Car rental at Flores Airport (FLW)

Flores is one of the two islands of the western Azores, and with Corvo it actually sits on the North American plate. Its airport is in Santa Cruz das Flores, the island's main town, so the terminal is only minutes from the centre. Most of the rental firms on our list have a desk at the terminal, others meet you in arrivals, and one or two work from offices in town.

A small island with a small fleet

Flores is about 141 square kilometres and has only a few thousand inhabitants. The number of rental cars is limited, and in the summer hiking season they can all be booked well before you arrive. If you travel in July or August, reserve the car at the same time as the flight. Flights are operated with small aircraft from other Azorean islands and can be cancelled in bad weather, so tell the rental company if your arrival changes.

Where to drive

• Fajã Grande on the west coast is often called the westernmost village of Europe; behind it, the cliffs of the Rocha da Fajã are streaked with waterfalls.
• The Monchique Islet, offshore from the west coast, is the westernmost point of Portugal.
• The crater lakes on the central plateau lie along the road between Santa Cruz and the west.
• Lajes das Flores, the southern municipality, has its own harbour and a quieter coastline.

Roads are winding and often wet, and fog can settle on the uplands. There are only a handful of filling stations, so fill up in Santa Cruz or Lajes before a day on the far side of the island. Boats to Corvo run from Santa Cruz in the season, but the rental car stays on Flores.