Towns & villages · 106 m above the sea
Faial
Quiet village below the 600 m Penha d'Águia rock, 5 km from Porto da Cruz.
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The place
Faial is a working village rather than a tourist stop, founded in 1550 by settlers who named it for the native Myrica faya shrub, with banana terraces and the Ribeira de São Jorge running down to the sea. Its main draw for visitors is the view of Penha d'Águia looming over the coast road, and it makes a quieter base for hiking that rock than Porto da Cruz.
When to come
Morning light for photographing Penha d'Águia from the village; pleasant year-round.
Worth knowing
- Population around 1,500 across the parish
- About 5 km from Porto da Cruz via the ER101
- Little tourist infrastructure - a stop for the view and a coffee