Friar's Mill – View of Faial loop from Monumento Natural da Gruta das Torres

Hiking trails & Routes

Criação Velha

Friar's Mill – View of Faial loop from Monumento Natural da Gruta das Torres

Moderate

4.6

(32)

hikers

Friar's Mill – View of Faial loop from Monumento Natural da Gruta das Torres

02:56

10.2km

260m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily walkable paths. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 17, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Área de Paisagem Protegida da Cultura da Vinha - Zona Oeste

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

59 m

Gruta das Torres

Highlight • Cave

GRUTTA DAS TORRES
One of the longest lava caves in Portugal. Very:) detailed 11 / 2h tour over 300 m cave. You get a helmet and a flashlight and should …

Translated by Google •

Tip by

1.89 km

View of Faial Island and the Sea

Highlight • Viewpoint

4.92 km

Friar's Mill

Highlight • Monument

Beautiful narrow paths with a view of Faial.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

5.60 km

Narrow Path Between Vineyard Walls

Highlight • Trail

6.93 km

View of Faial

Highlight • Viewpoint

From here you have a wonderful view of Faial and its port city of Horta.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

10.2 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

5.23 km

2.79 km

2.14 km

Surfaces

4.22 km

3.81 km

1.98 km

162 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Today

Sunday 1 November

22°C

16°C

29 %

Additional weather tips

Expect light wind and shifting conditions.

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

October 18, 2021,Grosse Lavahöhle Runde von Criação Velha

The longest lava cave in Portugal should be worth a hike. The paths up here are not spectacular. The hike through the wine-growing region, on the other hand, is spectacular. The lava that formed new land down here came exactly through the lava tube, which you can then visit. Viticulture is carried out here with an incredible amount of effort. …

Showing Translation

December 29, 2022,Durch die Weinfelder von Criacao Velha

According to the motto: There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes, we went out today.

From the parking lot of the Grota das Torres we went past meadows and through a village down to a large, very old vineyard. The vines are surrounded and protected by ancient walls made of lava stones. We walked up …

Showing Translation