Welcome to what I hope will over time become a series of post about the 9 Açores islands. We start off with a guide to the island of Flores, which is rumoured to be the most beautiful of the lot. Flores it the second of the 9 islands that I got to properly visit (São Miguel was the first), but it is the first I properly documented for you guys. I will see whether the material I have on São Miguel is enough for me to write a post about it soon or if I have to conveniently go back for this. For now though, here´s everything you need to know for your next trip to Flores island, the Hawaii of Europe.
Getting There
Unless you’re a sailing aficionado (and there are many of them sailing to the Açores islands), you’ll probably want to fly into Flores. As of today there are no direct flights to Flores from the mainland, so you’ll probably have a layover in one of the larger Açorian islands like São Miguel (Ponta Delgada airport) or Ilha do Faial (Horta airport). The main flight operator is SATA Azores Airlines, and the flights to Flores are usually flown on very small, though comfortable planes that reach Flores in some 40 minutes from Horta for example. Getting to the first destination will probably also involve a SATA or a TAP flight, of which there are several a day from and to Lisbon. Once you’re on Flores airport, head straight to the car rental booth (you should rent a car in advance) to get your car. When returning it, use the gas station next to the airport in Santa Cruz to fill up the tank again. (It is the only gas station we have seen on the entire island). We used Ilha Verde as a car rental company, for the second time while in the Açores, and they were as reliable as they were on our first trip, so I thoroughly recommend them.
Where to Stay
First thing´s first – it is worth mentioning that accommodation on Flores is scarce, and does not come cheap. Ideally you need to book it quite a few months in advance if you want to be able to choose. We booked an apartment at Ocean View Cedros on the East coast for 100€ a night just two months in advance, and while we were happy with our choice in the end (best price-quality we could have hoped for), our first choice after doing lots of research and also visiting the property during our stay on Flores would have been Aldeia da Cuada located closer to the West coast. Mind you, location is less important as the island is truly small enough for you to get in less than 30 min from one end to the other by car. The Aldeia da Cuada just seemed like a beautiful little village, with a very nice pool, and since we ate very good food at their restaurant, we thought it could have been a very nice accommodation. Ocean View Cedros did have a beautiful view over Corvo island from its porch, and the host was just so very kind that they met us with the key at the airport and left us plenty of goodies in the kitchen. We had an apartment with two rooms, a living room, a bathroom and a kitchen, but I guess that other people could have booked the second bedroom and we would have had to share the common spaces, so just be aware of that when booking.
Where to Eat
I´m pretty convinced I must have gained some 2kg during the few days on Flores, and I regret nothing. Plus I now feel like I have the credentials to recommend you all these wonderful restaurants that have simple local food, and which you can visit for either lunch or dinner. I am skipping breakfast spots as we found none, and also as we don´t usually have breakfast. If you are a big breakfast fan I recommend buying some of the fantastic island fruit, some yummy cheese and milk, some eggs, and just cook yourself breakfast at your accommodation. As for lunch, here are my recommendations. On the south coast, find the O Arruda restaurant, nestled close to the commercial port. Try their seafood – they have some of the biggest limpets (lapas) I have ever tried, and their clams (ameijoas) are cooked in the most flavoursome sauce ever (not to mention that they are half the price of what they would be in Lisbon). Some five minutes away from Arruda lies another restaurant we had on our list – O Forno Transmontano. Here however you need to order the food 24h in advance, and since the specific is from the continental Tras-os-Montes region, we skipped it this time. On the west coast (where most of the things happen), there are two towns where a couple of restaurants are concentrated. In Fajãzinha there’s the Restaurante Pôr-do-Sol where as the name says you can enjoy a very nice sunset, but we actually came for lunch and since the food is served inside, I think it was more fitting to have lunch here and then a coffee in their garden overlooking the sea. Try their cozido a Portuguesa or their fish fillets, and if you have a carry on luggage please please please buy one of their jams. The grape one is particularly good! Oh and if you’re going on a weekday, check out the nearby cheese store – Queijaria “Pico Redondo”. We went on a weekend and unfortunately had to buy all of our cheese at the airport since this store was closed. Closeby lies the aforementioned Aldeia da Cuada which has its own restaurant and I really recommend it! Try the fava curry or their tartare, and get yourself a nice glass of wine with it. Be warned though, they might serve you a delicious araçá liquor at the end too! Further North, in the town of Fajã Grande comes my favourite restaurant of the island – Maresia. Maresia is situated next to the water, and overlooks the sunset, so come here for dinner. They only serve one dish (we had the octopus), and while it will seem a bit pricy – 33€ for the octopus, it´s just such a wholesome place to support. The atmosphere is super relaxed, music is played via a vinyl player, you can hear the waves crash against the rocks, and the food is cooked to perfection. We had the starters, the octopus, and a bottle of wine and had to pay cash. My recommendation is to come around 7pm, maybe after you’ve had a swim at the nearby natural pools, and stay until after sunset, to fully immerse yourself in the magic of this place. I´ll list all of these restaurants and a few more in the upcoming What to Do section combined with the activities so you can plan with them when deciding how to spend your days.
Honourable mentions: on the East coast, in Santa Cruz das Flores you can find quite a few restaurants as well, and assuming you want to have a quick lunch after you land or before you fly off, here are two options within walking distance from the airport. O Mergulhador is a favourite but can get quite full so call in advance. Rainha do Bife will most likely be pretty empty and only have some locals there, so it´s a safe and decent option. I did not try any restaurants in Ponta Delgada, the north establishment of the island but O Meireles was recommended by a local, and we did stop for coffee at Flor de Lotus, where the food did not look too interesting but the owner was super nice and it was a very nice spot for a coffee or an ice cream.
What to Do (3 day schedule)
Day One
Start with the island´s central region and explore the lakes and waterfalls this has to offer on day one, while combining this with the town of Fajãzinha. Flores has quite a few notable lakes which usually come in pairs and can be easily visited in bulk. So take time to see Lagoa Funda and Caldeira Negra via the Miradouro da Caldeira Negra and Lagoa Funda, then the Caldeira Branca and Caldeira Seca via the Miradouro da Caldeira Branca and Caldeira Seca, and then finally also the Lagoa Negra and Lagoa Cumprida via the Miradouro Caldeira Negra. If you have time, you can also visit the Caldeira Rasa and Funda via the Miradouro Caldeira Rasa e Funda. While these final two are a bit further away, the island is small enough for it to be super easy to do all of this in some two to three hours. Then head for lunch at Fajãzinha at the aforementioned Restaurante Pôr do Sol and do some cheese shopping at Pico Redondo. Around there there are two miradouros we found very beautiful and those are the Miradouro do Portal and the Miradouro Craveiro Lopes. For the afternoon I recommend a hike to Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro, a conjunction of gorgeous waterfalls spilling into a lake, in a very Jurassic Park scenario, The hike is fairly easy, but not recommended for those with mobility issues or weak knees. Finally, drive to Aldeia da Cuada, and assuming you’re not staying there, stroll around the houses and stop for dinner at sunset at their restaurant.
Day Two
For Day two focus on the South of the island and the town of Fajã Grande. Bring a swimsuit with you because you’ll need it! Start the morning off strong and have some breakfast because we’re going hiking! The island of Flores has a few trails one can do but being pressed for time, we opted for a medium difficulty trail, the PRC04 FLO trail to Fajã de Lopo Vaz. It takes some two hours round trip and while not very difficult, it is definitely not for weak knees. The hike can get quite steep and you’ll need good shoes for it (unlike the hike from day one which you can do in regular shoes too). Once you reach the black sand beach at the bottom though, you’ll find it more than worth it! By the time you’ll be back you’ll probably be famished so head over for lunch either at O Arruda or Casa do Rei, or if you booked 24h in advance at O Forno Transmontano. With a full belly, head now to Fajã Grande for a refreshing bath at the Cascata do Poço do Bacalhau. And when I say refreshing I mean it, the water of the waterfall is really cold, so no one will blame you if you´d rather just lie on the grass and sunbathe. A couple of hundreds of meters further though, you’ll find the Zona Balnear Fajã Grande, and there, in the sea, you will want to swim because the water is much more agreeable. Even with the currents, it is safe, and fun, and really a unique experience. Then you’ll want to dry yourself out and leave a little before the sunset because you’re walking to the Maresia restaurant. Bring cash with you, be aware of the fact that they only have one main, and let yourself be charmed by the magic of dining in a simple but hip restaurant overlooking the sunset. This meal was definitely the culinary highlight of our trip!
Day Three
Finally on day three it is very likely you’ll have an after lunch flight departing from Santa Cruz das Flores, so you’ll need to wake up early and make every minute count. Today you’ll explore the North-East of the island by driving up the coast via the Miradouro do Ilhéu Furado, my favourite view point of the island. Stop there and take the beauty of the North East coast in. As you’ll drive there, walls of moss so green it will seem radioactive will embrace the road, so when you actually sit on the cliff and look out at the sea, it will feel absolutely magical. Drive further north to Ponta Delgada and admire the views of the Miradouro sobre o Porto e Baía da Ponta Delgada. Drive to the Farol de Albarnaz for some cool views of a lighthouse and then start the descent back down the coast. Drive to Santa Cruz das Flores for a lunch at O Mergulhador, and a quick after lunch swim at the Piscinas Naturais de Santa Cruz before heading to the airport, dropping off your car and catching a flight back to the mainland.
Bonus Days Four and Five
Now while my three day itinerary gives you a fairly relaxed pace to explore the island of Flores, assuming you actually have another few days at your disposal, I have some suggestions for a fourth and a fifth day. I would recommend that you take day four for activities – canyoning is particularly popular in the Açores. The Flores coast is quite popular for diving too so if you fancy that, I say you give it a try, I know my husband would have loved it. You can also go on a whale watching trip if you like to be on a boat for a few hours! Now on day five I do recommend you get on a boat as it will most likely be easier than catching a flight. You’re now off to see the island of Corvo. Flores and Corvo are both part of the occidental group of the Açores Islands, and while you’ll be catching glimpses of Corvo all the time while driving on the North-East coast of Flores, why not take a day to explore the island? There are plenty of day trips to choose from, and I would absolutely recommend doing it if you have the time!
And that´s it, the complete guide to the island of Flores, now in English as most of the information I found while doing my research was in Portuguese! I hope it helps and if you do go and use it, I´d love to hear from you in the comments!
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