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Capelo, Faial Island
Discover Capelo, the very “end of the world” of Faial Island, Azores
Capelo, Faial
© Marlene Angeja
Capelo, along with Norte Pequeno, are the two “ends of the world” of Faial Island. Both towns, located in the northern and southern extremes of the Cabeços da Fonte and do Canto, exhibit a humble complex of houses made to resist the battering of winds and storms.
The town of Capelo houses around 500 inhabitants and is formed by a series of charming homes of basalt, entirely whitewashed, normally low in height, and with windows and doors painted in blue, red or green. Some have been have been turned into rural lodgings.
It’s worth noting the igreja matriz (mother church) from the 17th century with its elegant staircase and atrium. This latter has been turned into a lookout.
Nearby you will find a forest park that is a perfect departing point for several pedestrian routes. One of the itineraries (of around 7,5 km in length) reaches Praia do Norte Beach, being one of the most attractive routes since it get into the volcanic side of the island and offers amazing views of the Caldeira Grande. This trail finished in ER 1-1ª, near Miradouro da Ribeira das Cabras.
The main resource of the area is in Ponta do Capelinhos. The overwhelming landscape, still very much untouched by vegetation, was created by an underwater eruption in the 50s. This area is just a couple of kilometres from Capelo. In Ponta dos Capelinhos, you will find an Interpretation Centre where you will get tons of information about the underwater volcanic activity in 1957, which generated a neck of land of 600 metres. If you can, visit it at sunset, when the landscape is the most beautiful.
Three kilometres to the north of Capelo is located Norte Pequeno, with its new church and picturesque homes. A little further is Varadouro, a town that has become a holiday centre with its amazing natural pools.
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