On Flores, water-filled volcanic craters lie on the central plateau, while waterfalls gather along the coast. There are also striking lava columns, distinctive habitats and an island culture reflected in its cheese, butter and pastries. These contrasts make Flores a destination to discover through both its landscapes and local traditions.

Crater Lakes and Protected Landscapes

The central plateau is shaped by explosion craters that have turned into lakes. The caldera is home to the Sete Lagoas: Lagoa Funda, Lagoa Branca, Lagoa Seca, Lagoa Comprida, Lagoa Rasa, Lagoa da Lomba and Lagoa Negra. The last is 100 metres deep. Their names help visitors appreciate the seven lakes as distinct places within this volcanic landscape rather than simply grouping them together.

In 2009, Flores was classified as a Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme. It covers the island’s entire land area above sea level, as well as an adjoining marine zone, for a total of 58,619 hectares. Another designation describes the island’s natural environment: Flores Natural Park includes the largest and best-preserved wooded peat bogs in the North Atlantic. These two designations offer different perspectives on the island’s significance—from its land area and marine zone to its distinctive bog landscapes.

Waterfalls, Lava Columns and Geosites

The coastal area of Fajã Grande and Fajãzinha is home to almost twenty waterfalls. These include the waterfall of Ribeira Grande, which drops about 300 metres. Another striking rock formation is Rocha dos Bordões, with well-preserved, roughly 20-metre-high prismatic lava columns. Rocha dos Bordões is a Natural Monument in Flores Natural Park and a geosite in the Azores Geopark. Miradouro da Rocha dos Bordões offers a privileged view of the columns.

The routes also reveal different landscape features. PR02FLO offers views of Rocha dos Bordões and crosses a landscape with a fossil sea cliff about 300 metres high and numerous waterfalls. These feed, among other places, Poço do Bacalhau and Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro, also known as Lagoa das Patas. In Fajã Grande, Poço do Bacalhau has a small pool at the foot of a 90-metre-high waterfall where swimming is possible.

Fajã de Lopo Vaz is a geosite in the Azores Geopark and lies both within a Natura 2000 Special Protection Area for Birds and an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. Ponta da Rocha Alta is also designated as a geosite in the Azores Geopark. These designations provide information about geological and natural features, but they do not all mean the same thing about a place.

Routes and Practical Information

PR03FLO crosses the Morro Alto and Pico da Sé Nature Reserve, as well as the Central Zone and West Coast Cliffs Protected Landscape Area. Lagoas Negra, Comprida, Seca and Branca, along with Fajã Grande, are also designated as geosites in the Azores Geopark. The route and the individual geosites are different points of reference: the designation of the lakes and Fajã Grande does not mean the route passes through each of these places.

The PR01FLO route from Ponta Delgada to Fajã Grande is currently listed as closed. Check its status before your trip. For your arrival, Flores Airport is a useful point of reference: it is less than one kilometre from the centre of Santa Cruz.

Island Traditions and Local Produce

“Dia do fio,” also called “Dia da tosquia,” was a community celebration on Flores. Men and women from all the parishes gathered at the livestock pens. This longstanding tradition sits alongside products closely associated with the island: traditional Flores butter is churned by hand and made from the milk of local cows that graze freely on the island.

In Fajãzinha, Queijaria Pico Redondo makes traditional fresh and aged cheeses using artisanal methods. If you would like to include the dairy in a visit, check in advance what visiting options are available. Another speciality is Bolo do Tijolo. The dough is made from cornmeal, wheat flour, water and salt; it is shaped into several balls, flattened and baked over a fire on a clay tile. On Flores, local foods vary in both their ingredients and how they are made.

Churches, Museum and Nature Interpretation

The large Matriz de Santa Cruz das Flores was built in the 19th century; its façade and bell towers are particularly striking. The Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário was built between 1763 and 1783 on the site of an earlier Chapel of the Holy Spirit. Its two towers are integrated into the building. The differences in construction dates and details offer a tangible glimpse of the island’s religious architecture.

The Flores Museum houses a documented collection across three buildings: the São Boaventura Franciscan Convent, the Pimentel de Mesquita Museum House and the Whaling Factory. The Boqueirão Environmental Interpretation Centre is located in former tanks used to store whale oil. Its topics include resident and migratory birds, organisms in the intertidal zone and water column, whales and other cetaceans, as well as hydrothermal vents.

Discover more destinations: Santa Cruz Das Flores, Lajes Das Flores, Fajãzinha, San Jorge, Santa Maria, Corvo, S.Miguel, Pico.

Back to the main travel overview: Azores.