Horta: the port of Atlantic crossings

The Horta Dock, entirely painted with murals left by thousands of ship crews passing through over the decades, remains a unique maritime tradition worldwide.

Steps away, the Capelinhos Volcano, formed during a submarine eruption in 1957, added territory to the island creating a still-visible lunar landscape.

Heading toward the center, you visit the Horta Museum, which displays carvings in elderberry pith, a unique handicraft tradition of Faial island.

Toward evening, Peter Café Sport, a historic bar for transatlantic sailors since 1918, still animates the port's social life.

The tradition of painting murals on Horta's pier arose from a maritime belief that leaving a coloured mark before departure would bring good fortune during Atlantic crossings.

The eruption of Capelinhos volcano in 1957-58 added nearly two square kilometres of new land to the island of Faial, forcing hundreds of families to emigrate as ash rendered the surrounding area uninhabitable.