The city of Horta consists of three parishes, Angústias, Matriz and Conceição and has about 7000 inhabitants. Horta is the economic and cultural centre of Faial, the Municipality of Horta covers the entire island of Faial. The city of Horta is one of the things that truly makes a difference between Faial and the other islands of the Azores. All along its history Horta has always been strongly influenced by people arriving from across the ocean. In the the beginning it was sailors stopping on their way to the new world. Sometimes there were unwanted visitors such as pirates or naval forces during several conflicts withing the Portuguese kingdom. Later came the steamboats and the whalers, followed by the technicians operating the submarine cables. During a short period in the 1940’s Horta was the “airport” of the Atlantic for the hydroplanes. Nowadays it is the sailors of the pleasure yachts and the tourists. All of them left their mark and gave Horta the flair of a truly cosmopolitan place. The citizens of Horta are proud of their past, sometimes one gets the feeling that they are not talking about a small town with 7000 inhabitants but about one of the major capitals of the world. When you are visiting Horta, there are some obvious landmarks, but if you want to feel the charm of the city, then you should walk the smaller roads and explore.
What to do in Horta
Check out the city walk of Horta, you will find all things to see here.
If you are planning to go for any tours such as whale watching or diving, check it here. If you are more into land adventures, then have a look here .
For upcoming events, check out here.
