Overview
A six-day, self-guided walking holiday on Flores Island, the westernmost island in the Azores archipelago and indeed Europe. It’s well known for being one of the most luscious of the islands, as well as having the typical Azorean geological wonders of crater lakes, waterfalls and lagoons. Which is why it’s also a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The trails on this walking holiday on Flores dip in and out of the Grande Rota das Flores (GR1 FLO), which covers a large part of the coast of Flores. There are transfers to the trailheads, enabling you to stay in one spot throughout the holiday, in Fajã Grande.
- Poço do Bacalhau waterfall
- Lagoa Seca and Lagoa Branca crater lakes
- Fajã Grande
- UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
- Fajã de Lopo Vaz
- Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive on Flores Island
You are met and transferred from Flores Airport to your accommodation. Flores is also known as the pink island, due to the abundance of pink hydrangeas. Depending on your arrival time, we recommend exploring Zona Balnear da Fajã Grande, a safe swimming area in lava natural pools. You can also check out the nearby 90m-high Poço do Bacalhau waterfall where you can swim. Alternatively just chill at your hotel.
- Accommodation: Aldeia da Cuada or similar in Fajã Grande
Day 2: Ponta Delgada – Fajã Grande | 12.9km
Start with a transfer to Ponta Delgada. The trail takes you past the historic Albernaz lighthouse before entering a vast, open field full of hydrangeas and other endemic plants. During this stage of the walk, you have views of Monchique Islet. After a steep descent on a rocky trail, continue to the waterfalls and pools of Fajã Grande, before arriving at your accommodation.
- Walking for the day: 4.5h, 12.9km ↑531m ↓467m
Day 3: Miradouro das Lagoas – Poço do Bacalhau | 7.3km
You are transferred to the island’s volcanic interior, at the viewpoint between Lagoa Funda and Lagoa Comprida. Walk on a high-altitude plateau, passing by Lagoa Seca and Lagoa Branca crater lakes, before starting a steep, 600m descent down a fossil cliff, which has panoramic views of Fajã Grande. The walk concludes at the base of Poço do Bacalhau waterfall. You are met and transferred to your accommodation.
- Walking for the day: 3h, 7.3km, ↑653m ↓645m
Day 4: Lajedo – Fajã Grande | 13.6km
You are transferred to the village of Lajedo, where the trail starts, heading to the south-western coast of the island, through the lava fajãs of Fajãzinha and Fajã Grande. The first part of the route runs through three valleys with an extension of 3km, where you can observe several rocky outcrops on the south-eastern coast of the island and also Cartário islet. You also get great views of Rocha dos Bordões, one of the most iconic natural monuments and geosites on Flores. On this trail, you will also pass by Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro, one of the most breathtaking views of the Island, for its stunning cliffs where dozens of cascading waterfalls lead to a clear lagoon. At the end of the walk, you are transferred back to your accommodation.
- Walking for the day: 4.5h, 13.6km ↑319m ↓205m
Day 5: Fajã de Lopo Vaz | 4km
You are transferred to the picnic park in Fajã de Lopo Vaz, the first area of the island where people settled. Its designation comes from the name of one of the settlers, Lopo Vaz, responsible for the construction of the stone staircase, which is part of this trail. Begin the descent along a path of cobblestones and stone steps, through endemic vegetation and past small water springs. Arrive at a black sand beach which, weather permitting, is good place to go for a swim before returning to the picnic park where the trail ends. You are met and transferred back to the accommodation.
- Walking for the day: 1.5h, 4km ↑227m ↓227m
Day 6: Departure
After breakfast, there’s a complimentary transfer to the airport, or extend your stay in Fajã Grande.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour is located in Fajã Grande. This accommodation has been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria, including location, warm hospitality, fine local food, and commitment to responsible tourism. Aldeia da Cuada is a rural resort village, featuring an outdoor pool, spacious rooms and a restaurant for both dinner and breakfast. Please note that twin rooms cannot always be guaranteed. In such cases, the room will feature a double bed with individual bedding. All rooms have private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- Aldeia da Cuada (Fajã Grande)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included every day. When no restaurant location is available on route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before.
Difficulty and terrain
This walk is graded easy to moderate and includes daily walks of between 4-13km following footpaths, tracks and coastal paths. This tour is suitable for people that are in good physical condition. Although the daily distances are not that far, you should be aware that there are some elevation gains on all walks (read more about difficulty grades). The walks mostly take place on coastal or inland footpaths and, at times, rocky tracks. Some of them are marked. However, please be aware that the trails are often poorly maintained and, after rain can be slippery. It is, therefore, a good idea to bring hiking boots with good grips. You can always call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime if you need assistance. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available during the whole year. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season. In terms of the weather, it is typical that the warmest months are July, August, September and October, with average daily temperatures of 22C – 24C during the daytime.
For more information on the area, refer to our blog, Best time to go to Portugal.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
Our recommended airport for this tour is Flores Airport (FLW). Complimentary private transfers from/to Pico Airport are included in your package.
Inclusions
Included
- 5 overnight stays with breakfast
- Transfers according to the programme
- Arrival and departure transfers from/to Flores airport
- Detailed digital holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you prior to departure, and no printed documents are mailed or provided on-site.
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and transfers not explicitly listed as included in the programme
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights bookable upon request
