Capelinhos Volcano Faial

About this spectacle

Capelinhos is the westernmost point of Faial Island in the Azores, where a dramatic underwater volcanic eruption in 1957–1958 added a new lava peninsula to the island's coastline. Visitors walk across a lunar-like landscape of pale ash fields, jagged black basalt flows, and rust-red cinder cones that look freshly formed despite decades of weathering. The half-buried lighthouse, slowly being swallowed by volcanic ash, is an iconic and haunting sight. From the clifftop viewpoints, the Atlantic stretches in every direction and the raw geological violence of the eruption is still palpable. Winds can be fierce and the terrain is stark and almost vegetation-free near the vent, giving the place an otherworldly, end-of-the-world atmosphere. An interpretive centre built into the cliffs provides context about the eruption and its impact on Faial's population.

When to go

Jan — Dec, peak May — Sep

Getting there

Nearest airport: HOR. Nearest city: Horta.

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