Faial Island

Faial Island (Portuguese pronunciation: [fɐˈjaɫ]), also known in English as Fayal, is a Portuguese island of the Central Group (Portuguese: Grupo Central) of the Azores. The Capelinhos Volcano, the westernmost point of the island, might as well be the westernmost point of Europe, if the Monchique Islet, near Flores Island, is considered part of North America, for it sits on the North American Plate.

With its nearest neighbours, Pico (east across the channel) and São Jorge (northeast across the channel), it forms an area commonly known as the Triângulo (English: Triangle). The island has also referred to as the Ilha Azul (English: Blue Island), derived from the writings of Portuguese poet Raul Brandão, due to the large quantity of hydrangeas that bloom during the summer months:

History

During a period of medieval legends and unsubstantiated stories of mystical lands, the island of Faial first appeared on the 1375-1377 Atlas Catalão, as Ilha da Ventura or Insula de La Ventura (English: Venture Island). By 1427 they had discovered what most had suspected: islands in the middle of the Atlantic (specifically the islands of Santa Maria and São Miguel). In subsequent years there would occur new discoveries until, during his first voyage of exploration (in 1451), the navigator Diogo de Teive explored the coast of Faial.