Horta is the capital and largest municipality of Faial Island in the Azores.The municipality has a population of 15,224, its density is 88/km² and it has an area of 173.1 km². The city itself has a population of 4,459. Many consider Horta the liveliest and most eye-catching in all of the Azores. Horta not only enamors visitors by its own right, but it also serves as a useful base for tourists looking to explore the various other natural attractions of Faial Island.
The history of Horta begins with Josse Van Huerter, who was the first to settle on the site and build in the Porto Pim area. The first years of Horta were peaceful and the village achieved town status by the end of the 15th century. But Horta experienced several upheavals in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Spaniards took over the town in 1583, not too long after conquering Portugal. In the subsequent two decades, Horta was sacked at various times by the British, once in 1589 and another time in 1597. The latter resulted in the occupation of Horta and the burning of much of the town.
In the 17th century, Horta was settled in increasing waves by Jesuit missionaries. The town also played an important role in the Portuguese political conflicts of the 19th century between the Liberals and the Absolutists, and in recognition of this Horta was elevated to city status in 1833. The remainder of the 1800s saw Horta develop a flourishing whale hunting industry and in the 20th century, the city became an important telegraphic communication center, landing spot for early transatlantic flights, and strategic port for naval ships and fleets during both world wars.Horta has a number of attractions. The Horta Marina is a must-see for visitors of Faial. Built in 1876, the marina is situated in the beautiful city of Horta. Many yachtists flock here from all over the world each year before crossing the Atlantic. The marina sea walls and floors are marked by paintings left by ocean travelers from years past based on the superstition that one who doesn’t leave a mark won’t reach his or her destination.
The Horta Museum is worth checking out as well. It features a vast collection of fig wood handicrafts from the island’s most revered artists.Horta is also home to some elegant, old architecture like the iconic Torre do Relógio Clock Tower, the 16th century Inn called the Forte de Santa Cruz, and the chapels of Nossa Senhora do Pilar andNossa Senhora da Guia, which both feature terraces that overlook the city and the island. There are a few interesting old-style churches like the São Salvador, the Nossa Senhora das Angústias, the Nossa Senhora do Carmo, and the Church of St. Francis, which is connected to the Horta Museum and the Arte Sacra Museum.While every parish in Faial holds the Festival of the Holy Ghost, a colorful event featuring mouthwatering traditional Horta dishes, as well as the St. John’s festivals in June when music, picnics, and dancing fill the entire island, the Week of the Sea Festival is held only in Horta. For a week in August, the town is overrun by folk music, dances, charity events, delicious food stands, arts and crafts exhibitions, regattas of water sport competitions, and dozens of sailing ships with colorful sails and flags floating along the port.
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Faial Island also known in English as Fayal, is an island east of Pico and part of the central group of islands in the Azores. Faial is nicknamed the “Blue Island” due to the large number of hydrangeas that bloom in the summer months. But the island is much more than just flowers. Faial happens to be dominated by a volcanic cone, at the top of which lies a deep crater about 400 meters in depth covered with vegetation ranging from cedars and junipers to beeches, ferns, and moss. A series of grottoes and marine caverns are also located along various parts of the island’s coast. And, of course, you’ll find the white town houses, ochre fort walls, sheltered inlets, and soft sandy beaches that seem to characterize all islands in the Azores.
Faial’s history is rather murky. According to legend, the first inhabitant on the island was a hermit who took refuge on Faial to escape the world and its temptations. Some time afterwards, a group of settlers arrived on the island from Portugal. Not too long later, Josse van Huerter, a wealthy Flemish, mistakenly landed on the island and was so enamored by its beauty, that he sought the assistance of King Joao I of Portugal’s daughter to obtain a grant in 1468, which named him donee of the island. With this grant, Van Huerter brought several more of his countrymen from Flanders who settled in the parish of Flamengos.
Unfortunately, Faial Island was struck hard by misfortune in the ensuing centuries. In 1583, the Spanish conquered the island. Soon afterwards, English privateers attacked Faial, causing significant damage. In 1672, an earthquake also rocked the island. But the 19th century brought a reversal of fortune for Faial; its port became an important center for the orange trade and the whaling industry. After the whaling industry died out, the island returned to its roots, today relying primarily on agriculture, dairy, and fishing.
Faial features a number of notable tourist attractions; the Capelinhos is its most popular. The Capelinhos is a volcano on the western region of Faial. An eruption in 1957 enlarged the land by about two square miles, developing Ponta dos Capelinhos. The event was marked by more than 300 explosions and earthquakes. The lighthouse at Capelinhos is situated near the cliff of the cape and marks the old position of Ponta dos Capelinhos before the eruption enlarged the land. More than 300 houses and crop fields were buried by the catastrophe.
The Monte Guia volcanic peak is another oft-visited site, a lookout point with magnificent views of the city of Horta, the beaches of Porto Pim, the coast of Ponta de Castelo Branco, and the island of Pico. The lookout point is actually a protected natural reserve because of the unique flora and fauna surrounding the area.
The great crater of Caldeira, at 400 meters deep and 2 kilometers wide, is equally acclaimed by visitors for its fantastic views. At the crater’s bottom, you’ll find a beautiful lagoon surrounded by blue hydrangeas, green ferns, and zimbro and beechwood trees. So beautiful and unique, Caldeira has been classified a natural reserve.
Faial’s natural beauty makes the island a perfect destination for nature lovers and explorers. But there is plenty to see and do for the more active visitors as well. If cave-exploring and volcano-hiking is not enough, the beaches of Faial – Porto Pim, Praia do Almoxarife, Faja da Praia do Norte, Varadouro, and Castelo Branco – all offer natural pools and ocean fronts for swimming, yachting, surfing, windsurfing, snorkeling, diving, and sailing.
Faial’s festivals are also an exciting attraction for tourists. The Semana do Mar or Sea Week festival in August has become a major international event. This event celebrates water sports and offers various sea-related activities. During this week-long festival, music and ethnographic groups from Portugal and other islands also come together to entertain the masses with cultural shows and performances. Other festivals held in Faial include the Festival of Our Lady of Concerns, the Festival of Saint John, and the Festival of the Holy Ghost. These religious celebrations are quite the experience, even for the secularly-inclined.
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