About Sao Miguel

Sao Miguel is the largest island in the Portuguese Azorean archipelago, situated in the North Atlantic Ocean. Known locally as ‘the green island’, Sao Miguel’s landscape is characterised by rolling hills, vast green plains and towering mountains. It also boasts beautiful crater lakes, sandy beaches, blue ocean waters and an award-winning national park. The bustling capital of Ponta Delgada offers both a cosmopolitan and historical atmosphere, with a great number of fascinating monuments and century-old buildings found alongside upmarket restaurants and a variety of shops. As the most populated island in the Azores, Sao Miguel offers numerous ferry connections to many locations in the archipelago. The routes are operated by a popular local ferry company, but, given the sparseness of the islands, the journey times can vary greatly.

About Faial

Faial is one of the Central Islands in the heart of the Portuguese archipelago, the Azores, in the North Atlantic. ‘The Blue Island’ is the third most populous in the Azores, so named for the long rows of hydrangea and blue and white housing. However, it’s colourful not only in landscape, but also in culture, with the principal settlement of Horta offering lively bars, a quirky marina and the fascinating Scrimshaw Museum featuring a comprehensive collection of maritime artefacts. For outdoorsy types, a hike to the Monte da Guia crater and the Whaler’s Chapel affords sublime views over the island and neighbouring Pico, while the surrounding blue ocean offers some of the best diving and whale-watching spots in Europe. Ferries sail to Horta on the southeast coast of Faial from almost every other island in the Azores, except the tiny island of Corvo in the northwest corner of the archipelago, making ferry travel one of the easiest ways to get around.