Faial was formed by volcanic activity some 800,000 years ago. Today, the island is centered around a central volcano formed over 10,000 years ago.
Located on the western edge of the island, Capelinhos volcano erupted in 1957-8, creating 2.5 sq km of new land as the lava entered the sea and solidified. This created the barren landscape of black sand we see today, a huge contrast to the green fields that I've seen so far on the trip. The eruption was so significant that it led to a wave of Azoreans leaving the islands. The US passed the Azorean Refugee Act in 1958 and a huge wave of immigration to the US and Canada took place.
The underground interpretation centre details the event vividly, located away from view so not to disturb the landscape.
The lighthouse survived the eruption and as part of your ticket, you can climb up for a better view of the area and appreciate nature's power.
