For this particular itinerary, I suggest you rent your own car — public transportation on the island is unreliable and hiring a taxi or a guide takes away from the hands-on experience. Cedros bay view—one of the many epic things to see on your Azores itinerary. Check out my travel resource page for the exact companies I use for everything travel related. Travel safety tips no matter where you're going. The rivalry between the two counties in Flores Island is serious, to the point that locals joke about how Lajes is Spain and Santa Cruz is Portugal the latter being better than the first, of course.
This beautiful waterfall at Poco Bacalhau is a must to include on your Flores itinerary. Santa Cruz County may lack impressive lagoons and waterfalls but it compensates in mesmerizing deep-blue-ocean bays, views to the neighboring island of Corvo from anywhere in the Northeast coast, pirate-story-worthy caves, a forest reserve with resident wild animals such as deer and peacocks , and my favorite lighthouse in the whole island.
Most restaurants in Santa Cruz need a reservation first. The Azores are famous for whale watching but, since Flores island is not on the usual route of migrating whales, actually seeing one here is rare and chances are it got lost from its herd. Islanders here do what Islanders do best wherever they are in the world: they adapt and they make use of what they have.
So, the top outdoor activities in Flores is hiking there are five mapped hiking trails, classified according to duration and level of difficulty and canyoning making use of the abundance of caves and waterfalls.
Aldeia da Cuada is a remote eco-tourism village the first of its kind in Portugal set in old abandoned houses that emigrants to the USA left behind, hoping to return home one day. At that time, as soon as they got clearance to enter the country, people would literally pack and leave. Each one of the 16 houses are named after their previous owner, paying tribute to the community that once lived there.
I would recommend checking out the listings available on Booking. Simply relaxing with some food and drinks from any one of the bars and restaurants is easily one of the best things to do in Flores. The easiest and cheapest way to get here is to catch one of the ferry boats which seems to leave all throughout the day. Of course, you can jump from the rope swing and into the water, a great way to cool off on a hot day; especially if you've just come back from El Mirador.
They also have a restaurant and hammocks by the water, so it's a great place to relax and unwind and simply enjoy the peacefulness of the area. Another place you can sail to when in Flores is the Museo Santa Barbara, located on a small island off the Western coast of Flores. The island of Flores isn't particularly big and you can easily walk round it in as little as 20 minutes. Maybe we were just lucky when we visited Flores, but the weather was impeccable and the early evenings were particularly nice.
So take your camera, snap some phones, stick them on Instagram and make your friends back home jealous! One of the most popular tours to this park includes ziplining and you can book a half day tour from many of the tour agencies dotted all around Flores.
We learned about this epic trekking opportunity from our guide at Tikal park, who has spent years taking guests for 5 day hikes through the jungle to el Mirador.
Typical trips last either 5 or 6 days, with 4 days spent walking 2 there and 2 back with another day spent exploring el Mirador.
However, it is possible to find out more beforehand and to start contacting tour agencies which require a minimum number of people before they can take you.
For a better idea of what to expect and how to contact tour operators, I recommend checking out this incredibly in-depth post here. When researching the best things to do in Flores, one of the things I saw mentioned a few times on other blogs and Tripadvisor was the Zoologico Petencito.
We have mixed views on Zoos and tend to prefer animal sanctuaries that deal with caring for or housing animals that are ill, disabled or unable to live on their own in the wild. According to descriptions of this zoo, they are supposed to do just this and help to get animals ready for lives back in the world. Many animals are caged up in areas far too small and dirty and they seem bored and almost lifeless.
A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the island is a haven for sustainable and eco-tourism and a stunning place for hiking, top-notch canyoning or just doing nothing and contemplate nature.
Where to stay in Flores Island. The Azores have been consecutively named one of the top sustainable destinations worldwide. Be careful with any activities thay may cause visual, noise, and physical pollution.
This includes avoiding playing loud music on phones and obviously taking ALL the trash with you until you find a bin, especially plastic! The best time to visit Flores is definitely during summertime, between July and September. Important: in the Azores, the weather is up to the gods to decide.
You may get lucky with a sunny warm day in February or a storm in August. Who knows, right? The most convenient way to get to Flores is by plane. It gives you freedom and independence to explore the island at your own pace.
There are Autatlantis and Ilha Verde desks at the airport. You might be wondering: Will I die if I drive in Flores? Actually driving around is very straightforward. The roads are in good shape albeit with many curves and apart from the main road that goes around the island, there are only a few secondary ones. EDIT: due to pandemic reasons, please check if this service is still available. Gorgeous lakes, creeks snaking through the hills, and towering waterfalls cascading into lakes or plunging down into the Ocean — all of this give me Avatar vibes.
Here, more than a dozen waterfalls stream down the vibrant green mountains and converge on the same lake. The magic of the place increases tenfold when the hydrangeas bloom in the warm seasons and fill the landscape.
Rocha dos Frades stands more tall than the other geological formations! In fact, the higher part of the island is only accessible on foot. Sign up. Choose your language:. Choose your country:. Rest of Europe. United Kingdom. United States. The Azores Islands. Flores Island.
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