Azul Singular
Faial, The Azores, Portugal
Reviewed by
Michael Cullen
This is exactly how glamping should be - only better. Hidden in a dense plantation of palms, ferns and incenso trees, on the lower flanks of Faial’s volcano and a short hop above its rugged Atlantic coastline, are half a dozen cosy tented cabins and a pair of yurts. They're brilliantly designed and comfy too: kingsize mattresses, kitchenettes with Moka machine and toaster, hot drench showers, cosy pellet-burning stoves.Plus, a shared sitting room with honesty bar and a roof terrace looking across the ocean to Pico’s spectacular, cloud-wreathed peak.
Each morning, we woke to symphonic birdsong and a beautiful breakfast basket sitting on our doorstep. We felt immersed in nature. Days were spent exploring Faial’s volcanic craters, hiking its levada trails, cycling down to the ocean for a dip in the rock pools, or mooching along the colourful lanes of Horta, the island’s handsome and historic harbour town. After four days we felt completely re-energised, a world away from office screens and traffic delays. This is proper travel: a genuinely pioneering eco-oasis in the Azores, a haven for outdoorsy families and star-gazing couples alike.
Each morning, we woke to symphonic birdsong and a beautiful breakfast basket sitting on our doorstep. We felt immersed in nature. Days were spent exploring Faial’s volcanic craters, hiking its levada trails, cycling down to the ocean for a dip in the rock pools, or mooching along the colourful lanes of Horta, the island’s handsome and historic harbour town. After four days we felt completely re-energised, a world away from office screens and traffic delays. This is proper travel: a genuinely pioneering eco-oasis in the Azores, a haven for outdoorsy families and star-gazing couples alike.
Highs
- Faial itself: a magical green speck of an island with 10 volcanoes, 1 traffic light and a true end-of-the-world feeling
- Owners Pedro and Antonia: hospitable, hard-working, generous to a fault, two true visionaries
- Irresistibly romantic: imagine a snuggly bed with roll-up canvas ‘windows’ to let moonshine and birdsong in
- The large cabins are great for adventurous families, with a double and 2 single beds
- Excellent eco-credentials: green energy (heat pumps with solar thermic panels) and natural building materials (wood and fabric)
Lows
- This is a back to nature retreat, so expect some bugs (moths, crickets), mooing cows nearby, clucking crows at dawn
- In strong winds or rains, the cabins can feel buffeted; but they remain dry and toasty inside
- It’s 5 mins’ drive to the coast, 10-15 mins to restaurants (in Horta); so you’ll need a car
- There's no pool on-site (but there are swimmable ocean pools a mile down the hill)
Best time to go
We think Faial is best in April-June or September-October. The former is better for whale-watching, as you may spot migrating blue or fin whales in addition to resident sperm whales, but Pedro points out that baby owls can hoot somewhat intrusively around the glampsite. July-August are also good - the island is much quieter than Sao Miguel - but you should still book everything well ahead (including car hire and boat excursions) as stock is limited. We stayed in late November, just before Azul Singular closed for its winter break, and we felt like the only visitors on Faial. We had sporadic bursts of rain most days, but when the sun shone it was warm enough for ocean swims and short-sleeved hikes.
Our top tips
Faial is a small island - you can drive around it in a couple of hours - with over 10 volcanoes and a dramatic coastline, making it perfect for hiking, cycling and marine adventures. But it's a bit of a schlepp to reach, so stay as long as you can. It won't break the bank.
For info and insights on Faial, Pedro and Antonia are the oracles. They have a charming backstory, too. Pedro, a contemporary dancer, met Antonia, a music teacher, on the stage of a Carmina Burana performance in Porto. He said to her: Come back with me to my remote island. She leapt at the chance - and the consequence was the first glampsite in the Azores.
For info and insights on Faial, Pedro and Antonia are the oracles. They have a charming backstory, too. Pedro, a contemporary dancer, met Antonia, a music teacher, on the stage of a Carmina Burana performance in Porto. He said to her: Come back with me to my remote island. She leapt at the chance - and the consequence was the first glampsite in the Azores.