Property and local area description
The property
The Aldeia da Cuada is a paradise within a paradise: the Island of Flores. Situated on the west coast of the Island of Flores, on a small plateau overlooking the mouth of the Ribeira Grande River, municipality of Lajes, the Aldeia da Cuada is one of the most beautiful Azorean sceneries. A place where time stood still and where nature performed its best, leaving it untouched and full of life! At the Aldeia da Cuada only the stone walls and the basalt cottages stand out amongst the verdant fields, where the fresh smell of flowers and fruit trees drift.
The places surrounding the village suggests outings of true expectations and sheer pleasures. Only 2 Km away you will find the seaside town of Fajã Grande, one of the most sought after summer spots on the Island of Flores. Here a deep blue sea invites you to an invigorating swim or simply enjoy the fine cuisine at the local restaurant. To the island's main town Santa Cruz is 20 Km.
At night, in the silence of this small sanctuary, you can almost hear the sound of the sun falling against the horizon... afterwards, everything seems even more serene, but at the same time more intense, fragrant, inexplicably captivating, as if part of a poem.
During the mid sixties most of the residents of the Aldeia da Cuada followed other Azoreans and emigrated to the New World. The Village, where, even today, motorized vehicles never arrived, was almost deserted and its houses abandoned.
The touristic village of the Cuada brings together the old and the modern, having salvaged the original houses and adapted them to today's comfort.
A reception with parking area welcomes the visitor at the village entrance. Equipped with kitchen and bathroom, as well as spacious bedrooms, the 14 cottages make up the touristic village of the Cuada; respecting all of the safety laws of modern accommodation, without losing any of the rural designs of its stone construction.
Cottage T6: 6-bedroom cottage over 2 floors, 4 bathrooms, large living/dining room, sleeps 12.
* Minimum of 3 nights stay.
* Meals are not provided.
* Kitchens are fully equipped
* Cottages are equipped with TV, stereo and telephone
* Cottages have BBQ's as well as patios with lawn chairs, table and shade
* Cottages are heated by iron stoves
Flores Island
Lying on the most westerly side of the group of islands Ilha das Flores is 17 kilometers long and 12.5 wide, with a population of 4.500 inhabitants. This charming but rugged island derives its name from the quantity of flowers that grow in abundance due to its high annual rainfall. It was only in the 16th Century that farmers from Europe accepted its climate and started cultivating the thick and luxuriant land. In he capital, Santa Cruz das Flores, there is a small museum devoted to the fishing industry and farming.Access to this island can only be made by flight but it does have a summer boat connection with the nearby Ilha do Corvo.
The Azores Archipelago
Azores Archipelago, constituted by a total of 9 islands, is located in the middle of the Atlantic, about 1,400 - 1,800 km west from Cabo da Roca (Portugal) and 1,800 - 2,500 km east from Newfoundland (Canada). It has a total area of 2,335 km².
This multi-faced archipelago, with its impressive and changing landscapes, is divided into 3 groups, as follows:
Western Group: with the islands of Corvo and Flores
Central group: with the islands of Faial, Pico, São Jorge, Graciosa and Terceira
Eastern group: with the islands of São Miguel and Santa Maria
Every island is of volcanic origin. Maximum distance between western and eastern groups reaches 530 km.
A crossing point between the old and the new worlds during four centuries, Azores were of maximum importance for sailing fleets. The mix of different cultures led to the cosmopolite nature of Azorean.
Due to the Gulf stream, Azores benefits of a subtropical climate with large temperature amplitudes. Air humidity is naturally high, situated mostly between 75 and 90%. Average temperatures from November to May around 15 to 17° C, from June to October around 19 to 22 ° C. In Summer months of July and August temperatures can eventually reach 30° C.
Water temperature in Summer lays between 18 and 22° C.