7 Things To Know Before You Visit Flores, Azores | A Short Guide

The Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro Waterfalls

The Azores consist of 9 different Islands, so it can be quite difficult to figure out which ones you want to visit. We used São Miguel as our base, but that didn't mean we only wanted to see that one island. We did some research trying to figure out which of the other islands we could best visit.

This resulted in us really wanting to go to Flores. Here we'll explain you why, how to get there, what to pack and what to do once on the island.

The Island For Nature Lovers

Flores is well known for being the greenest and most untouched Island of the Azores. That fact, was actually all we needed to decide to go there. It's known for it's waterfalls, volcanic lakes and rugged coastline, without the mass tourism that other islands get. Oftentimes you read about this, and places end up being quite busy anyway. But Flores, at least in November 2022, was amazingly quiet. At times, it felt as though we were the only ones on the entire island. Perhaps that had something to do with the fact that cows outnumber the people here, with only around 4,000 permanent residents calling the island home. Only at the really famous spots, we came across a handful of people. It's worth noting here that we visited the island, of course, in the offseason.

Don't Let Rainy Season Scare You Off

The rain season roughly runs from October till March. And for most people, this is immediately a reason to avoid this period. However, rainy season also has it advantages. We visited the Azores from the beginning of October until the end of November. And we had no idea what to expect, especially after reading about the ''four seasons in one day'', which the Azores is famous for. But we found out, that it rains, a lot! Being from the Netherlands, we immediately expect rain to last for days. However, on these islands, that's often not the case. The rain will come in heavy showers, but these often pass after an hour or two, after which the sun returns. Temperatures stay relatively mild in this period, between 14 and 19°C. We found that it's best to start your day early, since the mornings were often most clear. Don't forget your rain jacket for the inevitable shower you'll encounter. And manage your expectations. Because it simply can happen that as soon as you reach the viewpoint, thick clouds roll in, and the view is nowhere to be found.

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Getting to Flores Island

Although there are a couple of boat connections between Sao Miguel and other islands (Faial, Pico, etc), there isn't one going to Flores. This means that you'll need to take a flight. These flights are done by SATA Air Azores. It was one of the most fun flights we've ever had. Instead of huge airports, like in Amsterdam or Qatar, travelling by air on the Azores feels more like taking the bus. We even had two stops from Sao Miguel to Flores (a relatively short flight), on the Island of Terceira and Faial. At one of these we could even stay in the plane, while other people hopped on or off board. Same goes for the flight back. And instead of stressful airport customs, we saw the same airport employee checking our tickets, at customs and when entering the plane.

Be aware that flights to and from Flores can be delayed or cancelled due to changing weather conditions, particularly during the wetter months. If you’re travelling in autumn or winter, it’s wise to allow some extra flexibility in your itinerary.

Renting a Car Is a Must

Without a car, it's impossible to see everything you'll want to see. There are some public busses, but these are not running frequently, and don't get you to all the remote places. We used Ilha Verder Car Rental. In general, we read quite some reviews of car rental companies where people had issues with small damages which they were helt accountable for. So for all the cars we rented, we opted for the full insurance (Super CDW insurance), meaning you don't have to pay for any small scratches or damages. Renting a small Fiesta for 3 days, ended up costing us around 170€.

Where To Stay on Flores, Azores

In short, we think it doesn't really matter that much, especially if you end up renting a car. The entire island is small, and very driveable. So from every town, you can get to the place you want to within 45 minutes. We had a small Airbnb in Fajã Grande. The house wasn't that special, but there was a beautiful viewpoint looking out over town, and a waterfall next door (where it was possible to take a cold plunge).

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  Views on Flores island

Don't Miss The Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro Waterfalls

It wouldn't be the first time we'd skipped the number one item on our travel to-do list. Expectations tend to run high, and so do the crowds that often come with them. But for this one, expectations were met. The reality was even better than imagined, with views that made these waterfalls worthwhile.

The green walls at The Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro are magical. When we were there, we were completely alone. We even ended up going there again a day later, because we were so impressed; that doesn't happen often.

Getting there is easy. You simply park your car here for free, and then follow the clear signs. It's only a 700 meter walk to the waterfalls, but the forestry is stunning. There is a little elevation gain of a 100 meters. And after rain, the trail can be quite slippery, so do wear proper shoes with grip. And as with everything on the Azores if you leave the house in rainy season, don't forget a rain jacket.

Roadtrip from Miradouro to Miradouro

A viewpoint on the Azores is, as you might've guessed, called a Miradouro. And there are many of them. Most are next to the road, so these are not worth basing a hike around. But since it's a beautiful island to drive around on, with very little traffic, we hopped in our Fiesta with packed lunch, some snacks and our camera, and drove all over the island. Here are a couple of Miradouros to base your route on:

• Miradouro Craveiro Lopes

• Miradouro do Portal

• Miradouro dos Caimbros

• Miradouro da Baía de Além

• Miradouro dos Frades

We deliberately don't add what to expect at every viewpoint. Because it's also nice to not know exactly what you are going to be seeing. We know how contradictory this sounds, in a blogpost mainly explaining what do do, see and expect. But we always try to find a balance between helping you plan and figure out what to do, while keeping the magic of traveling and exploring alive. We found that most viewpoints are definitely worth is, so grab some snacks, perhaps a coffee/tea in a thermos, and just hop in the car!