About Graciosa

Graciosa is the northernmost island of the Central Group in the Azores archipelago, an autonomous region of Portugal in the North Atlantic. With a landscape dominated by clay and whitewashed houses, Graciosa is known locally as ‘the white island’. Offering the perfect scenery for a relaxing getaway, it’s dotted with historic buildings, traditional windmills and picturesque vineyards. It also has the most rural feel of the Azorean islands. As well as being a great location for hiking, diving and fishing, Graciosa boasts natural hot springs in Carapacho to the south, where you can soak in 40°C water renowned for its healing properties. From the town of Praia on the east coast, you can choose from a wide range of sailings to most islands in the Azores, making Graciosa a good departure point for exploring this idyllic archipelago.

About Faial

Faial is one of the Central Islands in the heart of the Portuguese archipelago, the Azores, in the North Atlantic. ‘The Blue Island’ is the third most populous in the Azores, so named for the long rows of hydrangea and blue and white housing. However, it’s colourful not only in landscape, but also in culture, with the principal settlement of Horta offering lively bars, a quirky marina and the fascinating Scrimshaw Museum featuring a comprehensive collection of maritime artefacts. For outdoorsy types, a hike to the Monte da Guia crater and the Whaler’s Chapel affords sublime views over the island and neighbouring Pico, while the surrounding blue ocean offers some of the best diving and whale-watching spots in Europe. Ferries sail to Horta on the southeast coast of Faial from almost every other island in the Azores, except the tiny island of Corvo in the northwest corner of the archipelago, making ferry travel one of the easiest ways to get around.