs four times a day (details here).
View of Mt. Pico, Faial, the Azores (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/50 s)
Mercado Municipal da Horta
This is one of the main markets in Horta. We were trying to kill some time before we had to fly back to São Miguel and stumbled onto this market. What we saw was awesome:
Vendors selling a variety of goods
Choirs from other Azorean islands singing Portuguese songs and playing instruments
Prominent chefs preparing cuisine for all the patrons
And probably one of the best burger places in all the Azores (Called Ah! Boca Santa).
If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including the Azores, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames and Wooden-Frames).
Horta, Faial, the Azores (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)
Horta Pier
The Horta pier is one of the coolest places I’ve seen in Faial I would say. The island seems to be an extremely popular stopover for seafarers. While walking along the pier, you will see hundreds of murals, left by visitors passing through. The artistry of some of these murals is so impressive that they must have brought their own artistic materials with them for just this purpose. It was also cool to see who returned after creating their first initial mural. It was awesome to see how many nationalities were also represented.
Jardim Florêncio Terra, Horta, Faial (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/1000s)
Jardim Florêncio Terra
This park is found just outside the Mercado Municipal da Horta. The ornate decor of the park benches and central gazebo and the well manicured grounds make this spot a great place to settle down for a bit. There will also be the occasional swans roaming around so keep an eye out if you have any food.
It was named after Florêncio Terra, who was a beloved local born in Horta in 1858. He also perished in Horta 83 years later. Some notable plant species in this park include dragon trees (Dracaena draco), which are protected by Portuguese law.
Horta, Faial, the Azores (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/30 s)
Miradouro da Lira
On the southeastern corner of Faial, on the southern part of Horta sits Miradouro da Lira. This viewpoint is atop a small hill/mountain that gives a great aerial view of Horta. It is easily walkable and the perfect spot to catch great views of Mt. Pico nearby, and sunset/sunrise views of Horta.
Horta, Faial, the Azores (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/40 s)
Miradouro de Nossa Senhora da Conceição
Meaning ‘Viewpoint to Our Lady of Conception’, miradouro is situated just north of Horta. It is easier if you have a car to reach this point but it can also be reached by walking. On clear days, you can see all of Horta to the South in addition to the islands of São Jorge and Graciosa. There is also a 3 meter tall monument to the Virgin Mary.
Horta, Faial, the Azores (ISO 400, 58 mm, f/5.0, 1/2000 s)
Forte de Nossa Senhora da Guia
The origins of this fortress date back centuries. Situated over Horta Bay on a point called Monte da Guia, this fort served to defend Faial against pirate attacks. The fort is also referred to as Fort da Guia, Fort da Greta, and Castelo da Greta.
Texts describing the importance as well as the state of the fortress were found, including a report from field marshal Barão de Bastos in 1862. In talking about the fortress walls, he states that “they must be preserved, because they defend the port of the city of Horta, giving it the convenient importance, but it would be useful to make the repairs that they need, and properly artillery them; because almost all the artillery and repairs are found to be incapable of of service.”
Horta, Faial, the Azores (ISO 100, 4.5 mm, f/2.8, 1/40 s)
If you intend on heading to Faial, don’t miss out on two places: Horta and Capelinhos. This city is rather small and can be seen in just a half day. If you’re lucky you will be able to see Mount Pico from your hotel accommodation.
From here, an obvious choice would be to see the island of Pico, which is just a 25 minute ferry ride across the channel. You can decide to do a day trip to Pico do an extended stay, before coming back to Faial to fly elsewhere.
If you’re keen on seeing more of Portugal, plan your trips by checking out my blog posts below:
