Faial, Azori - Uporabni nasveti in informacije (2025)

Faial Island is one of the smaller islands in Azores archipelago. Nonetheless very much worth visiting, here we’re answering to some frequent questions about Faial Island (and those you haven’t thought of yet). Adding some useful tips and solutions in as well.

Where is Faial island?

Faial Island is located in the Azores archipelago, and is part of its central group, together with the islands of Graciosa, Sao Jorge, Pico and Terceira.

In terms of dimensions, Faial is approximately 21 km long by 14 km wide, with an area of 172 km². Its highest point is 1043 meters above sea level, in Cabeco Gordo.

When to visit Faial?

We’d say that any island in the Azores is best in the summer months or late spring (May, June, July, August or September). The visibility will be best, water temperature warmest and generally more favorable conditions for the main activities. Hydrangeas also bloom this season – and Faial isn’t called „the Blue Island“ for no reason.

• Temperatura zraka se v povprečju giblje med 14° pozimi in 26° poleti.
• Temperatura vode se v povprečju giblje med 16° pozimi in 25° poleti.

Če še niste vedeli, lahko vreme na Azorih prinese od vsega po malem. Sonce, oblaki, veter, dež, vse, kar želite, je na Azorih na voljo. Ni zabavno, če se odpravite na potovanje in ne morete opraviti tistega, kar ste si zadali. Seveda lahko Azore obiščete tudi zunaj teh mesecev in si privoščite čudovito potovanje! Vreme pride in gre, zato bodite pripravljeni na vse vrste razmer.

How to get to Faial Island?

There are several ways to get to Faial Island, depending on where you come from. I leave you all that information below.

Z letalom: Faial has an airport, close to the city of Horta. Between islands, flights to Faial are generally made on SATA propeller planes. The airport code is HOR, most airplanes fly in from Ponta Delgada (PDL).

S trajektom: There are ferries from almost all neighbouring islands to Faial. The ferry schedules can be found on the Atlanticoline – the only ferry service of the Azores. Ferries from Pico should be running pretty consistently throughout the day. From Pico it’s  a quick 30-minute ride across the sea.

Pico Day Trip option: If you are planning a day trip from Pico, that is certainly possible to complete. Since there are a bunch of ferries going back and forth each day, it should be no problem at all hopping on one at the Madalena port in the morning and then heading back at day’s end.

Just be sure to check the schedules as you do not want to end up missing the last ferry back! During a day trip (depending on what time you plan to start and end the day) you should be able to complete at least two attractions I mention in my Faial 4-day itinerary!

Uporabne mobilne aplikacije

I recommend some mobile applications that you can install on your phone – they will be useful for your trip to Faial:

• SpotAzores: tukaj si lahko ogledate vse obstoječe spletne kamere na različnih točkah otokov in preverite, kakšno je vreme. Ker je vreme zelo spremenljivo in lahko na enem območju otoka dežuje, na drugem pa je sončno, je ta aplikacija najhitrejši način, da se prepričate in izognete nepotrebnim potovanjem.
•  Windy: nujna aplikacija na naših potovanjih, še bolj na Azorih in Madeiri. Omogoča prikaz napovedi dežja, oblakov, vetra itd. in vam pomaga načrtovati dneve glede na vreme. Običajne napovedi niso 100-odstotno zanesljive. Prikazuje tudi spletne kamere, ki so na voljo na določenem območju.
•  GoogleMaps: uporabljamo ga za shranjevanje/razvrščanje vseh krajev, ki jih želimo obiskati/smo jih obiskali, in kot GPS v najetih avtomobilih. Ogledate si lahko mnenja drugih ljudi o krajih, fotografije, jedilnike restavracij, telefonske številke krajev, da jih lahko kontaktirate, itd.
•  Maps.me: aplikacija, podobna Google Maps, vendar deluje brez povezave (čeprav lahko Google Maps deluje tudi brez povezave) in v številnih primerih vsebuje informacije, ki jih Google Maps nima, zlasti poti. Uporabno, kadar koli se odpravljate na pot, da se orientirate, prenesete pot iz uradne Azorske strani o pohodniških poteh (kliknete na Prenosi -> GPS), ipd. Pozor! Pri uporabi storitve maps.me morate zemljevide prenesti vnaprej, torej pred dejanskim prihodom na cilj, sicer lahko traja nekaj časa, da prenesete (in raziščete) nove zemljevide. Ti zemljevidi so shranjeni v vaši mobilni napravi.

Some recommendations and warnings to enjoy Faial…

… and to make your trip a pleasant one and not a detraction from the island

•  The natural lava pools almost all have freshwater showers but don’t use shampoos and soaps with chemicals in those showers. A quick shower to get the salt off and you’re done.
•  Don’t allow the disturbance, pollution and destruction of seabird nesting habitats.
•  Never try to touch or feed a wild animal – don’t be an accomplice to animal abuse!
•  Do not buy handicrafts made from sea animals or extracted from the sea (e.g. dolphin teeth, turtle shells, shark jaws, sperm whale ivory, …). The ivory trade, currently the only valuable product of the sperm whale, is still an argument for hunters. Buy local handicrafts made from alternative materials such as wood, stone or vegetable ivory.
•  If you visit the island in summer and enjoy the sea, remember that sometimes you may encounter a jellyfish (aguaviva) or a Portuguese caravel whose sting is painful and dangerous. The good thing is that these last ones float and are easily detectable, but in case you see one, get out of the water immediately and warn other people of their presence. In case you have been stung by either of them, it is very important that you follow these official recommendations: do not scratch the area of the sting (to prevent the venom from spreading); do not clean with fresh water or alcohol, clean only with sea water and very carefully; and in case the sting is a Portuguese dogfish sting, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

• Respect other people and the island: don’t play your music loudly on the beach or natural pool (if you want to listen to music, wear headphones), don’t leave trash, don’t throw cigarette budds, etc. Leave the beach better than you found it (if you find plastic, pick it up!).
• In some areas bathing can be dangerous due to strong currents. Don’t be too brave. There’s usually a flag (red, yellow or green) indicating the level of danger at certain time and beach/lava pool. Red means ‘don’t swim’ and I highly suggest you respect that indication.
•  On the trails, you will sometimes pass through closed wooden gates, which you will have to open and, very importantly, close again, as they are usually the boundaries of land with cows grazing inside.

Getting Around in Faial

Faial doesn’t have a good public transpostation system for travelers. Buses are irregular and don’t stop at interesting spots – they’re meant for locals.

Vendar obstaja rešitev! Lahko najamete avto, skuter ali taksi/vodiča/turo za en dan.

Najboljši način za premikanje po Azorih je najem avtomobila. Postopek je enostaven - če imate veljavno vozniško dovoljenje, preprosto stopite v eno od trgovin in za dan (ali dva ali več) najamete avtomobil. Parkirišča po vsem otoku so brezplačna, parkirišča pa prostorna in dobro označena. Tudi vožnja po otoku je zelo preprosta, saj na samem otoku ni veliko prometa, ceste pa so lepo urejene.

Priporočam najem od RentalCars.com. Imajo več možnosti in celoten proces je zelo enostaven.

NOTE! During the summer months (June, July, August) car prices skyrocket with limited availability. There are also scooter rentals, but oftentimes the high mountain of Faial (Caldeira) is covered in fog and has limited visibility.

If you’re staying on the island for several days then the car rental is your best choice. That way you can see the island at your pace and pick and choose which places you would like to visit during your time on Faial.

Najem skuterja

I have a great experience with stopping by at „Scooter Rental“ and renting a scooter on arrival. Expect to pay between 30€ and 40€/day.

Taksi storitve

There are also numerous verified taxi drivers found throughout the island. Some of the hiking trails of Faial are linear (point to point, A –> B; for example 10 Volcanoes Trail), so a taxi driver should be arranged for pick up and drop off. Taxi rentals will cost you anywhere from 80€ to 150€ per day. Note that a taxi can accomodate up to 4 people, so sharing the expense makes it very affordable.

Faial Tours for Those Not Renting a Car

There is very limited public transportation on the island of Faial. It is nearly impossible to rely on buses that run infrequently and stop at limited locations.

Če imate malo časa, je najbolje rezervirati celodnevni ogled Faial. Tukaj je nekaj zelo priporočljivih izletov:

• Faial Island – Van Tour – Full day
• Faial Island – Jeep or Van Tour – Half Day
• Full-Day Private Tour of Faial
• Ostali izleti

SIM kartice na Azorih

Preden preberete ta del, se vprašajte, ali na Azorih dejansko potrebujete kartico SIM. No, če vas ne moti, da nimate interneta ves čas, boste verjetno našli brezplačen WiFi v restavracijah, nakupovalnih središčih, hotelih itd. Če nameravate uporabljati le maps.me aplikacijo, ki jo je mogoče uporabljati brez interneta, bi to moralo zadostovati.

Če pa boste podatke potrebovali za premikanje, klicanje taksija, prevajanje besed v portugalščino ali preprosto iskanje dodatnih informacij, si boste za potovanje po Azorih morda želeli kupiti kartico SIM.

For traveling in the Azores I recommend using a SIM card from Meo, Vodafone, NOS, or Airalo. (I’ll get back to Airalo later on, so keep reading to learn more!)

Če nameravate med potovanjem po Evropi obiskati tudi druge države, boste morda želeli izbrati možnost, ki ponuja kritje v drugih evropskih državah.

Kako kupiti kartico SIM na Azorih

Azorsko predplačniško kartico SIM lahko kupite osebno na nekaterih mednarodnih letališčih, v prodajalnah mobilnih operaterjev, trgovinah s priročnimi izdelki ali vnaprej prek spleta.

Ponudniki na letališčih imajo običajno višje stroške in slabše podatkovne ponudbe, zato to ni najboljša možnost. Pozor! Not every airport will have SIM card shops (especially smaller airports), so keep it in mind! Faial airport doesn’t have that option.

Zato priporočam, da kartico SIM kupite neposredno v trgovini mobilnega operaterja. Za nakup boste morda potrebovali potni list.

To pomeni tudi, da ne boste imeli podatkov takoj ob prihodu. Če želite biti ves čas povezani, lahko uporabite eSIM.

Oglejmo si nekaj podatkovnih paketov, ki jih ponujajo družbe Meo, Vodafone in NOS.

Meo SIM kartice

Meo je portugalsko telefonsko omrežje, ki ponuja turistični paket, ki pokriva Azore in Madeiro:

• 5 GB podatkov, klici in sporočila na Portugalsko, veljavni 7 dni = od 3 €

Vodafone Portugalska SIM kartice

Vodafone Portugalska pokriva Azore in Madeiro ter ima na voljo dva različna predplačniška načrta. Ima tudi najboljšo pokritost:

• Neomejeni podatki, veljavni 15 dni = 20€
• Neomejeni podatki, veljavni 30 dni = 35€

NOS SIM kartice

NOS ponuja veliko portugalskih načrtov, ki zajemajo tudi Azore in Madeiro:

• Neomejeni podatki, veljavni 8 dni = 15€
• Neomejeni podatki, veljavni 1 mesec = 35€ 

Relativno nov koncept - eSIM: virtualna kartica SIM v telefonu

Če vaš mobilni telefon podpira kartice eSIM, je to zagotovo ena najboljših možnosti za pridobivanje podatkov na Azorih. Če ste novi in želite izvedeti več, si o tem preberite na eSIM Roamers.

eSIM sem začela uporabljati takoj, ko jo je moj mobilni telefon podpiral. Za nakup eSIM običajno uporabljam Airalo, zanesljiv in razširjen ponudnik eSIM.

Airalo na Azorih ima na voljo veliko različnih možnosti, nekatere med njimi so navedene spodaj:

• Pico: 1 GB, velja 7 dni za 5 USD
• Pico: 2 GB, velja 15 dni za 9 USD
• Pico: 3 GB, velja 30 dni za 11.5 USD
• Pico: 5 GB, velja 30 dni za 17 USD
• Pico: 10 GB, velja 30 dni za 29 USD
• Pico: 20 GB, velja 30 dni za 48 USD

Preprosto prenesite njihovo aplikacijo in sledite navodilom za namestitev eSIM v mobilno napravo.

Where to eat on Faial?

Although there aren’t as many options as one’d like, there are still some very good restaurants you can stop at.

As for what to eat on Faial Island, seafood and fish are naturally good options. Be sure to try cracas in lapas, ali hobotnico. Na otoku lahko najdete tudi dobro meso krav, ki se pasejo na otoku. Vedno je pametno vnaprej rezervirati hrano.

• Aldina restaurant
• Canto da Doca restaurant
• Pasquinha restaurant
• Atlitico
• Genuino Restaurant
• Restaurante Rumar

Druge uporabne informacije

• rezervacija letal: Potovanje na Azore ni bilo nikoli poceni, a kljub temu je najboljši nasvet za varčevanje prilagodljivost. Bolj kot ste prilagodljivi, cenejši je lahko vaš let. Uporabljam Skyscanner za nakup letalskih kart in Google Flights za najboljše primerjave datumov.
• rezervacija nastanitve: Faial is definitely worth staying overnight. There are plenty of accommodation and restaurant options in the main town of Horta, and Horta happens to be one of the livelier towns in the Azores. Depending on what you’re looking for there are various websites that provide accomodation of all types. The comfort of home can be found on Vrbo, razkošje hotela na Booking.com, najboljša cenovno ugodna možnost za samostojne potnike je Hostelworld. Če ste res omejeni s proračunom, a imate prosti čas, si oglejte Worldpackers - v zameno za delo nudijo BREZPLAČNO nastanitev.

Nekaj odličnih nastanitev:

1. Hotel do Canal
2. Azoris Faial Garden Resort Hotel
3. Pousada Forte da Horta
4. Hotel Horta
5. H18
6. ali potrebujete vizum?: check all the latest information on iVisa (https://www.ivisa.com/) – the website is super easy to use (and apply for a visa too, if you’re required to have one!). It goes for all countries around the world, so mark that one down for your next travel!
7. spakirajte najnujnejše: powerbank, nepremočljiva jakna, adapter, potni list, nahrbtnik... Oglejte si popoln seznam stvari za Azore.

Če povzamemo vse... Verjamem, da je to to! Če mislite, da je še kakšna druga tema, ki je nisem zajel, mi to sporočite v komentarjih.
Če potrebujete pomoč pri načrtovanju potovanja (informacije, rezervacije in rezervacija, leti, drugi nasveti), se obrnite na nas in si zagotovite osebno prilagojen potovalni nasvet.