Car Rental in Santa Cruz das Flores

✓ No Hidden Costs ✓ 24/7 Support ✓ Free Cancellation
Santa Cruz das Flores, Portugal - Azores Islands
Unable to find any location
Driver's country of residence is United States of America (USA) and age is 30-65
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30 - 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80+
700+ Trusted Suppliers:

Cheapest Car Rental Rates

Santa Cruz das Flores Airport
Mini
Volkswagen Up or similar
Volkswagen Up
  • 4
  • 1
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Man.
Autatlantis
$16.67 per day
Santa Cruz das Flores Airport
Economy
Renault Clio or similar
Renault Clio
  • 5
  • 2
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Man.
Ilha Verde
$22.43 per day
Santa Cruz das Flores Airport
Compact
Fiat Tipo or similar
Fiat Tipo
  • 5
  • 2
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Man.
Europcar
$88.54 per day
Santa Cruz das Flores Airport
Mini Elite
Fiat Panda or similar
Fiat Panda
  • 5
  • 1
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Man.
Autatlantis
$19.86 per day

Most Popular Car Rental Deals

Santa Cruz das Flores Airport
Intermediate Van
Dacia Jogger or similar
Dacia Jogger
  • 7
  • 2
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Man.
Ilha Verde
$51.68 per day
Santa Cruz das Flores Airport
Full-size Van
Toyota Proace or similar
Toyota Proace
  • 9
  • 3
  • 4
  • A/C
  • Man.
Autatlantis
$63.50 per day
Santa Cruz das Flores Airport
Mini
Renault Twingo or similar
Renault Twingo
  • 4
  • 1
  • 3
  • A/C
  • Man.
Ilha Verde
$16.96 per day
Santa Cruz das Flores Airport
Mini
Hyundai i10 or similar
Hyundai i10
  • 5
  • 1
  • 5
  • A/C
  • Man.
Ilha Verde
$20.24 per day
The above prices are only approximate and were last updated at 6:18 AM on 12/2/24. Prices may vary based on the booking dates, length of rental, and car class.
Why book with us?
Special offers
As a market leader, we get special offers like contactless pick-ups, great prices, and free upgrades.
Award-winning
World's Leading Car Rental Booking Website in the World Travel Tech Awards (4 years in a row).
Highly-rated
A combined rating of 4.5 with 175k+ total reviews on platforms like Trustpilot, Google, and Review Center.
4M users
Have already booked on one of the fastest-growing car rental booking websites.

Travel Information

Languages
Portuguese
Currency
EUR
Drive on
Right-hand side
Country code
+351
Average car rental price
$37 per day
Average car rental length
4 days
Speed limit within town
50 km/h or 31 mph
Speed limit out of town
80 - 100 km/h or 50 - 62 mph
Acceptable limit of BAC
0.05%
Rating
8.8 / 10

Why rent a car in Santa Cruz das Flores?

Even among the nine Azores Islands, Flores is a unique outlier. The westernmost of them, Flores is home to small, but lively settlements; interesting museums dedicated to the island's past; and original cuisine. Like all other islands in the Azores, Flores also boasts stunning volcanic beaches, impressive summits, and stunning nature. Easily explored with a rental car, it is a place like no other. 

Santa Cruz das Flores

Top ways to enter Santa Cruz das Flores

  • Flores Airport: A tiny international airport that only serves flights to and from other islands in the Azores islands as of October 2019, Flores Airpot handles about 60,000 travelers every year. Many visitors get to Flores by flying to João Paulo II Airport in Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel or Lajes Airport on Terceira and then taking another flight to Flores. The airport is just 1km (0.6 miles) from Santa Cruz, the largest settlement on the island, and can be reached in about two minutes.
  • By ferry: It is possible to fly to an international airport on one of the other Azores islands and then take a ferry to Flores. However, as of October 2019, only Faial and Corvo have direct ferry links with Flores - coming from other islands, you need to take two ferry rides. Some airports near Flores include Corvo Airport on Corvo, Horta Airport on Faial, and Pico-Madalena Airport on Pico. It’s also important to check the ferry schedule in advance as the services are much more frequent during the spring and summer months. 

City facts

  • Flores has a humid subtropical climate with oceanic influences. The average high temperature is 26°C  (79°F) in August, the warmest month, and 17 °C  (63°F) in February, the coldest. Even at night during winter, the temperature rarely drops below 5°C (41°F). Flores has moderately dry summers and rainy winters with an especially large amount of precipitation from October to mid-March.
  • Flores is the westernmost of the nine Azores Islands and lies entirely on the North American tectonic plate. Despite this, the island is politically considered a part of Europe, and the Monchique Islet, technically a part of Flores, is often called the westernmost point of Europe. Flores is about 530km (330 miles) west of Sao Miguel, the largest and easternmost of the Azores islands, about 1’900km (1,180 miles) west of Lisbon, and about 3’600km (2,235 miles) east of New York City.

Top sights and activities

  • Santa Cruz das Flores. The center of and the largest settlement on the island, Santa Cruz is a cozy little place with surprisingly many things to see. The town is home to the beautiful Igreja Matriz da Nossa Senhora da Conceição church, the Museum Whale Factory of Boqueirão, the Flores Museum, and the Convent of São Boaventura. Located on the eastern coast of the island, Santa Cruz also has the largest number of places to stay, and the rest of Flores can be easily explored from here.
  • Lajes das Flores. A small, picturesque town at the very southern end of the island, Lajes is home to a whaling museum, a beautiful church, a lighthouse, and a yacht dock (many boats crossing the Atlantic stop in the Azores). Lajes also has a number of great beach bars and restaurants. Located just 18km (11 miles) south of Santa Cruz, Lajes can be reached in about 25 minutes.
  • Fajã Grande. A small and somewhat remote village, Fajã Grande is considered to be the westernmost settlement in Europe. The village is famous for the impressive waterfalls, rock pools, and the forests that surround it. Located 20km (12 miles) from Santa Cruz, Fajã Grande can be reached in about 25-30 minutes crossing the entire island from east to west on the way.

Traffic and parking

  • Like the rest of Portugal, the  Azores drive on the right-hand side of the road. 
  • Unless specifically indicated otherwise, the speed limits are 90km/h (55 mph) on most motorways, 50km/h (31 mph) inside urban and built-up areas, and 20km/h (12 mph) inside the most so-called ‘coexistence zones’ or areas where cars share the road with passengers. Fines for speeding are hefty. 
  • You can only enter a roundabout after giving way to cars already in it.
  • The car’s documentation and proof of insurance always have to be inside the vehicle.
  • The Azores experience a lot of rain and fog which can significantly reduce visibility, so drive extra carefully during bad weather. The rain can also impact the quality of some rural roads and roads in protected areas. 
  • The Azores have a lot of cattle (the islands are from where most of the Portugal’s milk comes from). Watch out for animals crossing the roads, especially in rural areas. 
  • Drivers can only use a mobile phone if it is a hands free or an earpiece.
  • There are many viewpoints in the Azores, a great way to take in the stunning scenery. These are called ‘miradouro’ in Portuguese - if you see a sign for one and have time on your hands, make sure to follow it!
  • The legal alcohol limit is 0.05% for experienced drivers and 0.2 for novice drivers. Not respecting the limit can lead to large fines, a licence ban, and even imprisonment. 
  • The vast majority of rental cars in the Azores only have automatic transmission. 
  • Safety cameras are in use.
  • When parking on the street, your car must be parked facing the direction of travel.
  • The emergency number, like elsewhere in the EU, is 112.

Toll roads

There are no toll roads on Flores, but some motorways are subject to fees on the mainland of Portugal. See the official toll road site for maps and fees.

Ideas for day trips

  • Morro Alto and Pico do Se Natural Forest Reserve. A protected area in the middle of the island, it is home to Morro Alto, the highest point on the island. On a clear day, Mount Pico, the highest point of Portugal that is on the island of Pico, can be seen from there. The forest reserve is made up of many hiking paths that let visitors explore the summits and unique landscape of the area. Located some 17km (11 miles) west of Santa Cruz, the reserve can be reached in about 35 minutes.
  • Gruta dos Enxaréus. There are many caves and grottoes on the eastern coast of Flores, but none of them is as impressive as the Gruta dos Enxaréus. As the largest of them, it was for centuries a hiding place for pirates, and some of their treasures are rumored to still be hidden somewhere near the cave. Even if visiting the Gruta dos Enxaréus doesn’t make you any richer, it’s strange beauty makes it a must-visit place in Flores. Located just 8km (5 miles) south of Santa Cruz, the cave can be reached in 10-15 minutes.
  • Ponta Delgada. Although it shouldn’t be mistaken for the much larger Azorean city on the island of Sao Miguel, this village on the northern edge of Flores is a great place to visit. Come here to try the local seafood, enjoy stunning views of the ocean, and hike along the narrow coastal cliffs (although be warned, you might cross paths with one of the local cows). Located 19km (11.8 miles) from Santa Cruz, Ponta Delgada can be reached in about 30 minutes.

Most popular cars

The most popular rental car in Flores is the Nissan Micra, followed by the Toyota Yaris and the Renault Clio. The most popular rental car types are mini, economy, and compact.

Further destinations

  • Faial. The island of Faial remains something of an unknown to many foreign travelers, but that shouldn’t stop you from visiting. A tranquil place with plenty of space for every visitor, its attractions include the Capelinhos Volcano, Faial Caldera, and some of the best whale-watching tours in Europe.
  • Pico. All of the Azores islands are scenic places, but Pico might just be the pinnacle of the bunch. With its UNESCO-listed vineyards, old windmills, and sunset views of Mount Pico which dominates the panorama of the island, Pico is a photographer’s dream. The fact that the island’s restaurants serve some of the tastiest seafood in Europe also helps.
  • Corvo. The island closest to Flores and by far the smallest of the nine Azores Islands, Corvo is a unique place. Much of the island is made up of an impressive volcanic crater with a lake in the middle of it, and travelers also enjoy visiting the Lighthouse of Ponta Negra. The island has a population of about 470, so a visiting family of five would make up about 1% of all of Corvo’s inhabitants.
  • Sao Miguel. Although not close to Flores by any stretch of the imagination — it is more than 500 km (310 miles) to the southeast — Sao Miguel, the main island of the Azores, can be, and often is, visited on the same trip. Taking a ferry would not be especially convenient, but there is regular air service between the two islands. The most populated and most developed in the archipelago, Sao Miguel is known for, among other things, its beautiful “fire lakes” and great hiking.

Note: It is possible to take a ferry from Flores to Corvo, Faial, Pico, and other islands in the Azores, but it’s important to check the ferry schedule and book tickets in advance as some routes are not active during the winter months, so you might need to either fly or take connecting ferry rides.

While it is possible to take a rental car on some ferries, many rental car providers don’t permit it, so it’s important to ask them in advance. A better plan can be to drop off your car in Flores, go as a foot passenger, and then pick up a new rental car at the port of your destination.

Car rental prices in Santa Cruz das Flores

  • Station wagons - from $32 per day
  • Medium cars - from $28 per day
  • Vans - from $50 per day
  • Small cars - from $17 per day
  • SUVs - from $28 per day

Money-saving and other tips

Finding a cheap rental car in Santa Cruz das Flores is easy if you follow these steps:

  • Compare the rates of different rental car providers
  • Book your rental car well in advance
  • Plan your route before you go
  • Know your fuel and mileage requirements
  • Visit during the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Flores is the cheapest in January when renting a car is about 50% cheaper than the yearly average and a whole 71% cheaper than renting a car in August. Start your year with a holiday in the Azores!
This information was written, fact-checked, and/or translated by our content creators.

Learn more about our Editorial Policy.

Top 7 cities near Santa Cruz das Flores

  1. 233.2 km / 144.9 miles away
  2. 253.1 km / 157.3 miles away
  3. 269.9 km / 167.7 miles away
  4. 349.3 km / 217 miles away
  5. 357 km / 221.8 miles away
  6. 508.2 km / 315.8 miles away
  7. 589.3 km / 366.2 miles away

Top 10 locations near Santa Cruz das Flores

Map of Car Rental Locations

What is the cheapest month to rent a car in Santa Cruz das Flores?

Car rental prices in Santa Cruz das Flores vary by time of year. This graph shows the average prices per month to help you find the best time of year to rent.
Average rental costs per day in Santa Cruz das Flores
$36.96
January
$19.48
February
$28.73
March
$47.98
April
$55.55
May
$84.27
June
$107.31
July
$103.06
August
$66.66
September
$39.69
October
$24.51
November
$27.72
December
The cheapest month to rent a car in Santa Cruz das Flores is February (when prices average $19.48 per day). This is 64% cheaper than the yearly average and 82% cheaper than renting in July (when prices average $107.31).

This information can help you identify the low season. But these are only average numbers. How much your car rental will cost will depend on the type of vehicle you rent, how long you’ll rent it for, and how far ahead you book. Simply enter your dates in the form at the top of the page to see the exact prices.

What’s the usual rental length in Santa Cruz das Flores?

How long travelers keep their rental cars for varies from month to month: in January, the average renter keeps their car for 5 days, and in February, they keep their car for 4 days.
Average number of rental days in Santa Cruz das Flores
5
January
4
February
4
March
4
April
4
May
4
June
4
July
4
August
4
September
4
October
5
November
4
December

What's the most popular month to rent a car in Santa Cruz das Flores?

Based on the number of searches by our customers, the most popular month for renting a car in Santa Cruz das Flores is August, and the least popular is February.
Monthly searches in Santa Cruz das Flores by pick-up date relative to the average
6%
January
5%
February
20%
March
93%
April
103%
May
178%
June
197%
July
263%
August
203%
September
100%
October
20%
November
12%
December

Car rental information

Car rental locations 1
Airport locations 1
Popular suppliers Ilha Verde, Autatlantis, Avis, Europcar
Popular car categories Small cars, SUVs, Vans, Medium cars
Lowest price $17 per day
Cheapest supplier Autatlantis

Most popular car models of rental suppliers

Rental Supplier Model Doors Luggage Type
Ilha Verde Renault Twingo 3 1 Small cars
Ilha Verde Renault Clio 5 2 Small cars
Autatlantis Toyota Yaris 4 1 Small cars
Ilha Verde Hyundai i10 5 1 Small cars
Autatlantis Volkswagen Up 5 1 Small cars
Autatlantis Fiat Panda 5 1 Small cars
Avis Renault Clio 5 1 Small cars
Ilha Verde Renault Captur 5 2 SUVs
Ilha Verde Hyundai Kauai 5 2 SUVs
Autatlantis Citroen C3 Aircross 5 1 SUVs

Our customers' reviews

Because we want to make sure each review listed here is left by a real customer, we don’t have the option to post a review here. Instead, we ask each and every customer to leave a review after they return their rental car. This way, you know that all reviews are authentic.

Canada
Renault Clio
10/8/24
Flores is amazingly beautiful - it would have been difficult to see everything we saw without a car
Photo 1 by Grant H. about renting a Renault Clio in Santa Cruz das Flores (10/8/24) Photo 2 by Grant H. about renting a Renault Clio in Santa Cruz das Flores (10/8/24) Photo 3 by Grant H. about renting a Renault Clio in Santa Cruz das Flores (10/8/24)
Belgium
Renault Clio
8/1/24
Flores Island is wonderful. Pure wilderness, few people. You absolutely need a car to visit!
United Kingdom
Renault Twingo
7/15/24
The entire Azores is magical.
Italy
Renault Twingo
7/12/24
Even though that our flight was cancelled we really enjoy the flourish island of Flores. The nature there is incredible.
Canada
Toyota Aygo
6/18/24
3 islands, all with great experiences
United Kingdom
Renault Twingo
4/7/23
The car not included, the trip to flores was amazing and I would definitely visit this island again!
Netherlands
Renault Twingo
8/30/22
If there would be a paradise on earth, Flores would be on the shortlist. The Faja Grand area is just breathtakingly beautifull, Canyoning, boattrips, vulcanoes, hikes, even the hidden miniature hotspring in Lajedo. But most of all Cascata do Poco do Bacalhau will stay with me for a long time.
Luxembourg
Smart For Four
8/3/19
quite expensive but otherwise good
Portugal
Nissan Micra
7/28/18
Renting a car is absolutely indespensable in spite of the high prices compared with other destinations

Car Rental Statistics

Highest-rated company
Autatlantis
9 / 10
)
Lowest-rated company
Avis
7.5 / 10
)
Total number of reviews
27
Total rental companies
6
Average daily price
$37.49
Lowest daily price
$16.67
Total cars available
82

Top 6 suppliers in Santa Cruz das Flores in 2024

Autatlantis
Autatlantis
Exceptional 9 / 261 reviews
1 location
$17 - $64
SIXT
SIXT
Very good 8.1 / 0 reviews
1 location
$17 - $64
Ilha Verde
Ilha Verde
Average 7.9 / 497 reviews
1 location
$17 - $110
Keddy
Keddy
Average 7.8 / 0 reviews
1 location
$17 - $110
Europcar
Europcar
Average 7.7 / 12 reviews
1 location
$48 - $89
Avis
Avis
Average 7.5 / 22 reviews
1 location
$51
Download Our App
Book and manage your booking on the go
Log in or create an account
Get access to all your bookings in one place
Continue with email
By selecting "Agree and continue", you agree to DiscoverCars.com's
and
What's your email?
Please check your email
Please check your email
We've sent an email with a verification link to {email}
Click on the link in the email to log in.
Please select a pick-up location and dates