The island of Flores has an area of 143.11 Km2, with a length of 17 km and 12.5 km of maximum width, it is located 21.59º Longitude West and 39.25º Latitude North. It's highest elevation, Morro Alro, has 914 meters in altitude.
It is still unknown the date that Flores was discovered as well as the island of Corvo although that it is known that they were discovered after the remaining seven islands of the Azores were discovered.
Initially named the island of São Tomas or Santa Iria it is later changed to Flores, due to the abundancy of yellow flowers that cover the entire island, of which it's seeds were sent through the passage of migratory birds from the Florida peninsula, in North America.
It's initial populating is attributed to the Flemmish Wilhelm van der Haegen that, after a few years, abandoned it, and would move to the island of São Jorge, a decision which was based on the isolation of the island and the inexistence of regular connections by boat that permitted the exporting of the dye plant called «pastel» to Flanders.
Drawn away from the other islands in the archipelago, with few products to export, the island of Flores lived centuries in near isolation, interrupted by rare visits of authorities, commerce boats and by Corsairs and pirates that according to certain stories, sought refuge in the cave called gruta dos Enxaréus.
Meanwhile, it's populating continued and around the XVI century, farmers from many regions of mainland Portugal started to tame the land by producing wheat, barley, corn, vegetables and exploring heath, used in dyes, and «pastel».
The development of agriculture and of cattle raising, the construction of an airport and the presence of a French telemedia station are recent events, that opened up new horizons towards the progress of the island.

Festivities
Although physically the island of Flores is far away from the remaining island of the archipelago of the Azores, with the exception of the island of Corvo. Flores maintains it's folclore, similarities in it's dances and regional songs, such is the examples of the Sapateia, the Tirana, the Chamarrita Encaracolada, the Remo, the Manjericão, the Ciranda, the Pezinho de Baixo and many others that animate the days of festivities.
In similarity with the remaining islands, the cult of the Holy Ghost is also present, with the called Holy Ghost festivals which are the most important on the island.
With a duration of two days with it's start on the first Sunday in August, we have the Santa Cruz festival, in whcih the vila is decorated with many flowers that color the entire island and that in arches, decorate the streets, creating an marvellous atmosphere of color and happiness. With the presence of crowns from the 27 Holy Ghost shrines in the island, it is considered the largest festival in the Azores in honor of the Holy Ghost.
The Folares Festival, on Easter, the processions of Our Lord of the Paces, on Good Friday, are done with great enthusiasm by all parishes, it is joined with the Sanjoaninas Festival, in Santa Cruz, that attracts many outsiders and immigrants from other islands, but also form other parts of the world.
The Lady of Flores Festival, which takes place in the Matos Chapel, is the most participated of all the island. Finally we have the Emigrant Festival in Lajes das Flores, which takes place on the second weekend of June.

Cuisine
Aside from the mean and fish recipies, of which you can say are «Azorean» beauce they are present in all of the archipelago, Flores alos offers an enormous variety of other dishes typically Flores-like, like the Agrião Soup, pork cozido, molho de dobrada, terra root with linguiça, beans with pig's head and seaweed pastes.
A delicious cheese produced on the island, the creamy and soft butter, a delicious honey, from the flowers that, during the year, are presnet throughout the island, are compliments to a meal where, as well, you can not go without our crabs, cracas and limpits caught on the wet rocky coastlines by the ocean.

Things to See
Lajes: Picturesque vila surrounded by green fields and monuments, of which there is the Our Lady of the Rosary Church, built in the XVIII Century and the Our Lady of Concerns Chapel, built by Spanish noblemen saved by the sinking of their gallion.
Santa Cruz: An open vila of important buildings, symbols of the former prosperity of this vila. Here you can find some buildings of barroque architechture, such is the example of the Saint Bonaventure Church. The Ethnographic Museum, has in it's disposition articles representitive of the populations daily life, as well as religious images, with a special note to the Virgin and the Child.
Fajãzinha: Surrounded by ocean, this is a town turned to cattle raising and where you can find in it's proximities the Ribeira Grande waterfall, which falls from an altitude of 300 meters, descending upon the coast in a constant murmur in direction to the sea. Picturesque ruins of and old building. The Our Lady of Medicine Church.
Our Lord Saint Christ Church: Temple wich dates back to the end of the XIX century, representative of Azorean reigious architecture, with works done in tile.
Also deserving a visit is the churches of Caveira, Fajã Grande, Lomba, Mosteiro and Ponta Delgada, by they so well preserved artifacts, as well as the Holy Ghost shrines and the chapels that, here and elsewhere, flourish in the scenery as symbols of Azorean devotion and examples of adaptation of architectual formulas in an island that, for many centuries, was drawn away from the current European esthetics, creating a unique singularity.

Touristic Guide
The roads let us find out the main charms of Flores. But there are small areas, true treasures of the scenic beauty, that only are uncovered between flowers, green meadows and waterfalls.
But if you prefer the ocean, the limpid and crystalline waters of Flores, allow you to observe with great clarity the depths cut by multi-color rock formations, in it's grottos that penetrate the islets and cliffs, attractive for the days of marvel, appreciating all of it's hidden beauty by the ocean.