Flores Island, Volcanic island in Azores, Portugal.
Flores Island is an island in the Azores, North Atlantic, stretching across steep slopes, narrow valleys, and several crater lakes tucked between forested ridges. The north coast drops sharply into the ocean, while the south shows gentler plains dotted with scattered hamlets and grazing land.
Portuguese sailors reached the island in the mid-fifteenth century and named it after the vegetation growing on the slopes. Settlement remained sparse for centuries until whalers and traders brought new connections to the archipelago in the nineteenth century.
The name comes from the hydrangeas that line the roads in summer, covering entire slopes in shades of blue and pink. Along the coast, small settlements appear where fishermen mend their nets and neighbors gather in front of white houses trimmed with black volcanic stone.
Travel involves smaller aircraft connecting from other islands, and lodging concentrates in the eastern and southern coastal towns. Hiking trails lead to the lakes and waterfalls, but fog can roll in quickly and limit visibility.
On the west coast, vertical basalt columns rise like organ pipes, formed by slow cooling of lava. From the coastal plateau, you can sometimes spot whales passing on their migration routes when the weather clears.
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