Car Rental in Santa Cruz das Flores

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. 

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

• Vans - from $161 per day
• SUVs - from $126 per day
• Medium cars - from $272 per day
• Small cars - from $57 per day
• Station wagons - from $213 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!