Azores: Caldeira and Capelinhos

🚶 3 km · 📍 4 stops · ⏱ ~300 min

A full day by car to the west of the island: the viewpoint into the Caldeira crater at the highest part of Faial, the Capelinhos volcano with its half-buried lighthouse, the old whaling station of Porto do Comprido below it, and the sea pools at Varadouro. On the way you drive through the land that the Cabeço do Fogo volcano ruined in 1672. About 60 km by car, only short stretches on foot. FOG: the Caldeira is very often in cloud. If it is clear up there, do not put it off — the weather changes within minutes. Do not go down into the crater in rain; the slopes are steep and narrow. CAPELINHOS: the opening hours of the visitor centre change with the season. Outside summer it closes on Mondays and opens for shorter hours. Full adult admission is 10 €, the climb up the lighthouse alone 1 €, and in strong wind the climb is usually closed. Check current prices and hours on the Azores natural parks site. OPTIONAL: a marked trail, the PRC4FAI, runs around the rim of the crater, 6.8 km, about two and a half hours.