 | ||
| Flores | ||
| Autonomous Region | Azores | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 3.739 () | |
| height | 914 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Flores is an island of Azores.
places
- Santa Cruz das Flores
- Lajes
background
Flores is the westernmost Azores island and is therefore considered the extreme western part of Europe. The island already lying on the American plate is the fourth smallest of the nine islands of the Azores. It is located around 236 km northwest of Faial, has a length of 18 km and a width of 14 km. The highest point is the extinct volcano Morro Alto with an altitude of 914 m. The most important place is Santa Cruz das Flores with around 1,700 inhabitants. The population of the island, which was almost 11,000 in 1849, has fallen sharply and is now only around 3,800. Together with the small island Corvo Flores forms the western group of the Azores.
The name of the island, which is of volcanic origin, is derived from the rich floral display. Short watercourses form numerous waterfalls. The coastline is mainly formed by high cliffs. In the interior of the island there are idyllic crater lakes such as the Caldeira Funda between laurel forests.
language
On Flores, as on the other islands of the Azores, Portuguese spoken.
getting there
The island owns with the 1968 opened Flores Airport
(IATA: FLW) via a small airport in the immediate vicinity of Santa Cruz das Flores, which is served by SATA Air Açores from the Azores islands of São Miguel, Terceira, Faial and Corvo. There are regular line connections from Central Europe to São Miguel and Terceira via Lisbon.
The journey time on these routes (including transfer times) from Munich is at least 12 hours.
There are no regular ferry connections from the larger islands to Flores.
mobility
&groups=Maske,Track,Aktivitaet,Anderes,Anreise,Ausgehen,Aussicht,Besiedelt,Fehler,Gebiet,Kaufen,Kueche,Sehenswert,Unterkunft,aquamarinblau,cosmos,gold,hellgruen,orange,pflaumenblau,rot,silber,violett)
There are several at the small airport Rental car providers represented (Sunny Cars, Sixt, Europcar, Avis). A Renault Clio was offered for around EUR 75 / day in April 2016.
A Country road (ER 1-2) connects Ponta Delgada in the north of the island Cedros on the east coast with Santa Cruz das Flores and continues south over Caveira to Lajes das Flores. Here she turns to the west and follows Lajedo and further north to Mosteiro, from where you look parallel to the west coast Fajã Grande can continue. Another country road (ER 2-2) leads from Santa Cruz das Flores through the island's interior to the west and meets north of Mosteiro on the ER 1-2.
Tourist Attractions
- The main town Santa Cruz das Flores with the church Igreja Matriz da Nossa Senhora da Conceição and the island museum Museu das Flores in the former Franciscan monastery Convento de São Boaventura
- The grotto Gruta dos Enxaréus below the promontory "La Caveira", around 3 km south of Santa Cruz.
- The small town Lajes das Flores in the south of the island with the church Igreja Matriz Nossa Senhora do Rosário and a small whaling museum and a lighthouse
- The little village Fajazinha, with waterfalls that are well worth seeing. The village is known for its freshwater trout fishing
- The crater lake Lagoa Funda and another six crater lakes in the center of the island
- The basalt organ pipes of the 1 Rocha dos Bordões
- Fajã Grande. A village with around 200 inhabitants, with a pebble beach, a waterfall and the natural pool Poço do Bacalhau, is considered the westernmost settlement in Europe.
- Cuada. A village abandoned in 1960 whose residents immigrated to the United States; the houses have been restored and converted into tourist accommodation.
- Aguas Quentes. Small hot sulfur springs.
- The peaks of Sete Pes, Burrinha, Marcel and Morro Alto
activities
hike
Flores is a good destination for walking tours; on the other hand, the differences in altitude set limits for bike tours. The Rother hiking guide Azores describes the following tours:
- From Costa to Fajá Grande (5 hours, available on the Internet [1])
- Around Fajá Grande (2 hours 40 minutes)
- From the Lagoas to Fajá Grande (3 hours)
- From Fajá Grande to Ponta Delgada (4 hours 20 minutes)
- Trilho das Barrosas (2 hours 30 minutes)
- From Ponta Ruiva to Fazenda de Santa Cruz (3 hrs 10 mins)
- Fajá do Conde (2 hours)
- Ponta da Caveira (1 hour 30 minutes)
- Porto da Lomba (1 hour 35 minutes)
- Fajã de Lopo Vaz (3 hours 10 minutes)
Beaches and bathing opportunities
The steep coast means that bathing opportunities (similar to on Madeira) are not exactly sown in abundance. However, there are some swimming opportunities:
- Fajá Grande. With natural swimming pool.
- Ponta de Fajá Grande, at the waterfall.
- Fajá de Lopo Vaz. With a dark sandy beach.
- Fajazinha. In the Riberira Grande.
- Lajes das Flores. With a small sandy beach.
- Ponta Delgada. In the harbor bay.
- Santa Cruz das Flores. Several natural swimming pools.
kitchen
- Pastelaria Snack Bar Amanhecer, Rua Dr. Armas da Silveira 21, Santa Cruz das Flores.
- E-legal, Rua Da Esperanca 28, Santa Cruz das Flores.
- Restaurante Sereia, Rua Dr. Armas da Silveira, Santa Cruz das Flores.
accommodation
- Hotel das Flores / Inatel, Zona do Boqueirão, 9970-390 Santa Cruz das Flores. Price: B&B / person from € 37.
- Servi-flôr, Antigo Bairro dos Franceses, 9970-305 Santa Cruz das Flores. Tel.: 351 292 592 453.
- Aldeia Da Cuada, Fajã Grande. Self-catering, breakfast available, is described as very quiet.Price: around € 75 / person.
- Campsite in Fajã, near the sea.
nightlife
Practical advice
- Câmara Municipal, Santa Cruz das Flores. Tel.: 351 292592369.
climate
The island is very rainy (around 1,500 mm annually). Rain has to be expected on around 300 days a year. The annual number of hours of sunshine is around 1,600. The climate is described as "almost humid tropical".
trips
The other island of the western Azores group, Corvo with a remarkable crater (Caldeirão), can be visited as a day trip by plane or ferry.
literature
- : Azores - The most beautiful coastal and mountain hikes. Bergverlag Rother, 2015 (4th edition), ISBN 978-3-7633-4367-6 .
