The tiny village on the southeastern tip of the island is squeezed into a narrow valley and on a small piece of flatter coastline. Apart from the beautiful wooded hilly surroundings, tourists are especially attracted to the marked trek up the hills to the half-abandoned picturesque village of Sanguinho.

The best outdoor accommodation on the island

Abandoned village and waterfalls

The famous trek, one of the most interesting and beautiful on São Miguel, starts at the car park at the northern end of Faial da Terra and is signposted. You first climb up a steep cobbled path for about 700 metres to the village of Sanguinho, with a few houses and some romantic-looking farm ruins. From Sanguinho, there are spectacular views of the ocean and the deep valley at the end of which lies Faial da Terra.

A short walk through pastures is replaced by dense forests of Japanese cryptometria cedars, typical of the Azores, and the path, which turns from cobblestone to forest path, takes you to the highest point of the trek, the magnificent forest waterfall of Salto do Prego.

The way back now leads steeply downhill through the valley of the Faial da Terra river through dense forest.

In total, the trail is about 3.5 km long, and even with stops, the average trained hiker can complete it in about 2 hours. See the route map shown.

Accommodation Faial da Terra

Accommodation in this tiny village will offer divine tranquillity and a complete cut off from the hustle and bustle of the everyday world. You will find only two small cafes and one mini-market. Accommodation here is provided by a few locals in their private apartments, mostly with prices between 90 eur and 120 eur per night.

The best rated are the Casa de Sanguinho holiday homes in the almost deserted village of the same name, completely away from civilisation.

In the centre of the village, we'd choose Casa Auri or Casa do Outeiro.

How to get to Faial da Terra?

Faial da Terra lies off the main ring road on the south-eastern tip of the island. However, there is a tarmac road that winds through a beautiful landscape of pastureland with stunning views. The turn-off from the main road outside Povoação is clearly signposted and it's a 64km drive from Ponta Delgada.

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Bus line 326 arrives here 3 times a day on weekdays only from Povoação. The timetables on the official website were last updated in 2013, so you'll need to check on the spot.