Corvo
We took a side trip to the nearby island of Corvo. Boats depart from Santa Cruz and take about an hour or so to get to Corvo. On the day we went there was a strong breeze with steep waves making for quite the bumpy ride in a rib on the way there. It turned out to be totally worth it. As we were approaching Corvo we spotted a pod of the rare Risso’s dolphin.
On Corvo we took a taxi to the top of the caldera and then hiked down into it. Truly a magical spot and even at peak season not completely overrun. The gray looking areas are all hydrangeas in peak bloom.
(The caldera on Corvo)
Pro-tip: make sure to tell your taxi driver to come back to pick you up once you have hiked out of the caldera (we forgot to do this and had to hitch a ride back down). In the village there is a great local spot right in the town square with excellent bifanas.
Coming back we explored the North shore of Flores, which is dotted with waterfalls, caves and picturesque rocks (including one similar to the famous Capri faraglioni).