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For any yachtsman crossing the Atlantic from west to east, Horta is an almost unavoidable stopover. Located on the island of Faial, in the center of the Azores, it has become an initiatory passage, a place where maritime routes and the destinies of sailors from the four corners of the globe meet. Between Peter's Café Sport, the colorful frescoes of the port and the wealth of nautical activities, Horta embodies the soul of ocean sailing. A stopover that owes its renown to its hospitality, where every boat leaves its mark and every sailor leaves with a story to tell.
A strategic stopover
Ideally located in the North Atlantic, between America and Europe, the Horta marina is a natural stopover for yachts engaged in transatlantic voyages. Whether on their way to Northern Europe or back to the Mediterranean, sailors find a safe haven here before continuing their crossing.
Built in 1986, the modern marina is an extension of a historic port that has seen generations of sailors pass through for centuries. With a capacity of 300 boats, it is now the fourth busiest ocean-going marina in the world. Its waterfront, protected from the prevailing winds, provides an excellent refuge for sailors in search of rest or for a technical stopover.
The Horta marina is also the venue for numerous sailing competitions. These include the Route des Hortensias, the Défi Atlantique and the prestigious Les Sables - Les Açores - Les Sables Mini 6.50 race. Offshore racing enthusiasts rub shoulders with visiting yachtsmen in a warm, cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Peter's Café Sport, a meeting place for sailors
It's impossible to mention Horta without mentioning the famous Peter's Café Sport. For over 80 years, this legendary bar has welcomed sailors and adventurers in a convivial atmosphere. Founded in 1918 and run by the Azevedo family, it has become an institution for all those who cross the Atlantic. With its walls covered in pennants and memorabilia left by sailors from all over the world, Peter's Café Sport is a place where sea stories mingle over a glass of gin and tonic, the bar's signature drink.
Above the café, a small museum houses a collection of scrimshaw, sculptures made from the teeth of sperm whales, testimony to the island's whaling past, now a thing of the past.
An open-air art gallery
The uniqueness of Horta's marina lies above all in its colorful mosaic of frescoes painted on the quays. Initiated by sailors in port, this tradition has become an inescapable ritual. There's even a superstition that it's bad luck to leave Horta without leaving your mark. As a precaution, all crews now take up their brushes and participate in this collective fresco, which grows richer year after year. Today, the port is covered with hundreds of brightly colored paintings, a veritable open book on the history of the sailors who have trodden these quays.
Between cetacean watching and nautical traditions
The Horta marina is also an ideal starting point for cetacean watching. The waters of Faial, Pico and São Jorge are teeming with sperm whales, dolphins and other marine mammals attracted by the underwater riches. Numerous excursions offer visitors the chance to meet them, helping to perpetuate the Azores' maritime history in a more environmentally-friendly way.
Every August, visitors from all over the world come to Faial to celebrate the maritime world during Sea Week. Regattas, whaleboat races and festivities have brought the town to life since 1975.
