Ferry from Faial to Sao Jorge

About Faial

Faial is part of the Central Group in the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean. The coastline has some beautiful volcanic beaches, whilst the western shoreline has dramatic cliffs plunging into the bright blue ocean. Out on the seas, you can enjoy a wide range of activities like windsurfing, kayaking, diving and whale watching. The inland is dominated by an enormous crater which was the location of the most recent major volcanic activity in the Azores, adding roughly 1 kilometre to the landmass in 1957. You can even traverse the scenic, hilly terrain on mountain bikes or on a guided 4x4 SUV tour. From the vibrant port town of Horta on the southeast coast, you can choose from a wide range of sailings to most islands in the Azores. Given the archipelago is spread sparsely in the North Atlantic, the journey times to each island can vary considerably.

About Sao Jorge

Sao Jorge is a slim stretch of land, measuring fifty-six km long and just eight km wide, in the Azores archipelago, a chain of Portuguese islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. Undulating peaks, countless emerald-green craters and steep, jagged cliffs encompass some of the ever-changing landscape on this hiker-friendly strip of the Azores. At over a thousand metres, Pico da Esperanca is the highest point, affording lovely views of the surrounding Central Group islands: Faial, Pico and Graciosa. Velas, Sao Jorge’s idyllic capital, sprawls around its picturesque harbour, which dates back to the 1400s, and the town itself has a beautifully made, traditional Azorean bandstand in the main plaza. The main port of Sao Jorge is in Velas on the northwest coast, which is easily reachable from the majority of Azorean islands by ferry, with some routes from the other Central Group lasting just a couple of hours.