PLACES AND CLIMATE: 
Trapezoidal shape, the island of Flores has a surface of 143,11 km2, (17 km long and 12,5 km maximum width). Its central platform, which starts around the 500 and 600 meters – altitude, has its highest point at Morro Alto, with 914 meters high. It is situated at 21º 59' longitude west and 39º 25' latitude north.
The climate, as in the rest of the islands, is mild as an influence of the Golf current, offering medium temperatures around 17º C (63º F).
BRIEF ISLAND STORIES:
There is a controversy on the date the island was discovered. Initially the island was named São Tomás and later on, and because of the abundance of yellow flowers it was changed to Flores . It is certain that the caravels from Terceira, commanded by Diogo Teive and his son João Teive who, probably on a journey searching for the way to the Indies through the west, ported the island for the first time. Flores, together with the island of Corvo , were the last Azorean islands to be colonized. Willem van der Haghen ( Guilherme da Silveira ) who set with other Flemish in the island of S. Jorge , came to Flores around 1470, staying at Ribeira da Cruz valley for seven to ten years.
Unsatisfied with the results of his work or with the sale of the island by Diogo de Teive's heirs to João da Fonseca, Willem van der Haghen returns to São Jorge. Abandoned for about 20 years, Flores is re-colonized by people coming, in the majority, from the islands of Terceira and Madeira to which, soon, more people join them coming from the Mainland Portugal and other islands. The population growth is quick. We know that, in 1515, Lajes das Flores became a Village, the same thing happening in 1548 regarding Santa Cruz das Flores .
The growing of cereal and pastel, a plant used as dye by the textile centers in the North of Europe, were the support for the island's economy during the first two centuries. The years pass. The centuries pass without any incidents. It is the pirates, active in the Azorean sea waters since the end of the XV century until the XVII century, and more scarcely in the XVIII century who perturb the quiet island life trying to plunder goods and some times people to sell as slaves. The Flores area also served them as waiting point for the battle ships coming from South America , loaded with silver and gold treasures.
Flores participates in whale captures by supplying food and crew to the English whale ships and, mainly, Americans, who navigated the Azorean seas since the end of XVIII century until mid XIX century. Later on, around 1850, they start catching whales in Flores, departing from Lages das Flores and Santa Cruz das Flores , where they actually had “factories” for the extraction of oil. The airport and the modern dock facilities broke the islands' isolation definitively, inserting it in the dynamic progress of the Azores . The agriculture, the art of raising cattle and the dairy are today the economic support of the island, to which tourism's contribution is more and more significative.
PLACES TO VISIT:
This island is rich in natural beauty, offering amazing sights of great charm and serenity.
Rocha dos Bordões: curious geological phenomenon, originated by the solidification of basalt at high vertical furrows, forming a hill. It is an imponent sight.
Near its base, by the ocean, Águas Quentes , small sulphur pits, also remind us of the island's volcanic origin.
Pico dos Sete Pés , Burrinha , Marcela and Morro Alto (914 m altitude), the highest point on the island, offers stunning sights over lagoons and valleys, ran by small creeks, of wich Ribeira de Santa Cruz, Fajãzinha, Ponta Delgada and Fagunda stand out.
The seven lagoons, in the middle of the island, constitute a magnificent sight, like Lagoa Funda , surrounded by sand and protected by high mountains beautified by hydrangeas. But the other six – Branca, Seca, Comprida, Rasa, Lomba and Funda das Lajes – show a serene and attractive beauty which are worthy of a visit
Cut by big creeks jumping from mountain to mountain and forming small clear waterfalls, which almost chant, the island of Flores gains a bucolic sense that blends with the green of the vegetation and the blue of the hydrangeas. Cascata da Ribeira Grande, in Fajãzinha, with a waterfall of hundreds of meters, meets between this village and Ponta da Fajã, around twenty waterfalls, many of which end up in the ocean.
Localized at Fajã Grande, Poço do Bacalhau is a small and extraordinary swimming pool offering great swimming, including hydro massage from the powerful Ribeira das Casas waterfall.
Rock formations, cut by erosion, in fantastic and suggestive shapes. At Morro dos Frades, over Fajã de Lopo Vaz, two rocks look like a Friar and a Nun . Near Gruta do Galo (Roosters' Cave) it is possible to guess, on a rock, the shape of the bird. This cave is situated by the coast. It has interesting volcanic formations and an entrance that remind us of the main door of a great Cathedral. A Gruta dos Enxaréus , enorme cavidade à beira-mar, com cerca de 50 m de comprimento e 25 m de largura, entre Santa Cruz e Caveira, é de grande graciosidade e constitui um dos pontos mais atractivos da ilha.
The coast has numerous tips and, sometimes, pronounced scarps, which give it an amazing profile. On the southwest side, Falésia da Rocha Alta offers an unusual sight over the sea, sprinkled with islets.
Baía de Alagoa is a group of islets and sand-banks, like Fragata, Garajau, ilhéu dos Carneiros and Alvaro Rodrigues. The rocks covered in green, with colorful stripes and spots, are the elements which give the view some depth.
Ilhéu de Monchique is the most western point of Europe . In the Era of astronomic navegation, it was used as a point of reference when checking nautical routes and instruments.
Historic Buildings , in Lajes, the Capela de Nossa Senhora das Angústias, built in the XVIII century. In Santa Cruz , the Museu Etnográfico – Ethnographic Museum (Scrimshaws, religious images and jewelry of the Flemish school). On the rest of the island: Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios and Igreja do Senhor Santo Cris to.
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MUSEUM AND LIBRARIES:
- Museu da Ilha das Flores
FESTIVALS:
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Festa do Emigrante in Lajes – 3rd weekend in July
SPORTS AND LEASURE:
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Natural swimming pools and small rock beachs allow the practice of swimming, especially in the Lagedo and Castelo (Ponta dos Ilhéus), Fajãzinha, Fajã Grande, Ponta do Albernaz, Cedros, Santa Cruz and Lajes areas.
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Scuba diving : deep sea diving lovers can enjoy the clear sea bottoms, the abundance of animal and vegetal lives and the caves that perforate the islets.
- Fishing
- Snorkeling
- Fishing sites , several fishing grounds provide great captures.
- Fishing on the different creeks : these are heaven for trout fisherman. The fishing sites are the creeks of: Moinhos, Além Fazenda, Fazenda, Silva, Urzela, Grande and Lagoa da Lomba.
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Waterl Sports : windsurf, sailing, canoe, water ski.
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Boat Rides : a boat ride between Santa Cruz and Lajes is recommended, or between Lajes and Fajã Grande, in which you can enjoy seeing several bays, high scarps, caves dug by the sea, curious islets and crystal clear creeks that fall onto the sea.
- Nature Trails (hiking all over the island)
ARTS AND CRAFTS:
-Hydrangea pulp
-Wicker
-Weaving
-Patchwork
-Wood work
GASTRONOMY:
Typical Dishes – Besides de meat and fish recipes, Flores offers “papa grossa” (a little like flummery) water-cress soup, different pork dishes, beans with pork, “bolo no tijolo”, conger stew, baked tuna and seaweed pastries.
Shellfish – Lobster, crab, mussels, etc that satisfy seafood lovers.
Cheeses – The local cheese, prepared the old way, is naturally tasty.
RESTAURANTS:
-Restaurante Marés Vivas - specialties: typical dishes - Santa Cruz das Flores
-Restaurante Baleia Ocidental – specialties: fresh fish, grilled foods, Veal Alcatra - Santa Cruz das Flores
-Restaurante A Rosa - specialties: typical dishes - Santa Cruz das Flores
-Restaurante Pousada Lajes das Flores - specialties: a variety of dishes - Lajes das Flores
-Restaurante da Zona Balnear - specialties: Esplanada Steak, Rabbit, Baked Octopus, Jewfish kebab and shrimp - Fajã Grande
BARS, DISCOTEQUES:
- Lucino´s Bar- Santa Cruz das Flores |
Versão Portuguesa
