The island’s 9500 residents have lived in relative isolation for many years. Similarly, the northern coast has sharp cliffs, while the southern side is less inclined. The island has an area of 246 sq km, with an obvious difference in the relief between the western and eastern sections: the western coast is lined with cliffs, while the east is smoother. At 1053 m, Pico da Esperança is its highest peak. The island is 55 km in length, with a mountain range forming its backbone. Unique among the islands of Azores, São Jorge is uncharacteristically long and slender, and so susceptible to ocean erosion. In 1957, a big eruption about 1 km from the coast ejected large quantities of lava and ash, forming an islet that later became connected to Faial island by an isthmus. By the 19th century, Horta had become an important seaport and a layover for a large number of yachts crossing the Atlantic.Īlong with other islands in the archipelago, Faial is of volcanic origin. In the 18th century, the development of whale hunting brought whaling fleets to Horta. Different shades of blue decorate the houses, which divide the fields and line the roads, giving Faial the name ‘Blue Island’. It has some 15 000 inhabitants and its main municipal seat is the city of Horta. The image highlights the differences in the relief of the islands, with volcanoes and mountains clearly standing out.įaial is part of the central group of the Azores. It features some of the Azore islands about 1600 km west of Lisbon, including the turtle-shaped Faial, the dagger-like Sao Jorge and Pico Island, with Mount Pico reaching over 2351 m in height. Nine islands, nine small worlds that have as many similarities as differences, but where the friendliness of their inhabitants is shared by all.This Sentinel-1A radar image was processed to depict water in blue and land in earthen colours. The tiny island of Corvo has a broad, beautiful crater at its centre, and attracts many species of birds coming from both Europe and America. In the Western group, on the island of Flores, the beauty of the natural waterfalls and lakes carved out by volcanoes is dazzling. Graciosa, graceful in both name and appearance, is an island of green fields covered with vineyards that contrast with its peculiar windmills. On São Jorge, the highlights are the Fajãs and the cheese, a unique specialty with an unmistakable flavour. In front is Pico, a mountain that emerges from the sea, with vineyards planted in black lava fields, a unique culture that also has World Heritage status. Faial is the cool blue of the hydrangeas, the marina painted colourfully by yachtsmen from all over the world and the extinct Capelinhos volcano, which resembles a lunar landscape. On Terceira, the World Heritage town of Angra do Heroísmo, as well as its festivals, is steeped in history. In the Central Group, the islands of Terceira, São Jorge, Pico, Faial and Graciosa are set harmoniously in the deep blue sea, where whales and dolphins can be spotted, to the delight of visitors. The power that emanates from the earth is felt in the geysers, hot thermal waters and volcanic lakes, as well as in the tasty "Cozido das Furnas" slowly cooked inside the earth. São Miguel, the largest island, is seductive with its Sete Cidades and Fogo Lagoons. To the East, on the island of Santa Maria, the beaches of warm white sand are inviting, and the vineyards covering the slopes like an amphitheatre resemble giant staircases. Mother Nature has created a land full of natural beauty, ready to be explored, in the blue immensity of the Atlantic Ocean: the Azores.
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